Soil Moisture

AUS-TDG-CON-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 10 to 20 %
Optimal Range: 10 to 20
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

Indicative PAW ranges, and thus optimal functional ranges, based on soil texture are: Sandy Loam: PAW ~12% VWC (e.g., FC 21% - PWP 9%). Optimal range suggested: ~10-20% VWC. The EucFACE site mean of 12.5% VWC on a loamy sand Chromosol fits here.

Metric Definition:

Plant Available Water (PAW) range in volumetric water content percentage representing optimal soil moisture for ecological function.

Benchmark Definition:

Optimal soil moisture range based on Plant Available Water (PAW) for Sandy Loam soils in temperate dry woodlands and native grasslands conservation areas.

Justification:

This range supports active growth, photosynthesis, nutrient cycling, and other vital ecological processes in conservation areas.

Sources (2)

Preview of Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate Journal

Soil water characteristics of a red chromosol and brown vertosol and ..., accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management - OSU Extension
Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management - OSU Extension Journal

Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management - OSU Extension

View Source

Supporting Sources (18)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review of soil waterlogging impacts, mechanisms, and adaptive strategies - PMC, accessed May 19, 2025,
A review of soil waterlogging impacts, mechanisms, and adaptive strategies - PMC, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A review of soil waterlogging impacts, mechanisms, and adaptive strategies - PMC, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of CO₂ sink to source: Arid Australia's climate and rainfall driven tipping points
CO₂ sink to source: Arid Australia's climate and rainfall driven tipping points
Contextual Support Journal

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 – Tussock grasslands, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,
Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Effects of moisture supply in the dry season and subsequent defoliation on persistence of the savanna grasses Themeda triandra, Heteropogon contortus and Panicum maximum - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,
Effects of moisture supply in the dry season and subsequent defoliation on persistence of the savanna grasses Themeda triandra, Heteropogon contortus and Panicum maximum - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Changes in soil physical properties and crop root growth in dense sodic subsoil following incorporation of organic amendments | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of extension.okstate.edu, accessed May 19, 2025,
extension.okstate.edu, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

extension.okstate.edu, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of GRASSLANDS - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 19, 2025,
GRASSLANDS - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

GRASSLANDS - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Impacts and management strategies for crop production in waterlogged or flooded soils: A review - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,
Impacts and management strategies for crop production in waterlogged or flooded soils: A review - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity Indicator Plants - NSW Government, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,
NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding soil pH, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Perennial Pasture Guide - Barenbrug, accessed May 19, 2025,
Perennial Pasture Guide - Barenbrug, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Perennial Pasture Guide - Barenbrug, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed August 6, 2025,
Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed August 6, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Native grasses and pastures | Native pasture management | Land ..., accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 19, 2025,
Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 19, 2025,
Irrelevant

Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of research report - University of Technology Sydney, accessed May 19, 2025,
research report - University of Technology Sydney, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support

Data Information - OzFlux Data Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Setting irrigation thresholds using different types of data | Turfgrass Science - Buckeye Turf, accessed May 19, 2025,
Setting irrigation thresholds using different types of data | Turfgrass Science - Buckeye Turf, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Setting irrigation thresholds using different types of data | Turfgrass Science - Buckeye Turf, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Time of seed harvest and sowing determines successful establishment of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) on Dja Dja Wurrung - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 19, 2025,
Time of seed harvest and sowing determines successful establishment of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) on Dja Dja Wurrung - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Time of seed harvest and sowing determines successful establishment of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) on Dja Dja Wurrung - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025
Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) The impact of soil disturbance on root development in ..., accessed May 15, 2025

View Source
Preview of Water potential the complete researcher guide - METER Group, accessed May 19, 2025,
Water potential the complete researcher guide - METER Group, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support

Water potential the complete researcher guide - METER Group, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Whroo Flux Data Collection - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,
Whroo Flux Data Collection - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,
Contextual Support

Plant available water capacity of dryland cropping soils in the south-eastern Australia, accessed May 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 24 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The optimal range supports different ecological processes at different times.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-CON-SMO family.

12.5 % Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target
Point Active v1