Microbial Respiration
Benchmark Value
Scoring Curve
This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 4 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.
Contributing Benchmarks
Evidence & Context
Any rate that is persistently above the equilibrium rate of a mature, old-growth forest (i.e., consistently exceeding 50-60 mg C/kg/day) should be viewed as a strong indicator of a system in a net catabolic state.
Soil microbial respiration rate measured as mg CO2-C released per kg of soil per day.
This benchmark defines the upper detrimental threshold above which soil microbial respiration indicates ecosystem imbalance and degradation in tropical and subtropical rainforest production forestry.
Rates above this threshold indicate a net loss of soil organic carbon characteristic of a post-disturbance phase, detrimental to long-term soil health.
Sources (1)
Major and persistent shifts in below‐ground ... - yadvinder malhi
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Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
(PDF) Impact of temperature and moisture on heterotrophic soil respiration along a moist tropical forest gradient in Australia - ResearchGate, accessed August 4, 2025,
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Maycock, Colin Rulzion (1998) Plant-soil nutrient relationships in ...
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Reforestation, carbon sequestration and relationships between soil attributes in the Wet Tropics of Australia (Schmidt et al., 2014)
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