Soil Structure & Compaction

AUS-TMS-CON-SSC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1500 kPa
Thresholds: Lower: 1500, Upper: —
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MinimumOnly

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 6 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 5 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Proposed Threshold: > 1500 kPa.

Metric Definition:

Penetrometer resistance (kPa) lower critical threshold indicating onset of significant ecological harm.

Benchmark Definition:

Lower critical threshold for penetrometer resistance indicating onset of significant harm to soil and plant functions.

Justification:

1500 kPa is widely recognized as a level where root growth restriction begins for many plants, including native savanna species.

Sources (1)

Preview of The science of soil compaction - Department of Agriculture and Food
The science of soil compaction - Department of Agriculture and Food

The science of soil compaction - Department of Agriculture and Food

View Source

Supporting Sources (22)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Australian Savanna ecosystems - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
(PDF) Australian Savanna ecosystems - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Grassland and savannah ecosystems – An urgent need for conservation and sustainable management - Global Land Use Change

View Source
Preview of Author's personal copy - Texas A&M AgriLife
Author's personal copy - Texas A&M AgriLife
Contextual Support Journal

Author's personal copy - Texas A&M AgriLife

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Preview of ciat-library.ciat.cgiar.org
ciat-library.ciat.cgiar.org
Contextual Support Journal

Challenging the maximum rooting depth paradigm in grasslands and savannas

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Preview of CSIRO Data Access Portal
CSIRO Data Access Portal
Contextual Support Government

CSIRO Data Access Portal

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Preview of Ecological Sustainability of Military Training Areas in Australia's Tropical Savannas | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Ecological Sustainability of Military Training Areas in Australia's Tropical Savannas | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Ecological Sustainability of Military Training Areas in Australia's Tropical Savannas | Request PDF - ResearchGate

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Preview of Effects of fire frequency and mowing on a ... - CSIRO Publishing
Effects of fire frequency and mowing on a ... - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of fire frequency and mowing on a ... - CSIRO Publishing

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Preview of Fire promotes functional plant diversity and modifies soil carbon dynamics in tropical savanna | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Fire promotes functional plant diversity and modifies soil carbon dynamics in tropical savanna | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Short-term effects of experimental fire for a soil under eucalyptus forest (SE Australia), accessed May 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Hippopotamus and livestock grazing near water points: consequences for vegetation cover, plant species richness and composition in African savannas - Frontiers
Hippopotamus and livestock grazing near water points: consequences for vegetation cover, plant species richness and composition in African savannas - Frontiers
Contextual Support Journal

Hippopotamus and livestock grazing near water points: consequences for vegetation cover, plant species richness and composition in African savannas - Frontiers

View Source
Preview of Resting Subtropical Grasslands from Grazing in the Wet Season ...
Resting Subtropical Grasslands from Grazing in the Wet Season ...
Contextual Support Journal

Resting Subtropical Grasslands from Grazing in the Wet Season Boosts Biocrust Hotspots to Improve Soil Health - MDPI

View Source
Preview of Restoration of Australian Subtropical Grasslands - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed July 15, 2025,
Restoration of Australian Subtropical Grasslands - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed July 15, 2025,
Contextual Support

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC

View Source
Preview of Review of threats to biodiversity in the Northern Territory - Environment and Natural Resources
Review of threats to biodiversity in the Northern Territory - Environment and Natural Resources
Contextual Support Journal

Review of threats to biodiversity in the Northern Territory - Environment and Natural Resources

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Preview of Saraji East Mining Lease Project Baseline Environmental ... - BHP
Saraji East Mining Lease Project Baseline Environmental ... - BHP
Contextual Support Journal

Natural Recovery Dynamics of Alfalfa Field Soils under Different Degrees of Mechanical Compaction - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Savanna soil water content effect on its shear strength-compaction relationship - Bioline.org
Savanna soil water content effect on its shear strength-compaction relationship - Bioline.org
Contextual Support

Savanna soil water content effect on its shear strength-compaction relationship - Bioline.org

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Preview of Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing
Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

Water resource assessment for the Roper catchment - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025,

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Preview of Soil Compaction Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 2, 2025,
Soil Compaction Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 2, 2025,
Contextual Support

grdc.com.au

View Source
Preview of Soil irrigation frequencies, compaction, air porosity and shear stress effects on soybean root development - SciELO México
Soil irrigation frequencies, compaction, air porosity and shear stress effects on soybean root development - SciELO México
Contextual Support

Soil irrigation frequencies, compaction, air porosity and shear stress effects on soybean root development - SciELO México

View Source
Preview of Soil Quality and Its Management in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Environments - UKnowledge, accessed May 15, 2025,
Soil Quality and Its Management in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Environments - UKnowledge, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support

a comparisonof the soils of tropical latin america ano tropical australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of TERN - Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, accessed July 30, 2025,
TERN - Australia's Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Great Western Woodlands TERN SuperSite: ecosystem monitoring infrastructure and key science learnings, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of The effects of soil compaction on wheat seedling root growth are specific to soil texture and soil moisture status - Rothamsted Repository
The effects of soil compaction on wheat seedling root growth are specific to soil texture and soil moisture status - Rothamsted Repository
Contextual Support

The effects of soil compaction on wheat seedling root growth are specific to soil texture and soil moisture status - Rothamsted Repository

View Source
Preview of Uncovering root compaction response mechanisms: new insights and opportunities - PMC
Uncovering root compaction response mechanisms: new insights and opportunities - PMC
Contextual Support Journal

Uncovering root compaction response mechanisms: new insights and opportunities - PMC

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Preview of www.frdc.com.au
www.frdc.com.au
Contextual Support

www.frdc.com.au

View Source
Preview of www.greeningaustralia.org.au, accessed May 11, 2025,
www.greeningaustralia.org.au, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Savanna responses to feral buffalo in Kakadu National Park, Australia

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Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Superseded
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 25 Mar 2026
  • Effective To 25 Mar 2026

Notes

Exceeding this threshold leads to reduced rooting depth, decreased water infiltration, and shifts in plant community composition.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-CON-SSC family.

2500 kPa Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
MinimumOnly Active v2
1000 kPa Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target
MaximumOnly Active v1
— kPa Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1