Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AKW-LVG-SOC General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 0.8 to 1.2 %

Optimal Range: 0.8 to 1.2

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard CompositeFramework Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard CompositeFramework Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The benchmark represents the estimated SOC range for the top 0-10 cm in well-managed Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) concentration in the top 0-10 cm of soil under livestock grazing in Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best available Soil Organic Carbon range achievable through sustainable, best-practice grazing management in Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands.

Justification:

Derived from synthesis of peer-reviewed literature, government reports, and monitoring programs, reflecting the system's inherent limitations and best-practice grazing potential.

Sources (1)

Preview of Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025, Journal

Synthesis of Australian Rangeland SOC Data from CSIRO, Peer-Reviewed Literature, and Government Reports

View Source

Supporting Sources (10)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

AusPlots Rangelands - TERN Australia, accessed August 2, 2025

Methodology Source Journal

AusPlots Rangelands Survey Protocols Manual

View Source

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed August 3, 2025

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed August 3, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Soil Inorganic Carbon, the Other and Equally Important Soil Carbon Pool: Distribution, Controlling Factors, and the Impact of C

View Source

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Case Study - Regenerative Rangelands - Landcare Australia, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

The effect of climate change on pastoralism in the Australian arid and semi-arid rangelands - Nuffield Farming Scholarships, accessed July 29, 2025,

View Source

Impacts of Rotational Grazing on Soil Carbon in Native Grass-Based ..., accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers

View Source

Is land condition a useful indicator of soil organic carbon stock in Australia's northern grazing land? - UQ eSpace

Direct Evidence Journal

Is land condition a useful indicator of soil organic carbon stock in Australia's northern grazing land? - UQ eSpace

View Source

Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 27, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 22 – Chenopod shrublands, samphire shrublands and forblands - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

A Case for Below-Ground Dispersal? Insights into the Biology, Ecology and Conservation of Blind Cave Spiders in the Genus Troglodiplura (Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) - PubMed Central, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Preview of Sensitivity of soil organic carbon to grazing management in the semi-arid rangelands of south-eastern Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Sensitivity of soil organic carbon to grazing management in the semi-arid rangelands of south-eastern Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

Sensitivity of soil organic carbon to grazing management in the semi-arid rangelands of south-eastern Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

View Source

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Superseded
Version 1
Effective From 6 Jun 2026
Effective To 6 Jun 2026

Notes

Confidence is Moderate-to-Low due to absence of long-term studies in this specific biome. The benchmark reflects the natural saturation potential of these low-carbon soils and the impact of conservative stocking and perennial ground cover maintenance. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AKW-LVG-SOC family.