Soil Moisture

AUS-TMS-AGR-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 14 to 20 %
Thresholds: Lower: 8, Upper: —
Optimal Range: 14 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

A typical range of 14-20% volumetric water content (VWC) in the top 30 cm of Red Kandosol soils during key crop growth periods.

Metric Definition:

Volumetric water content (VWC) in the top 30 cm of soil during key crop growth periods.

Benchmark Definition:

Volumetric water content in the top 30 cm of soil during key crop growth periods, representing optimal moisture levels for crop growth in Tropical Monsoonal Savannas under agricultural use.

Justification:

This range represents approximately 50% to 100% of the PAWC for these soils, ensuring water is readily available and avoids plant stress, while staying at or below Field Capacity prevents issues associated with excessive wetness.

Sources (1)

Preview of Synthesis of soil hydraulic properties and sustainable management principles for Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Synthesis of soil hydraulic properties and sustainable management principles for Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
View Source

Supporting Sources (33)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Review of soil water models with respect to savanna ...
(PDF) Review of soil water models with respect to savanna ...
Contextual Support Journal

Seasonal Patterns in Soil Moisture, Vapour Pressure Deficit, Tree Canopy Cover and Pre-dawn Water Potential in a Northern Australian Savanna.

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Preview of A Synthesis of Remote Sensing Capabilities with Specific Reference to the Business Needs of the Murray Darling Basin Authority - CRC for Spatial Information, accessed May 11, 2025,
A Synthesis of Remote Sensing Capabilities with Specific Reference to the Business Needs of the Murray Darling Basin Authority - CRC for Spatial Information, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support

Climate and soil for successful mangoes in Western Australia | Agriculture and Food, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Accessing and modelling soil organic carbon stocks in Prairies, Savannas, and forests | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Accessing and modelling soil organic carbon stocks in Prairies, Savannas, and forests | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Accessing and modelling soil organic carbon stocks in Prairies, Savannas, and forests | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Comparative transcriptome analysis of translucent flesh disorder in mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) fruits in response to different water regimes | PLOS One, accessed May 11, 2025,
Comparative transcriptome analysis of translucent flesh disorder in mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) fruits in response to different water regimes | PLOS One, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Conservation Agriculture Effects on Soil Water Holding Capacity and Water-Saving Varied with Management Practices and Agroecological Conditions: A Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,
Conservation Agriculture Effects on Soil Water Holding Capacity and Water-Saving Varied with Management Practices and Agroecological Conditions: A Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Conservation Agriculture Effects on Soil Water Holding Capacity and Water-Saving Varied with Management Practices and Agroecological Conditions: A Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Daily 100 m near-surface soil moisture prediction from in-situ data upscaled to Landsat footprint in the Yanco agricultural region during 2016-2021, accessed May 11, 2025,
Daily 100 m near-surface soil moisture prediction from in-situ data upscaled to Landsat footprint in the Yanco agricultural region during 2016-2021, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Categories - machine learning - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 16, 2025
Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 16, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Health: Supporting Rural Industries in the Wet Tropics, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025
Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

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, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Effect of environment and plant phenology on prediction of plant nutrient deficiency using leaf analysis in Leucaena leucocephala - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 11, 2025,
Effect of environment and plant phenology on prediction of plant nutrient deficiency using leaf analysis in Leucaena leucocephala - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Water available in soil, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Effect of soil carbon on soil water retention | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Effect of soil carbon on soil water retention | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Impacts of Flooding Stress in Fruit Crops and Its Adaptation Strategies, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of era.dpi.qld.gov.au, accessed May 11, 2025,
era.dpi.qld.gov.au, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support

Calculating Readily Available Water | Agriculture and Food, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia | TERN Australia, accessed July 19, 2025,
Getting the measure of soil moisture in Australia | TERN Australia, accessed July 19, 2025,
Methodology Source Government

Tropical Forests and Grasslands (Savanna) - Soils 4 Teachers, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - PMC, accessed July 19, 2025,
Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - PMC, accessed July 19, 2025,
Methodology Source Journal

Modern Soil Moisture Monitoring for Drought Resilience, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Identifying impacts & adaptation strategies for tropical fruit farms affected by extreme weather events in sub-tropical Australia: Stakeholders' insights - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,
Identifying impacts & adaptation strategies for tropical fruit farms affected by extreme weather events in sub-tropical Australia: Stakeholders' insights - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Identifying impacts & adaptation strategies for tropical fruit farms affected by extreme weather events in sub-tropical Australia: Stakeholders' insights - PubMed Central, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Influence of soil moisture levels on the growth and reproductive behaviour of Avena fatua and Avena ludoviciana - PLOS, accessed May 11, 2025,
Influence of soil moisture levels on the growth and reproductive behaviour of Avena fatua and Avena ludoviciana - PLOS, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Influence of soil moisture levels on the growth and reproductive behaviour of Avena fatua and Avena ludoviciana - PLOS, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Limited effect of organic matter on soil available water capacity - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Limited effect of organic matter on soil available water capacity - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Climate and soil-based constraints to rainfed cotton yield in ..., accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Liu, X. et al. (2023). Fire regime has a greater impact on soil microbial abundance than on soil organic carbon in a tropical savanna. Wildlife Research.
Liu, X. et al. (2023). Fire regime has a greater impact on soil microbial abundance than on soil organic carbon in a tropical savanna. Wildlife Research.
Contextual Support

Fire regime impacts on soil microbes, soil organic carbon and ground cover in an Australian tropical savanna - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Managing perennial horticultural crops during drought - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed May 11, 2025,
Managing perennial horticultural crops during drought - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Effect of Soil Moisture Deficit on Aerobic Rice in Temperate Australia - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Mango - Fruit crops - Northern Territory Government, accessed May 11, 2025,
Mango - Fruit crops - Northern Territory Government, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Mango - Fruit crops - Northern Territory Government, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Melon cover crops - Northern Territory Government, accessed May 11, 2025,
Melon cover crops - Northern Territory Government, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Melon cover crops - Northern Territory Government, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of National Soil Strategy, accessed May 11, 2025,
National Soil Strategy, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

National Soil Strategy, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Plant available water: How do I determine field capacity and permanent wilting point?, accessed May 11, 2025,
Plant available water: How do I determine field capacity and permanent wilting point?, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Plant available water: How do I determine field capacity and permanent wilting point?, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Risks to waterlogged crops - Business Queensland, accessed August 28, 2025
Risks to waterlogged crops - Business Queensland, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Risks to waterlogged crops - Business Queensland, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 13, 2025,
Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
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,

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: A critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

final repport - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed July 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil health for vegetable production in Australia, accessed May 11, 2025,
Soil health for vegetable production in Australia, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Modelling shows that the high rates of deep drainage in parts of the Goondoola Basin in semi-arid Queensland can be reduced with changes to the farming systems - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil moisture at Boorowa Agricultural Research Station - CSIRO
Soil moisture at Boorowa Agricultural Research Station - CSIRO
Contextual Support Government

10 Plant Water Relations and Irrigation - CABI Digital Library, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil Quality Indicators - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 7, 2025,
Soil Quality Indicators - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 7, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding the Impacts of Soil, Climate, and Farming Practices on Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration: A Simulation Study in Australia - Frontiers, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,
TROPICAL SOILS | Terrain NRM, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Water Retention - Oz Soils 4 - UNE, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Unravelling Regenerative Agriculture's Sustainability Benefits and Outcomes: A Scoping Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,
Unravelling Regenerative Agriculture's Sustainability Benefits and Outcomes: A Scoping Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Unravelling Regenerative Agriculture's Sustainability Benefits and Outcomes: A Scoping Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Waterlogging in Australian agricultural landscapes: a review of plant responses and crop models - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025,
Waterlogging in Australian agricultural landscapes: a review of plant responses and crop models - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Manage wet soils – North East Victoria, Southern NSW and South West Victoria (Upper)

View Source
Preview of www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 16, 2025,
www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soils of Cape York Peninsula - Queensland Government publications, accessed May 11, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 25 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 8 %. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The benchmark reflects soils with enhanced organic carbon and structure due to regenerative practices, leading to improved water infiltration and retention efficiency within the inherent limitations of these savanna soils.