Soil Moisture

AUS-AMR-LVG-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

20 %

Thresholds: Lower: 20, Upper: —

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: LowerThreshold

Scoring Curve

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

Evidence & Context

Lower Critical Threshold: The Permanent Wilting Point (PWP). Crossing this threshold risks irreversible loss of perennial vegetation and triggers accelerated soil erosion. It corresponds to a VWC of approximately <20% for clays.

Metric Definition:

Permanent Wilting Point (PWP) - soil moisture level below which plants cannot extract water and ecosystem degradation accelerates.

Benchmark Definition:

Soil moisture level below which plants cannot extract water and ecosystem degradation accelerates.

Justification:

Crossing this threshold risks irreversible loss of perennial vegetation and triggers accelerated soil erosion.

Sources (1)

Preview of The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 22, 2025,

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF, accessed July 22, 2025, Journal

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries

Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Managing arid zone natural resources in Australia for spatial and temporal variability - An approach from first principles - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

(PDF) Managing arid zone natural resources in Australia for spatial and temporal variability - An approach from first principles - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support

(PDF) Managing arid zone natural resources in Australia for spatial and temporal variability - An approach from first principles - ResearchGate

Preview of A fresh framework for the ecology of arid Australia - Research @ Flinders, accessed July 28, 2025

A fresh framework for the ecology of arid Australia - Research @ Flinders, accessed July 28, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

A fresh framework for the ecology of arid Australia - Research @ Flinders

Preview of A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops, accessed May 15, 2025,

A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops

Preview of Animal Production Science - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 28, 2025

Animal Production Science - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 28, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Animal Production Science - CSIRO PUBLISHING

Preview of Bulk Density - 20 - 30 cm | Central | Western Australia | Examine | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 28, 2025

Bulk Density - 20 - 30 cm | Central | Western Australia | Examine | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 28, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Restoration of degraded grazing country in the semi-arid areas of ...

Preview of Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed August 5, 2025,

Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The relationships between land management practices and soil condition and the quality of ecosystem services delivered from agri - DAFF

Preview of Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 28, 2025

Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 28, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia

Preview of ESTIMATING EXTRACTABLE SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT FOR AUSTRALIAN SOILS - eWater, accessed August 9, 2025

ESTIMATING EXTRACTABLE SOIL MOISTURE CONTENT FOR AUSTRALIAN SOILS - eWater, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and ...

Preview of Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025

Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Global critical soil moisture thresholds of plant water stress - ResearchGate

Preview of Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Grazing management of Australian native woody regeneration as an effective nature-based climate-change solution - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Boom and bust for biodiversity in arid Australia

Preview of In a native pasture, landscape properties influence soil moisture more than grazing management

In a native pasture, landscape properties influence soil moisture more than grazing management

Contextual Support Journal

In a native pasture, landscape properties influence soil moisture more than grazing management

Preview of Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Lang, D. (1979). Groundcover for pastures. Journal of Soil Conservation NSW.

Preview of Meat & Livestock Australia. (n.d.). Maintain ground cover. MLA.

Meat & Livestock Australia. (n.d.). Maintain ground cover. MLA.

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Regenerative Land Management - HEALTHY SOILS AUSTRALIA

Preview of Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed July 18, 2025,

Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Grazing Practices and Soil Moisture | National Drought Mitigation Center

Preview of Soil health indicator sheet - Soil compaction (bulk density) - Minnesota Stormwater Manual, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil health indicator sheet - Soil compaction (bulk density) - Minnesota Stormwater Manual, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Soil health indicator sheet - Soil compaction (bulk density) - Minnesota Stormwater Manual

Preview of Structure Development in Surficial Heavy Clay Soils: A Synthesis of Mechanisms - Australian Geomechanics Society, accessed July 18, 2025,

Structure Development in Surficial Heavy Clay Soils: A Synthesis of Mechanisms - Australian Geomechanics Society, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Managing arid zone natural resources in Australia for spatial and temporal variability – an approach from first principles - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal

Preview of Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 28, 2025

Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 28, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management

Preview of Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 7, 2025,

Understanding Soil Water Content and Thresholds for Irrigation Management, accessed July 7, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Pasture growth

Preview of Waterlogging | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 19, 2025,

Waterlogging | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Waterlogging | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

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)