Soil Nitrogen

AUS-TGP-AGR-SON General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 6500 to 8400 mg/kg
Optimal Range: 6500 to 8400
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

Represents the range of mean Total N concentrations observed in well-managed clay loam to silty clay loam temperate grasslands. This range reflects the high capacity of clay soils to physically protect and accumulate soil organic matter and associated nitrogen.

Metric Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen concentration in the topsoil (0-10 cm depth)

Benchmark Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen concentration in the topsoil (0-10 cm depth) for well-managed clay loam to silty clay loam temperate grasslands, reflecting the soil's capacity to protect and accumulate organic matter and nitrogen.

Justification:

Represents the range of mean Total N concentrations observed in well-managed clay loam to silty clay loam temperate grasslands, serving as a robust proxy for the 'best available condition' achievable in sustainable cropping systems in this biome.

Sources (1)

Preview of Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on vegetation dynamics of a degraded native grassland in semi-arid south-eastern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 13, 2025,
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on vegetation dynamics of a degraded native grassland in semi-arid south-eastern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 13, 2025, Journal

(PDF) Grassland soil carbon and nitrogen stocks under temperate ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

Supporting Sources (23)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,
Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Root Structure and Functioning for Efficient Acquisition of Phosphorus: Matching Morphological and Physiological Traits

View Source
Preview of Australian Journal of Botany - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 12, 2025,
Australian Journal of Botany - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The Rangeland Journal - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 4, 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 Does diversity influence soil nitrate, light availability and productivity in the establishment phase of Australian temperate grassland reconstruction? - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,
Does diversity influence soil nitrate, light availability and productivity in the establishment phase of Australian temperate grassland reconstruction? - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Continental soil drivers of ammonium and nitrate in Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grains - Pollination - Bee Aware, accessed August 4, 2025,
Grains - Pollination - Bee Aware, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Dissection of the Contributing Factors to the Variable Response of Crop Yield to Surface Applied Lime in Australia - MDPI, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grassy woodlands | Landscape Australia, accessed August 5, 2025,
Grassy woodlands | Landscape Australia, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Grassy woodlands | Landscape Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Gravel-associated organic material is important to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen stocks to depth in an agricultural cropping soil - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,
Gravel-associated organic material is important to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen stocks to depth in an agricultural cropping soil - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Gravel-associated organic material is important to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen stocks to depth in an agricultural cropping soil - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,
Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support

Is there a close association between 'soils' and 'vegetation'? A case study from central western New South Wales, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms | FutureBeef
Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms | FutureBeef
Contextual Support Journal

Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms | FutureBeef, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Identifying ecological barriers to restoration in temperate grassy woodlands: soil changes associated with different degradation states - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Identifying ecological barriers to restoration in temperate grassy woodlands: soil changes associated with different degradation states - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Identifying ecological barriers to restoration in temperate grassy woodlands: soil changes associated with different degradation states - ResearchGate, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Methodology - Yield Gap Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,
Methodology - Yield Gap Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

THE NUTRIENT STATUS AND CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF THE SOILS OF THE NORTH-WEST WHEAT BELT OF NEW SOUTH WALES By E. G. HALLSWORTH,&, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of More Profit from Nitrogen | CRDC - Cotton Research and Development Corporation, accessed August 4, 2025,
More Profit from Nitrogen | CRDC - Cotton Research and Development Corporation, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

More Profit from Nitrogen | CRDC - Cotton Research and Development Corporation, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Negative effects of nitrogen override positive effects of phosphorus on grassland legumes worldwide | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025,
Negative effects of nitrogen override positive effects of phosphorus on grassland legumes worldwide | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Negative effects of nitrogen override positive effects of phosphorus on grassland legumes worldwide | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,
NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding soil pH, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 4, 2025,
Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil carbon dynamics under different cropping and pasture management in temperate Australia: Results of three long-term experiments - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a Vertisol following 50 years of ...
Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a Vertisol following 50 years of ...
Contextual Support Journal

The nitrogen book: Principles of soil nitrogen fertility management in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales farming, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The role of regenerative agriculture in sustainable land use - ClimateWorks Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soils ain't soils - carbon farming offers fertile future - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soils ain't soils - carbon farming offers fertile future - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 5, 2025,
The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The combined effect of fire and nitrogen addition on biodiversity and herbaceous aboveground productivity in a coastal shrubland - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,
The combined effect of fire and nitrogen addition on biodiversity and herbaceous aboveground productivity in a coastal shrubland - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Measuring plant-associated nitrogen fixation in agricultural systems, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The nitrogen book: Principles of soil nitrogen fertility management in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales farming
The nitrogen book: Principles of soil nitrogen fertility management in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales farming
Contextual Support Journal

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

This range reflects the high capacity of clay soils to physically protect and accumulate soil organic matter and associated nitrogen.