Soil Phosphorus

AUS-ASP-AGR-SOP General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 15 to 50 mg/kg
Optimal Range: 15 to 50
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. The scoring engine uses 12 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 11 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

The following table provides the proposed functional ranges and the final benchmark for the Nature Index, representing the "best available condition" under sustainable or regenerative crop production.

Metric Definition:

Colwell-P concentration in soil at 0-10 cm depth representing plant-available phosphorus for crop production and ecological function.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the optimal range of plant-available soil phosphorus for sustainable or regenerative crop production in the Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains biome under agricultural use.

Justification:

The benchmark values are derived from agronomic requirements, ecological principles, and environmental risk analysis, accounting for soil PBI classes to reflect differences in P dynamics across the Arid Shrublands and Stony Plains biome.

Sources (1)

Preview of Phosphorus management for sustainable and productive cropping systems in low rainfall zones of southern Australia
Phosphorus management for sustainable and productive cropping systems in low rainfall zones of southern Australia Journal

Phosphorus management for sustainable and productive cropping systems in low rainfall zones of southern Australia

View Source

Supporting Sources (22)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Agriculture Victoria. (2024). Soil acidity.
Agriculture Victoria. (2024). Soil acidity.
Contextual Support

Soil acidity | Soil | Farm management - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Balancing risk and reward with high phosphorus and nitrogen input costs
Balancing risk and reward with high phosphorus and nitrogen input costs
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative agriculture—agroecology without politics? - Frontiers, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Budgeting phosphorus in medium and lower rainfall zones ... - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025
Budgeting phosphorus in medium and lower rainfall zones ... - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Budgeting phosphorus in medium and lower rainfall zones ... - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Crop Nutrition Phosphorus Management Fact Sheet - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025
Crop Nutrition Phosphorus Management Fact Sheet - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Crop Nutrition Phosphorus Management Fact Sheet - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 14 – Mallee woodlands and shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed August 28, 2025
NVIS Fact sheet MVG 14 – Mallee woodlands and shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

MVG 22 - DCCEEW, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 14 – Mallee woodlands and shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
NVIS Fact sheet MVG 14 – Mallee woodlands and shrublands - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 – Tussock grasslands, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus - Qld | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus - Qld | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Phosphorus - WA | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 1, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Phosphorus - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus and phosphorus stratification - Charles Sturt University Research Output, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus and phosphorus stratification - Charles Sturt University Research Output, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Phosphorus and phosphorus stratification - Charles Sturt University Research Output, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus Availability - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus Availability - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Does applying phosphorus (P) both deep and shallow produce better crops than shallow P alone in southern NSW? - GRDC, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus Nutrition of Proteaceae in Severely Phosphorus-Impoverished Soils: Are There Lessons To Be Learned for Future Crops? - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus Nutrition of Proteaceae in Severely Phosphorus-Impoverished Soils: Are There Lessons To Be Learned for Future Crops? - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

IGC Proceedings (1985-2023): Forms of Soil Phosphorus Accumulation in Grassland Soils - UKnowledge, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus requirements of tropical grazing systems: The northern Australian experience | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Phosphorus requirements of tropical grazing systems: The northern Australian experience | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Soil phosphorus–crop response calibration relationships and criteria ..., accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus status and saturation in soils that drain into the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary of Western Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus status and saturation in soils that drain into the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary of Western Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Phosphorus status and saturation in soils that ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus uptake and toxicity are delimited by mycorrhizal symbiosis in P-sensitive Eucalyptus marginata but not in P-tolerant Acacia celastrifolia - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025
Phosphorus uptake and toxicity are delimited by mycorrhizal symbiosis in P-sensitive Eucalyptus marginata but not in P-tolerant Acacia celastrifolia - PubMed Central, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi Alleviate Low Phosphorus Stress in Maize Genotypes with Contrasting Root Systems - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of PHOSPHORUS, AGRICULTURE & THE ENVIRONMENT - NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, accessed August 28, 2025
PHOSPHORUS, AGRICULTURE & THE ENVIRONMENT - NRCS Field Office Technical Guide, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Truth About Phosphates and Mycorrhizal Fungi - LebanonTurf, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Phosphorus: a finite resource essential for life, critical for agriculture and food security - CSIRO, accessed August 11, 2025
Phosphorus: a finite resource essential for life, critical for agriculture and food security - CSIRO, accessed August 11, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Retranslocation of Leaves and Stemwood in a Mature Eucalyptus Forest Exposed to 5 Years of Elevated CO2 - Frontiers, accessed July 19, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Regenerative agriculture - Wikipedia, accessed August 8, 2025
Regenerative agriculture - Wikipedia, accessed August 8, 2025
Contextual Support

Regenerative agriculture - Wikipedia, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Regenerative opportunities for building soil biological resilience – a ..., accessed May 11, 2025
Regenerative opportunities for building soil biological resilience – a ..., accessed May 11, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil and fertilizer phosphorus: Effects on plant P supply and mycorrhizal development - Canadian Science Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Regenerative Phosphorus Management - Agresol - Regenerative ..., accessed August 4, 2025
Regenerative Phosphorus Management - Agresol - Regenerative ..., accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Regenerative Phosphorus Management - Agresol - Regenerative Agriculture Consulting Australia, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil phosphorus-crop response calibration relationships and criteria for winter cereal crops grown in Australia
Soil phosphorus-crop response calibration relationships and criteria for winter cereal crops grown in Australia
Contextual Support

RCS Regenerative Grazing Principles - Resource Consulting Services

View Source
Preview of Soil-landscapes of Western Australia's rangelands and arid interior - SciSpace, accessed August 28, 2025,
Soil-landscapes of Western Australia's rangelands and arid interior - SciSpace, accessed August 28, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

soils and landscapes of mulga lands with special reference to south western queensland, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of What is regenerative agriculture, and why does it matter? - The Australian Greens, accessed August 28, 2025
What is regenerative agriculture, and why does it matter? - The Australian Greens, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

What is regenerative agriculture, and why does it matter? - The Australian Greens, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

The range represents the optimal available phosphorus for achieving 90-95% of potential crop yield while maintaining ecological function. Lower thresholds indicate agronomic unsustainability; upper thresholds indicate detrimental nutrient surplus causing AMF suppression and environmental P loss. Management must consider P stratification in no-till systems.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASP-AGR-SOP family.

15 mg/kg High
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
LowerThreshold Active v1
25 mg/kg High
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
UpperThreshold Active v1