Soil Structure & Compaction

AUS-TGP-LVG-SSC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1500 kPa
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MaximumOnly

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 2 benchmarks together — the MaximumOnly form drives the primary score, while 1 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

MaximumOnly Primary MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The benchmark of <1500 kPa, measured at field capacity, represents the upper limit for a high-health grazing system in Australian Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains.

Metric Definition:

Penetration resistance measured by a cone penetrometer at field capacity, indicating soil compaction level affecting root growth.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the maximum soil penetration resistance at field capacity that supports healthy root growth and soil function in temperate grassy woodlands and plains under livestock grazing.

Justification:

Derived from established agricultural thresholds where penetration resistance above 1500 kPa restricts root growth for most plants, a critical ecological function.

Sources (1)

Preview of high soil strength - fact sheet - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)
high soil strength - fact sheet - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Journal

Compaction - USDA

View Source

Supporting Sources (20)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Ch 6. Soil Degradation: Erosion, Compaction, and Contamination - SARE, accessed August 2, 2025,
Ch 6. Soil Degradation: Erosion, Compaction, and Contamination - SARE, accessed August 2, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Ch 6. Soil Degradation: Erosion, Compaction, and Contamination - SARE

View Source
Preview of Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Contextual Support Journal

Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

View Source
Preview of Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed August 5, 2025,
Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

How Past Rainfall Shapes Australia's Dryland Ecosystems - Western Sydney University

View Source
Preview of Compaction | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed August 4, 2025,
Compaction | VRO - Victorian Resources Online, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support

3- Build and maintain soil nutrients to improve soil fertility and health in all pasture zones

View Source
Preview of Do grazing intensity and herbivore type affect soil health? Insights from a semi-arid productivity gradient, accessed July 24, 2025
Do grazing intensity and herbivore type affect soil health? Insights from a semi-arid productivity gradient, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil acidification | .Meat & Livestock Australia

View Source
Preview of Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - project bedrock
Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - project bedrock
Contextual Support Journal

Landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture improves soil health, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Grazing effects on soil physical properties and the consequences for pastures: a review
Grazing effects on soil physical properties and the consequences for pastures: a review
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Grazing effects on soil physical properties and the consequences for pastures: a review

View Source
Preview of How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers
How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers
Contextual Support Journal

How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers

View Source
Preview of How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers, accessed August 5, 2025,
How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The Science behind Regenerative Agriculture

View Source
Preview of How do I manage the impact of compaction? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed July 24, 2025
How do I manage the impact of compaction? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Grazing management to reduce soil damage - Agriculture Victoria

View Source
Preview of Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed July 30, 2025,
Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed July 30, 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 July 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Managing soils to keep them healthy and productive - MLA, accessed July 28, 2025,
Managing soils to keep them healthy and productive - MLA, accessed July 28, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Compaction Affects the Growth and Establishment of Street Trees in Urban Australia

View Source
Preview of Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
Methodology Source Journal

Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of Soil Compaction at Grazing and Forest Sites - MDPI

View Source
Preview of Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing — a review - CSIRO Publishing
Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing — a review - CSIRO Publishing
Contextual Support Journal

Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing — a review - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Regenerative Grazing: 3 Different Approaches - Shorthandstories.com, accessed August 5, 2025,
Regenerative Grazing: 3 Different Approaches - Shorthandstories.com, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Regenerative Grazing: 3 Different Approaches - Shorthandstories.com

View Source
Preview of Seedbed Soil Structure Decline | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 28, 2025
Seedbed Soil Structure Decline | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 28, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Seedbed Soil Structure Decline | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

View Source
Preview of Soil management for dairy and beef cattle grazing
Soil management for dairy and beef cattle grazing
Contextual Support

Soil management for dairy and beef cattle grazing

View Source
Preview of Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia, accessed August 4, 2025
Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia, accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source
Preview of Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed May 12, 2025
Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed May 12, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Agriculture Victoria. (2025). Understanding soil tests for pastures. Farm Management.

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

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always worse above this limit. This value represents the critical inflection point where compaction transitions from negligible to functionally significant. Values below 1500 kPa encompass the 'Not Compacted' and 'Mild' classes, indicating minimal to no root-limiting compaction. Extremely low values may indicate structural degradation rather than healthy soil. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TGP-LVG-SSC family.

2500 kPa Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v2
— kPa Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
OptimalRange Active v1