Soil Structure & Compaction

AUS-TMS-LVG-SSC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 0 to 1500 kPa

Optimal Range: 0 to 1500

Direction: Lower 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

Values in the range of <1500 kPa in the top 0-30 cm layer, when measured at or near field capacity, are often indicative of good soil physical condition with minimal impedance to root growth and water movement.

Metric Definition:

Penetrometer resistance (cone index) measured as the force per unit area required for a standardized cone-tipped rod to penetrate the soil at a constant rate, indicating soil compaction and resistance to root growth.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the optimal soil penetrometer resistance range in Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas under livestock grazing, indicating soil conditions that do not significantly impede root growth or water infiltration.

Justification:

The benchmark is based on established soil science principles indicating root growth is generally unrestricted below 1500 kPa and significantly impeded above 2000-3000 kPa. Best-practice grazing aims to minimize compaction.

Sources (3)

Preview of Grazing-management-for-soil-carbon-in-Australia-A-review.pdf - University of Tasmania, accessed on June 7, 2025,

Grazing-management-for-soil-carbon-in-Australia-A-review.pdf - University of Tasmania, accessed on June 7, 2025, Journal

www.utas.edu.au, accessed May 11, 2025

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, 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 Soil Penetration Resistance as a Soil Health Indicator - SDSU Extension - South Dakota State University, accessed August 4, 2025,

Soil Penetration Resistance as a Soil Health Indicator - SDSU Extension - South Dakota State University, accessed August 4, 2025, Government

Soil compaction and strength; measurement methods and influences on perennial grass growth.

View Source

Supporting Sources (9)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of B.ERM.0108 - Wambiana: Grazing strategies and tools to improve profitability and land condition | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 10, 2025,

B.ERM.0108 - Wambiana: Grazing strategies and tools to improve profitability and land condition | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Wambiana : Grazing strategies and tools to improve profitability and ...

View Source

Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Investigating Intensive Grazing Systems in Northern Australia

View Source

Evaluation of soil compaction in an irrigated short-duration grazing system - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Assessment of topsoil properties in integrated crop–livestock and continuous cropping systems under zero tillage - ResearchGate

View Source

Focus Group – Regenerative agriculture for soil health - EU CAP Network

Contextual Support Journal

grazing - in THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS

View Source

Focus Group – Regenerative agriculture for soil health - EU CAP Network

Contextual Support Journal

Focus Group – Regenerative agriculture for soil health - EU CAP Network

View Source

Grazing land management | MLA

Contextual Support Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? - Great Barrier Reef Foundation

View Source

Impact of Deferred Versus Continuous Sheep Grazing on Soil Compaction in the Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem - MDPI

Contextual Support Journal

Impact of Deferred Versus Continuous Sheep Grazing on Soil Compaction in the Mediterranean Montado Ecosystem - MDPI

View Source

Litchfield Savanna SuperSite | Fire Regime Impact - TERN Australia, accessed July 24, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Land Ecosystem Atmosphere Program (LEAP) - Litchfield Supersite - Resources - The University of Western Australia

View Source

Prediction of the penetrometer resistance of soils with models of few parameters | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always worse for soil compaction. This benchmark represents a target for high environmental health under best-practice livestock grazing.

Related Benchmarks

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