Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)
Benchmark Value
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 13 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 12 guard(s) constrain the result.
Evidence & Context
Thus, a Reference Value of approximately 6.2% SOC for the 0-10 cm depth is proposed, based on these high-health status temperate box woodlands.
Soil Organic Carbon concentration, expressed as a percentage (%) within the top 0-10 cm of the soil profile.
This benchmark represents the typical Soil Organic Carbon concentration in the top 0-10 cm of soil for temperate box woodlands within the temperate dry woodlands and native grasslands biome, serving as a reference value for ecological health in production forestry.
The value is derived from peer-reviewed research in a highly relevant ecosystem type (temperate box woodland) within the target biome and for appropriate soil depths. The sites represent high ecological health. Confidence is 'Moderate' rather than 'High' because the sites are not explicitly "production forestry" sites managed under a documented "best-practice sustainable or regenerative" regime for timber harvesting. It represents a high-quality reference condition for the woodland type. The calculation for 0-10cm involves a reasonable approximation.
Sources (1)
Clumped and isolated trees influence soil nutrient levels in an Australian temperate box woodland (Published as: Prober, S.M., Yates, C.J., Wiehl, G. & Loneragan, W.A. (2004) Clumped and isolated trees influence soil nutrient levels in an Australian temperate box woodland. Plant and Soil, 265, 19-30. Based on Yates, C.J., Prober, S.M., Wiehl, G. & Loneragan, W.A. (2004) data).
View SourceSupporting Sources (39)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
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