Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-AMR-LVG-SEC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.7 dS/m
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.

Evidence & Context

Research compiled by the USDA shows that key microbial functions begin to be negatively impacted at EC levels surpassing a threshold of approximately 0.7 dS/m.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) measured as the EC of the saturated extract (ECe) in rangeland soils.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark marks the lower limit of soil electrical conductivity in rangeland soils of Australian Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands where microbial inhibition begins, indicating onset of ecological degradation.

Justification:

This threshold marks the beginning of microbial stress and departure from optimal health.

Sources (1)

Preview of Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service
Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service Journal

Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service

View Source

Supporting Sources (30)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Spatial patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
(PDF) Spatial patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Spatial patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Enviro Data SA
A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Enviro Data SA
Contextual Support Journal

A BIOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE FLINDERS RANGES SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Assessing long-term change in rangeland ecological health using the Western Australian rangeland monitoring system - espace - Curtin's institutional repository, accessed July 28, 2025
Assessing long-term change in rangeland ecological health using the Western Australian rangeland monitoring system - espace - Curtin's institutional repository, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Assessing long-term change in rangeland ecological health using the Western Australian rangeland monitoring system - espace - Curtin's institutional repository, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of ausplotsR: An R package for rapid extraction and analysis of vegetation and soil data collected by Australia's Terrestrial Eco - EcoEvoRxiv, accessed July 28, 2025
ausplotsR: An R package for rapid extraction and analysis of vegetation and soil data collected by Australia's Terrestrial Eco - EcoEvoRxiv, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

ausplotsR: An R package for rapid extraction and analysis of vegetation and soil data collected by Australia's Terrestrial Eco - EcoEvoRxiv, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Contextual Support

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions)

View Source
Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025
Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Investigating Intensive Grazing Systems in Northern Australia

View Source
Preview of 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 - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,
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 - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 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 - ResearchGate, accessed July 17, 2025

View Source
Preview of First two axes of the PCA ordination of sampled plots latitude within... - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
First two axes of the PCA ordination of sampled plots latitude within... - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

First two axes of the PCA ordination of sampled plots latitude within... - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Flinders Lofty Block bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 29, 2025,
Flinders Lofty Block bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 29, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Vicars in the desert: Substrate specialisation and paleo-erosion underpin cryptic speciation in an Australian arid-zone lizard lineage (Diplodactylidae: Diplodactylus) - Vertebrate Zoology, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Life in the 1cdead heart1d of Australia: The geohistory of the Australian deserts and its impact on genetic diversity of arid zone, accessed July 28, 2025
Life in the 1cdead heart1d of Australia: The geohistory of the Australian deserts and its impact on genetic diversity of arid zone, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Life in the 2dead heart2 of Australia: The geohistory of the Australian deserts and its impact on genetic diversity of arid zone, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of List of ecoregions in Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 28, 2025
List of ecoregions in Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

List of ecoregions in Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production, accessed July 27, 2025,
Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production, accessed July 27, 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 23, 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,
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 Monitoring your natural resources and land condition - MBFP-Pastoral, accessed July 28, 2025
Monitoring your natural resources and land condition - MBFP-Pastoral, accessed July 28, 2025
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Monitoring your natural resources and land condition - MBFP-Pastoral, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Motivations, risks and skills of graziers to inform extension for management of high levels of ground cover - Queensland Government publications, accessed July 19, 2025
Motivations, risks and skills of graziers to inform extension for management of high levels of ground cover - Queensland Government publications, accessed July 19, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Pastoralists' knowledge of plant palatability and grazing indicators in an arid region of South Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 27, 2025
Pastoralists' knowledge of plant palatability and grazing indicators in an arid region of South Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 27, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Pastoralists' knowledge of plant palatability and grazing indicators in an arid region of South Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Prospects for sustainable use of the pastoral areas of Australia's southern rangelands: a synthesis - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 29, 2025,
Prospects for sustainable use of the pastoral areas of Australia's southern rangelands: a synthesis - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 29, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Plant species richness in fragmented agricultural landscape – meta-analysis

View Source
Preview of RANGELANDS: TRACKING CHANGES 14 SUMMARY - The Royal Society of Queensland, accessed July 28, 2025
RANGELANDS: TRACKING CHANGES 14 SUMMARY - The Royal Society of Queensland, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

RANGELANDS: TRACKING CHANGES 2 SUMMARY - The Royal Society of Queensland, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed August 5, 2025,
Response of Grazing Land Soil Health to Management Strategies: A Summary Review, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Rangeland Soil Quality: Infiltration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Salinity | Land and soil - Environment and Heritage - NSW Government, accessed August 11, 2025
Salinity | Land and soil - Environment and Heritage - NSW Government, accessed August 11, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Australia state of the environment 2021: land, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Salinity in Western Australia : a situation statement - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 10, 2025,
Salinity in Western Australia : a situation statement - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 10, 2025,
Contextual Support

finalrepport - MLA, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Salinity Management in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia - MDPI, accessed July 16, 2025,
Salinity Management in the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia - MDPI, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity Management in the Murray2Darling Basin, Australia - MDPI, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (3" resolution) - Release 2 - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 28, 2025
Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (3" resolution) - Release 2 - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (3" resolution) - Release 2 - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 30, 2025,
Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - CSIRO, accessed July 30, 2025,
Direct Evidence Government

Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - CSIRO

View Source
Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - esoil.io, accessed July 13, 2025
Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - esoil.io, accessed July 13, 2025
Contextual Support Government

UPTAKE OF ARSENIC BY NATIVE PLANTS GROWING ON GOLD TAILINGS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIAN RANGELANDS1

View Source
Preview of Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 10, 2025,
Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Analysing water sensitive urban design options - Australian Water Association

View Source
Preview of South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy - Convention on Biological Diversity, accessed July 29, 2025,
South Australian Arid Lands Biodiversity Strategy - Convention on Biological Diversity, accessed July 29, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Salinity Management Handbook - Queensland Government ..., accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Spatial distribution patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia - Western Australian Museum, accessed July 28, 2025, )_271to284_VOLSCHENKetal.pdf
Spatial distribution patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia - Western Australian Museum, accessed July 28, 2025, )_271to284_VOLSCHENKetal.pdf
Contextual Support

Spatial distribution patterns of scorpions (Scorpiones) in the arid Pilbara region of Western Australia - Western Australian Museum, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Subpart K- An Ecosystem View of Range-Pasture-Soil Health - USDA, accessed August 6, 2025,
Subpart K- An Ecosystem View of Range-Pasture-Soil Health - USDA, accessed August 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Subpart K- An Ecosystem View of Range-Pasture-Soil Health - USDA, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of The grazing of cattle in the southern pastoral areas of Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 28, 2025
The grazing of cattle in the southern pastoral areas of Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support

The grazing of cattle in the southern pastoral areas of Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

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

Notes

Values above this level indicate the onset of ecological degradation due to salinity. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-LVG-SEC family.

0.3 dS/m Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v1
— dS/m Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
OptimalRange Active v1