Soil Water Infiltration Rate

AUS-AKW-LVG-SWI General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

10 mm/hr

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

A rate below 10 mm/hr is considered a critical threshold, indicating a shift to a dysfunctional state characterized by surface sealing, high runoff, and active soil erosion.

Metric Definition:

Lower critical threshold infiltration rate in mm/hr below which the soil surface is effectively sealed and ecosystem function is impaired.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the lower critical threshold for soil water infiltration rate below which ecosystem function is impaired, indicating degradation in the Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome under livestock grazing and pasture land use.

Justification:

Based on multiple studies showing infiltration rates below 10 mm/hr correspond to dysfunctional patches with surface sealing, runoff, and erosion.

Sources (1)

Using a landscape functional approach to soil health Journal

Using a landscape functional approach to soil health

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Supporting Sources (10)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation ...

Contextual Support Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation ...

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Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed July 28, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed July 23, 2025

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Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from, accessed August 5, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from, accessed August 5, 2025,

Direct Evidence

The effect of climate change on pastoralism in the Australian arid and semi-arid rangelands - Nuffield Farming Scholarships, accessed July 29, 2025,

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Do shrubs reduce the adverse effects of grazing on soil properties? - ResearchGate

Contextual Support

General Soil Water Infiltration Rate Classification

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Healthy soils and water infiltration in the paddock - Local Land Services - NSW Government

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Identifying and addressing sustainable pasture and grazing ..., accessed July 23, 2025

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Preview of Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near Alice Springs, arid central Australia: Evidence for complex internal rainwater redistribution in a runoff-runon landscape | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Infiltration rates and soil moisture in a groved mulga community near Alice Springs, arid central Australia: Evidence for complex internal rainwater redistribution in a runoff-runon landscape | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Cross Reference GreyLiterature

Effects of soil degradation on infiltration rates in grazed semiarid rangelands of northeastern Patagonia, Argentina - Project Bedrock

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Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 27, 2025

Direct Evidence Journal

Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025

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