Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

10 %

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

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

This report proposes an aspirational benchmark of < 10% Bare Ground (equivalent to 90-100% ground cover) as representative of the best available condition achievable under sustainable or regenerative cropping practices in the TMS.

Metric Definition:

Percentage of soil surface area that is bare ground within agricultural crop production systems.

Benchmark Definition:

An aspirational maximum threshold of 10% bare ground represents the best achievable condition for sustainable agricultural crop production in Tropical Monsoonal Savannas, promoting soil protection and ecosystem health.

Justification:

The confidence is rated as 'Moderate' because the <10% value is a strongly supported inference derived from fundamental ecological principles and widely endorsed best-practice guidelines emphasizing minimization of bare ground in tropical agriculture.

Sources (2)

Preview of Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 19, 2025

Criteria and Indicators for Sustainable Forest Management in Victoria, accessed July 19, 2025 Journal

Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 ...

View Source

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - Project Regeneration, accessed July 25, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - Project Regeneration, accessed July 25, 2025, GreyLiterature

Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (3)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Final report - MLA, accessed July 19, 2025,

Regulatory Framework

Queensland Government guidelines for grazing lands

View Source

Ground Cover Monitoring for Australia - DAFF, accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Grazing-management-for-soil-carbon-in-Australia-A-review.pdf - University of Tasmania, accessed April 29, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Regenerative Agriculture Program restoring soil pH case study: Macdonald, Whites Flat/Koppio

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are not desirable beyond this maximum. The <10% benchmark represents an aspirational state for ecologically healthy and stable agricultural crop production in Tropical Monsoonal Savannas, achievable through continuous cover cropping, minimal or zero tillage, and residue retention.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-AGR-BAR family.