Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 0 to 10 %

Optimal Range: 0 to 10

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. The scoring engine uses 13 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 12 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Optimal Range 0 - 10% Bare Ground (i.e., 90-100% Ground Cover)

Metric Definition:

Range of bare ground percentage most conducive to high environmental health and sustainable crop production.

Benchmark Definition:

The optimal range of 0 to 10% bare ground represents the range most conducive to soil protection and sustainable crop production in Tropical Monsoonal Savannas.

Justification:

Aligns with regenerative agriculture principles advocating continuous soil cover and best management practices designed to achieve near-complete soil coverage.

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 Not Stated
Evidence Type HealthyOperationalRange

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 7 Jun 2026

Notes

Maintaining bare ground consistently within this optimal range maximizes protective functions of cover, leading to minimal soil erosion and enhanced ecosystem resilience. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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