Bare Ground

AUS-AKW-AGR-BAR General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 5 to 15 %
Optimal Range: 5 to 15
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 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

The following table presents the final reference value, which reflects this conclusion while accounting for the practical realities of a managed agricultural system. Bare Ground (%) 5 - 15 %

Metric Definition:

Bare Ground (%) is the percentage of soil surface that is exposed and not covered by vegetation or residues.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the optimal range of bare ground percentage in agricultural crop production within the Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome, indicating a state of high environmental health where soil is protected year-round.

Justification:

Derived from analogous best-practice, low-rainfall cropping systems in Australia due to absence of cropping in the target biome. Reflects a high-functioning, sustainable cropping system.

Supporting Sources (29)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of "Karst and agriculture in Australia" by David Gillieson and Mia Thurgate - Digital Commons @ USF - University of South Florida, accessed July 23, 2025
"Karst and agriculture in Australia" by David Gillieson and Mia Thurgate - Digital Commons @ USF - University of South Florida, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support

Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of AUSTRALASIAN arid Eucalypt woodlands (gorges & riverine) - Ecosystem Guides, accessed July 23, 2025
AUSTRALASIAN arid Eucalypt woodlands (gorges & riverine) - Ecosystem Guides, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Latin for 'no trees' – farming on the remote Nullarbor Plain | Wide Open Spaces #2 | ABC Australia - YouTube, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australia Production - International Production Assessment Division (IPAD), accessed August 3, 2025,
Australia Production - International Production Assessment Division (IPAD), accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support

Australia Production - International Production Assessment Division (IPAD), accessed August 3, 2025

View Source
Preview of Developments in stubble retention in cropping systems in southern Australia - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,
Developments in stubble retention in cropping systems in southern Australia - Charles Sturt University, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support

Research Brief AUS-AKW-AGR-BAR: Bare Ground (%) Benchmark Research for Nature Index

View Source
Preview of Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,
Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Regenerative ... - Landscape South Australia - Eyre Peninsula, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,
Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

ARID LANDS OF AUSTRALIA - Open Research Repository

View Source
Preview of Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summary 2018 - Department of Primary Industries and Regions, accessed July 23, 2025
Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summary 2018 - Department of Primary Industries and Regions, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Eyre Peninsula Farming Systems Summary 2018 - Department of Primary Industries and Regions, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Fact sheet 4: Groundcover
Fact sheet 4: Groundcover
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Annual Report 2021–22 | Mallee CMA, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Growing regions - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025
Growing regions - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025
Contextual Support

Growing regions - GRDC

View Source
Preview of Karst | Geoscience Australia, accessed July 26, 2025,
Karst | Geoscience Australia, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Karst | Geoscience Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Karst and agriculture in Australia - Digital Commons @ USF, accessed July 22, 2025,
Karst and agriculture in Australia - Digital Commons @ USF, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Alluvial Gully Erosion Rates and Processes Across the Mitchell ...

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor Karst - The Western Australian Speleological Group, accessed July 26, 2025,
Nullarbor Karst - The Western Australian Speleological Group, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Nullarbor Plain - A biography of the Australian continent

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor Plain - Wikipedia, accessed July 25, 2025,
Nullarbor Plain - Wikipedia, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Nullarbor Plain - Wikipedia, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor rocks reveal Australia's transformation from lush to dust - Curtin University, accessed July 23, 2025
Nullarbor rocks reveal Australia's transformation from lush to dust - Curtin University, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Nullarbor rocks reveal Australia's transformation from lush to dust - Curtin University, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Opportunities and Challenges for Cover Cropping in Sustainable ..., accessed July 27, 2025,
Opportunities and Challenges for Cover Cropping in Sustainable ..., accessed July 27, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Opportunities and Challenges for Cover Cropping in Sustainable ..., accessed July 27, 2025

View Source
Preview of Practical tactics to improve ground cover and ensure soil preservation following successive low rainfall seasons, accessed July 23, 2025
Practical tactics to improve ground cover and ensure soil preservation following successive low rainfall seasons, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Practical tactics to improve ground cover and ensure soil preservation following successive low rainfall seasons, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Semi-arid woodlands (shrubby sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 23, 2025
Semi-arid woodlands (shrubby sub-formation) | NSW Environment, Energy and Science, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Conservation Advice for the Karst springs and associated alkaline fens of the Naracoorte Coastal Plain Bioregion

View Source
Preview of session 4 managing soils for climate change adaptation and mitigation - International Atomic Energy Agency, accessed July 23, 2025
session 4 managing soils for climate change adaptation and mitigation - International Atomic Energy Agency, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

session 4 managing soils for climate change adaptation and mitigation - International Atomic Energy Agency, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Snapshot of Australian Agriculture 2025 - DAFF, accessed July 8, 2025
Snapshot of Australian Agriculture 2025 - DAFF, accessed July 8, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Snapshot of Australian Agriculture 2025 - DAFF, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil management - Landscape South Australia - Eyre Peninsula, accessed July 13, 2025
Soil management - Landscape South Australia - Eyre Peninsula, accessed July 13, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Soil management - Landscape South Australia - Eyre Peninsula, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source
Preview of Stubble Management Guidelines - Upper North Farming Systems, accessed July 23, 2025
Stubble Management Guidelines - Upper North Farming Systems, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Stubble Management Guidelines - Upper North Farming Systems, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University
Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University
Contextual Support Journal

Shelterbelts for control of wind erosion | Erosion | Soil | Farm management, accessed August 13, 2025

View Source
Preview of Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University, accessed July 23, 2025
Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Stubble Retention in Cropping Systems in Southern Australia: Benefits and Challenges - Charles Sturt University, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Sustainable… - Landscape South Australia - Alinytjara Wilurara, accessed July 23, 2025
Sustainable… - Landscape South Australia - Alinytjara Wilurara, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Sustainable… - Landscape South Australia - Alinytjara Wilurara, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of The arid Australian environment - Australian Wildlife Society, accessed July 23, 2025
The arid Australian environment - Australian Wildlife Society, accessed July 23, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Barkly Karst Region (Qld & NT), accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The arid Australian environment - Australian Wildlife Society, accessed July 6, 2025,
The arid Australian environment - Australian Wildlife Society, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Ephemeral arid plants of NSW - Australian Native Plants Society (Australia), accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The Nullarbor deserves better protection - La Trobe University, accessed July 26, 2025,
The Nullarbor deserves better protection - La Trobe University, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Nullarbor Plains Xeric Shrublands | One Earth, accessed July 27, 2025

View Source
Preview of Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 12, 2025,
Wind erosion | Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Management - Mallee Sustainable Farming, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

The benchmark reflects a state of high environmental health with soil protected year-round. There is no upper detrimental threshold for bare ground; minimizing bare ground towards 0% is optimal. Agronomic challenges with high stubble loads are management issues, not ecological health indicators.

Related Benchmarks

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

70 % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v1