Soil Phosphorus

AUS-ASC-FOR-SOP General High confidence

Benchmark Value

270 mg/kg

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

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 16 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 15 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard LowerThreshold Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

"A1056... 270. Loam. Podosol."

Metric Definition:

Total Phosphorus

Benchmark Definition:

Baseline total phosphorus concentration in alpine podosol loam soils representing pristine reference conditions in the Alpine and Subalpine Complex biome under production forestry.

Justification:

Baseline total P for alpine podosols in reference condition.

Sources (1)

Preview of Kirkpatrick, J. B., and M. J. Brown. 1984. The Tasmanian alpine ecosystem.

Kirkpatrick, J. B., and M. J. Brown. 1984. The Tasmanian alpine ecosystem. Journal

Phosphorus speciation in Australian alpine and sub-alpine soils

Supporting Sources (18)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Arbuscular mycorrhizas in Australian cropping

Preview of Bowd, E. J., et al. (2019). Wildfire severity and soil nutrient depletion. Journal of Applied Ecology.

Bowd, E. J., et al. (2019). Wildfire severity and soil nutrient depletion. Journal of Applied Ecology.

Contextual Support Journal

P.V. Woods & R.J. Raison. (1983). Losses of nitrogen during prescribed burning in a Eucalyptus pauciflora forest.

Preview of Doolette, A. L., et al. (2009). Speciation of organic phosphorus in soil. EST. []

Doolette, A. L., et al. (2009). Speciation of organic phosphorus in soil. EST. []

Contextual Support Journal

Doolette, A. L., et al. (2009). Speciation of organic phosphorus in soil. EST. []

Preview of Effects of soil phosphorus availability on soil respiration in Eucalyptus pauciflora forest

Effects of soil phosphorus availability on soil respiration in Eucalyptus pauciflora forest

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of soil phosphorus availability on soil respiration in Eucalyptus pauciflora forest

Preview of He, X., et al. (2021). Global distribution and influencing factors of plant‐available phosphorus in semi‐natural soils. Earth System Science Data.

He, X., et al. (2021). Global distribution and influencing factors of plant‐available phosphorus in semi‐natural soils. Earth System Science Data.

Direct Evidence

Global Distribution of Plant-Available Phosphorus

Preview of Liu, J., et al. (2023). Soil nutrient status and stoichiometry in different forest types. Forests.

Liu, J., et al. (2023). Soil nutrient status and stoichiometry in different forest types. Forests.

Contextual Support Journal

Soil nutrient status in different forest types

Preview of Mendham, D. S., et al. (2019). Nutrition and management of Acacia plantations. Australian Forestry.

Mendham, D. S., et al. (2019). Nutrition and management of Acacia plantations. Australian Forestry.

Direct Evidence

Nutrition and management of Acacia plantations

Preview of National Soil Action Plan - DAFF, accessed August 11, 2025,

National Soil Action Plan - DAFF, accessed August 11, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Australian Government. (2023). National Soil Action Plan 2023 to 2028. Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Preview of Patterns of variation in Australian alpine soils and their relationships to parent material, vegetation formation, climate and topography | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,

Patterns of variation in Australian alpine soils and their relationships to parent material, vegetation formation, climate and topography | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Stuart Johnston & Megan Ryan. (2000). Occurrence of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi across a Range of Alpine Humus Soil Conditions in Kosciuszko National Park. ResearchGate. []

Preview of Perring, M. P., et al. (2012). The Ridgefield Multiple Ecosystem Services Experiment: Can restoration of former agricultural land achieve multiple outcomes? Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment.

Perring, M. P., et al. (2012). The Ridgefield Multiple Ecosystem Services Experiment: Can restoration of former agricultural land achieve multiple outcomes? Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment.

Direct Evidence

The Ridgefield Multiple Ecosystem Services Experiment

Preview of Proceedings of the 20th Australasian Weeds Conference

Proceedings of the 20th Australasian Weeds Conference

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Proceedings of the 20th Australasian Weeds Conference

Preview of Selected climatic, chemical and physical properties of the soils used in this study (Table 1)

Selected climatic, chemical and physical properties of the soils used in this study (Table 1)

Contextual Support Journal

Keith, H. (1997). Effects of soil phosphorus availability, temperature, and moisture on soil respiration in Eucalyptus pauciflora forest. Plant and Soil, 190(1), 121-141. []

Preview of SOC and total N in three successional forests

SOC and total N in three successional forests

Contextual Support Journal

SOC and total N in three successional forests

Preview of Soil properties and plant traits in a Tasmanian environmental gradient

Soil properties and plant traits in a Tasmanian environmental gradient

Direct Evidence Journal

Management of Eucalyptus grandis seedlings

Preview of Speciation of organic P in soil extracts

Speciation of organic P in soil extracts

Contextual Support Journal

McLaren, T. I., Smernik, R. J., Guppy, C. N., & Bell, M. J. (2015). Speciation of organic phosphorus in soil extracts fractionated into two molecular weight ranges. Environmental Science & Technology, 49(21), 12648-12655. []

Preview of Sustainable Timber Tasmania. (2025). Silvicultural use and effects of fire. Technical Bulletin 11.

Sustainable Timber Tasmania. (2025). Silvicultural use and effects of fire. Technical Bulletin 11.

Direct Evidence

Sustainable Timber Tasmania. (2025). Silvicultural use and effects of fire. Technical Bulletin 11.

Preview of What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed August 5, 2025,

What are the optimum nutrient targets for pastures? - Soil Health Knowledgebase, accessed August 5, 2025,

Direct Evidence Government

CCMA Soil Health - Nutrient Management

Preview of Why phosphorus is important - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025

Why phosphorus is important - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed August 4, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Malone & Searle. (2021). Australian national coverages of clay, sand and silt content. Soil Research. []