Soil Nitrogen

AUS-AMR-LVG-SON General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1600 mg/kg
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: Point

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is Point, 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.

Evidence & Context

Based on the strongest available evidence, the following benchmark is proposed for topsoil (0-10 cm) under high-health, sustainable livestock grazing.

Metric Definition:

Total soil nitrogen concentration in the top 10 cm of soil under best-practice livestock grazing management.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents a high ecological health target for total soil nitrogen in topsoil under sustainable livestock grazing in arid mountain ranges, based on long-term regenerative grazing management.

Justification:

Derived from a long-term (~20 years) regenerative grazing study showing significant improvements in vegetation and soil nitrogen compared to conventional grazing and grazing exclusion.

Sources (1)

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia.
Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia. Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia.

View Source

Supporting Sources (32)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic ...
(PDF) Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic ...
Contextual Support Journal

Nitrogen In Soil Explained - Soil Quality Knowledge Base, accessed July 23, 2025

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Preview of (PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025
(PDF) Mineral Nutrition of Plants in Australia's Arid Zone - ResearchGate, accessed July 13, 2025
Contextual Support

Putting the P in Ptilotus: a phosphorus-accumulating herb native to Australia - PMC

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Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Geography of Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 27, 2025

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Preview of Australia - Soils
Australia - Soils
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Australia - Soils

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Preview of Australia - Soils, Climate, Erosion | Britannica
Australia - Soils, Climate, Erosion | Britannica
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

SOIL TESTING

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Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 2, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Northern and Yorke | Soil management - Landscape South Australia

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Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

How should we manage our soils to increase soil carbon?, accessed May 10, 2026

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Preview of Bioregions and EVC benchmarks - Environment, accessed August 5, 2025,
Bioregions and EVC benchmarks - Environment, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

TASVEG VCA Manual: A manual for assessing vegetation condition in Tasmania, Version 2.0. Natural and Cultural Heritage, Department of

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Preview of Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025
Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The Rangeland Journal - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed July 10, 2025

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Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,
Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Ludwig, J.A., Bastin, G.N., Chewings, V.H., Eager, R.W., and Liedloff, A.C. (2005). Clearing savannas for use as rangelands in Queensland: Altered landscapes and water-erosion processes. Rangeland Journal, 27(2), 135-149.

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Preview of Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on vegetation dynamics of a degraded native grassland in semi-arid south-eastern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 13, 2025,
Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on vegetation dynamics of a degraded native grassland in semi-arid south-eastern Australia - CSIRO PUBLISHING | The Rangeland Journal, accessed July 13, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Grassland soil carbon and nitrogen stocks under temperate ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

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Preview of Find out the Different Types of Soil in Australia - Kelly Tillage AUS, accessed July 6, 2025,
Find out the Different Types of Soil in Australia - Kelly Tillage AUS, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

1301.0 - ABS Feature Articles, 1966 - Australian Bureau of Statistics

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Preview of Flinders Lofty Block - Grasslands
Flinders Lofty Block - Grasslands
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Flinders Lofty Block - Grasslands, accessed July 27, 2025

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Preview of Flinders Lofty Block bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 29, 2025,
Flinders Lofty Block bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 29, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Vicars in the desert: Substrate specialisation and paleo-erosion underpin cryptic speciation in an Australian arid-zone lizard lineage (Diplodactylidae: Diplodactylus) - Vertebrate Zoology, accessed July 28, 2025

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Preview of Impacts of Rotational Grazing on Soil Carbon in Native Grass-Based ..., accessed August 5, 2025,
Impacts of Rotational Grazing on Soil Carbon in Native Grass-Based ..., accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers

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Preview of Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia - Wikipedia
Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia - Wikipedia
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Iron-grass Natural Temperate Grassland of South Australia - Wikipedia

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Preview of Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
Journal on Protected Mountain Areas Research and Management
Contextual Support Journal

Development of a new piosphere in arid chenopod shrubland grazed by sheep. I. Changes to the soil surface. - ResearchGate

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Preview of Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate

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Preview of MacDonnell Ranges - Wikipedia
MacDonnell Ranges - Wikipedia
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

MacDonnell Ranges - Wikipedia, accessed July 31, 2025

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Preview of MacDonnell Ranges Geology - SciArt
MacDonnell Ranges Geology - SciArt
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A Dive into the Geological History of the Red Centre - Tourism Central Australia

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Preview of Mapping and describing your natural resources - MBFP-Pastoral, accessed August 10, 2025
Mapping and describing your natural resources - MBFP-Pastoral, accessed August 10, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

soils and landscapes of mulga lands with special reference to south western queensland, accessed August 28, 2025

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Preview of Piosphere Syndrome and Rangeland Degradation in Karamoja Sub-region
Piosphere Syndrome and Rangeland Degradation in Karamoja Sub-region
Contextual Support

Piosphere Syndrome and Rangeland Degradation in Karamoja Sub-region

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Preview of Rangeland condition: its meaning and use - a discussion paper - DCCEEW, accessed August 2, 2025
Rangeland condition: its meaning and use - a discussion paper - DCCEEW, accessed August 2, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Productivity flourishes in arid lands | Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 19, 2025

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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

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Preview of Regenerative agriculture across continents: same principles, different systems | .Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 25, 2025
Regenerative agriculture across continents: same principles, different systems | .Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 25, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Grazing support programs | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 25, 2025,

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Preview of Regenerative agriculture across continents: same principles, different systems | .Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 25, 2025,
Regenerative agriculture across continents: same principles, different systems | .Meat & Livestock Australia - MLA, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Managing grazing to increase ground cover in rangelands - Open Research Repository

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Preview of Regenerative Agriculture Australia: Benefits and Practices - SONIC Natural Farming
Regenerative Agriculture Australia: Benefits and Practices - SONIC Natural Farming
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture Australia: Benefits and Practices - SONIC Natural Farming

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Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021
Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021
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1966 - Australian Bureau of Statistics

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Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,
Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

D11 Control of Erosion and Sedimentation (Design) - Wingecarribee Shire Council

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Preview of Soil Constraints in an Arid Environment—Challenges, Prospects, and Implications - MDPI, accessed July 6, 2025,
Soil Constraints in an Arid Environment—Challenges, Prospects, and Implications - MDPI, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Constraints in an Arid Environment—Challenges, Prospects, and Implications - MDPI

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Preview of Soil Nitrogen Supply | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 25, 2025,
Soil Nitrogen Supply | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Nitrogen Fixation in Acacias - AgEcon Search, accessed July 30, 2025,

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Preview of Three types of piosphere responses of vegetation with distance from... | Download Scientific Diagram - ResearchGate
Three types of piosphere responses of vegetation with distance from... | Download Scientific Diagram - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Three types of piosphere responses of vegetation with distance from... | Download Scientific Diagram - ResearchGate

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Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 8 Jun 2026

Notes

This benchmark exceeds the nitrogen level of a 30-year grazing exclosure (1400 mg/kg), indicating active management can build higher nitrogen stocks than passive recovery. Confidence is Moderate due to reliance on a single key study. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-LVG-SON family.

300 mg/kg Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
MinimumOnly Active v1
— mg/kg Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
OptimalRange Active v1
2000 mg/kg Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Not Stated
MaximumOnly Active v1