Soil Potassium

AUS-TMS-LVG-SOK General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 78 to 156 mg/kg

Optimal Range: 78 to 156

Direction: Higher 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.

Evidence & Context

Benchmark (Best Available Condition of Nature) Highly Tentative: >0.20 - 0.40 cmol(+)/kg (approx. 78-156 mg/kg K)

Metric Definition:

Exchangeable soil potassium (K), 0-10 cm soil depth

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the exchangeable soil potassium levels in the top 10 cm of soil under the best available natural conditions in tropical monsoonal savannas managed with sustainable or regenerative practices.

Justification:

Inferred from qualitative increases in exclosures; general soil fertility principles. Acknowledges K limitation in some savanna soils.

Sources (13)

(PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems, accessed May 13, 2025,

AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF TARCHONANTHUS CAMPHORATUS L. IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

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18 Major Minerals in Forages - CABI Digital Library Journal

18 Major Minerals in Forages - CABI Digital Library

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Preview of Accessing disparate soil data | TERN Australia

Accessing disparate soil data | TERN Australia Government

(PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems

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Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io, accessed July 30, 2025, Government

Australian Soils and Landscapes | Monitoring & Data | TERN - esoil.io

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Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025

Do regenerative grazing management practices ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 12, 2025 Journal

Investigating Intensive Grazing Systems in Northern Australia

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Edaphic, structural and physiological contrasts across Amazon Basin forest-savanna ecotones suggest a role for potassiu… - OUCI Journal

Edaphic, structural and physiological contrasts across Amazon Basin forest-savanna ecotones suggest a role for potassiu… - OUCI

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Preview of Multiple soil element and pH interactions constrain plant performance on tropical soils with a long history of fire - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed May 16, 2025,

Multiple soil element and pH interactions constrain plant performance on tropical soils with a long history of fire - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed May 16, 2025, Journal

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING

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Preview of Plantation tree growth responses to P, N, K and minor and trace elements on low fertility savanna soils - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025,

Plantation tree growth responses to P, N, K and minor and trace elements on low fertility savanna soils - ResearchGate, accessed May 16, 2025, Journal

Agnote - Northern Territory Government

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Potassium Fertilization Alters the Morphogenetic, Structural, and Productive Characteristics of Panicum maximum Cultivars - MDPI Journal

Potassium Fertilization Alters the Morphogenetic, Structural, and Productive Characteristics of Panicum maximum Cultivars - MDPI

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Preventing rangeland degradation: a shared problem for Australia and China - CSIRO Publishing

Preventing rangeland degradation: a shared problem for Australia and China - CSIRO Publishing

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Preview of SOIL HEALTH AND SOIL QUALITY: A REVIEW | Request PDF - ResearchGate

SOIL HEALTH AND SOIL QUALITY: A REVIEW | Request PDF - ResearchGate Journal

A scenario calculator for effects of grazing land management on carbon stocks in Australian rangelands | Request PDF - ResearchGate

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Sustainable Development of Tropical Australia R&D for Management of Land, Water and Marine Resources Scoping Study Journal

Sustainable Development of Tropical Australia R&D for Management of Land, Water and Marine Resources Scoping Study

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Preview of The causes and consequences of Seriphium plumosum L. encroachment in semi-arid grassland communities of Gauteng Province, South - ResearchSpace@UKZN

The causes and consequences of Seriphium plumosum L. encroachment in semi-arid grassland communities of Gauteng Province, South - ResearchSpace@UKZN Journal

The causes and consequences of Seriphium plumosum L. encroachment in semi-arid grassland communities of Gauteng Province, South - ResearchSpace@UKZN

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Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Does grazing exclusion in Australia's rangelands affect biomass and debris carbon stocks?

Contextual Support Journal

Does grazing exclusion in Australia's rangelands affect biomass and debris carbon stocks?

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Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 8 Jun 2026

Notes

Values are highly tentative and illustrative; based on general agronomic interpretations where values <0.2 cmol(+)/kg are often considered low.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-LVG-SOK family.