Soil Moisture — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

12.5 % VWC

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

For Loamy Sand/Sandy Loam topsoils (e.g., Chromosols with high sand content): an annual mean of approximately 12.5% Volumetric Water Content (VWC) is observed in a well-managed conservation woodland site.

Metric Definition:

Volumetric Water Content (VWC) in topsoil representing annual mean soil moisture in a well-managed conservation woodland site.

Benchmark Definition:

Annual mean topsoil volumetric water content representing functional average soil moisture in conservation woodland.

Justification:

Based on site-specific data from the EucFACE facility representing a mature, resilient woodland ecosystem under conservation management.

Sources (1)

Preview of Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate GreyLiterature

Soil water characteristics of a red chromosol and brown vertosol and ..., accessed May 19, 2025

Supporting Sources (18)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review of soil waterlogging impacts, mechanisms, and adaptive strategies - PMC, accessed May 19, 2025,

A review of soil waterlogging impacts, mechanisms, and adaptive strategies - PMC, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A review of soil waterlogging impacts, mechanisms, and adaptive strategies - PMC

Preview of CO₂ sink to source: Arid Australia's climate and rainfall driven tipping points

CO₂ sink to source: Arid Australia's climate and rainfall driven tipping points

Contextual Support Government

Learning More About Ephemeral Creeks | Flow-MER

Preview of Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of Effects of moisture supply in the dry season and subsequent defoliation on persistence of the savanna grasses Themeda triandra, Heteropogon contortus and Panicum maximum - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Effects of moisture supply in the dry season and subsequent defoliation on persistence of the savanna grasses Themeda triandra, Heteropogon contortus and Panicum maximum - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Changes in soil physical properties and crop root growth in dense sodic subsoil following incorporation of organic amendments | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of extension.okstate.edu, accessed May 19, 2025,

extension.okstate.edu, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

extension.okstate.edu, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of GRASSLANDS - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 19, 2025,

GRASSLANDS - The Nature Conservancy, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. (2021). Australia State of the Environment 2021: Land.

Preview of Impacts and management strategies for crop production in waterlogged or flooded soils: A review - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Impacts and management strategies for crop production in waterlogged or flooded soils: A review - ResearchGate, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Salinity Indicator Plants - NSW Government, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Understanding soil pH, accessed August 28, 2025

Preview of Perennial Pasture Guide - Barenbrug, accessed May 19, 2025,

Perennial Pasture Guide - Barenbrug, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Perennial Pasture Guide - Barenbrug, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed August 6, 2025,

Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed August 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

ECONOMICS AND SYSTEM APPLICATIONS FOR PERENNIAL GRAIN CROPS IN DRYLAND FARMING SYSTEMS IN AUSTRALIA - The Land Institute

Preview of Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 19, 2025,

Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 19, 2025,

Irrelevant

Protecting native grasses – ANU Sustainable Farms, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of research report - University of Technology Sydney, accessed May 19, 2025,

research report - University of Technology Sydney, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support

Data Information - OzFlux Data Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of Setting irrigation thresholds using different types of data | Turfgrass Science - Buckeye Turf, accessed May 19, 2025,

Setting irrigation thresholds using different types of data | Turfgrass Science - Buckeye Turf, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Setting irrigation thresholds using different types of data | Turfgrass Science - Buckeye Turf, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of Time of seed harvest and sowing determines successful establishment of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) on Dja Dja Wurrung - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 19, 2025,

Time of seed harvest and sowing determines successful establishment of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) on Dja Dja Wurrung - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Time of seed harvest and sowing determines successful establishment of kangaroo grass (Themeda triandra) on Dja Dja Wurrung - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025

Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

SNOWY MOUNTAIN FORESTED HILLSLOPE SOIL CHARACTERISATION, SOIL HYDROLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND SOIL GEOCHEMISTRY PROGRAM

Preview of Water potential the complete researcher guide - METER Group, accessed May 19, 2025,

Water potential the complete researcher guide - METER Group, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support

Water potential the complete researcher guide - METER Group, accessed May 19, 2025,

Preview of Whroo Flux Data Collection - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,

Whroo Flux Data Collection - TERN Data Discovery Portal, accessed May 19, 2025,

Contextual Support

Plant available water capacity of dryland cropping soils in the south-eastern Australia, accessed May 19, 2025

Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Pristine Reference
Vegetation Woodland
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 9 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. This value represents a functional average supporting a resilient ecosystem in a well-managed conservation woodland site with loamy sand/sandy loam soil texture.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-CON-SMO family.