Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-TMS-CON-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 1.4 to 2.7 %
Optimal Range: 1.4 to 2.7
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

For well-managed, typical Eucalypt-dominated savannas on sandy loam to clay/silt soils (e.g., Tenosols, Sodosols, Kandosols) with moderate rainfall (e.g., 900-1500 mm MAP) and ecologically appropriate fire regimes, an SOC level of 1.4% to 2.7% in the 0-10 cm depth is proposed as representative of high environmental health.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) percentage in the 0-10 cm soil depth

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the typical range of Soil Organic Carbon percentage in the top 10 cm of soil for well-managed Eucalypt-dominated savannas on sandy loam to clay/silt soils in tropical monsoonal savannas under conservation management.

Justification:

Derived from estimated 0-10 cm SOC% from sites in North Queensland National Parks/State Forest and the Howard Springs TERN SuperSite.

Sources (2)

Preview of Carbon and nitrogen stores in a savanna landscape in the Berrimah Agricultural Research Centre, northern Australia. CSIRO.
Carbon and nitrogen stores in a savanna landscape in the Berrimah Agricultural Research Centre, northern Australia. CSIRO. Journal

Davies, J. (2017). Carbon and water exchange in Australian tropical savannas. PhD Thesis, James Cook University.

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Preview of PhD Thesis: Carbon dynamics in tropical savannas: from leaf to landscape (Davies, 2017)
PhD Thesis: Carbon dynamics in tropical savannas: from leaf to landscape (Davies, 2017) GreyLiterature

Chen, X., Hutley, L.B., Eamus, D., Beringer, J. (2003). Carbon balance of a tropical savanna of northern Australia. Oecologia, 137, 405-416.

View Source

Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Soil Organic Carbon Benchmarks by Rainfall and Texture
Soil Organic Carbon Benchmarks by Rainfall and Texture
Contextual Support Journal

Blunden et al. (2024). Fire regime impacts on soil microbes, soil organic carbon and ground cover in an Australian tropical savanna.

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 9 Jun 2026

Notes

Representative of typical savannas on sandy loam to clay/silt soils with moderate rainfall.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-CON-SOC family.

4.1 % Low
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target
MaximumOnly Active v1
1.4 % Low
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target
MinimumOnly Active v1
2.1 % Low
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Conservation Target
MinimumOnly Active v1