Soil Nitrogen

AUS-AKW-CON-SON General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

600 mg/kg
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

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

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard CompositeFramework Guard

Evidence & Context

Any soil nitrogen value that is significantly and persistently above the optimal range (i.e., >600 mg/kg) should be considered an indicator of an ecosystem that is stressed, losing its characteristic species composition, and moving away from its natural, resilient state.

Metric Definition:

Upper detrimental threshold for total soil nitrogen concentration in the topsoil (0-15 cm).

Benchmark Definition:

Threshold above which soil nitrogen indicates ecosystem degradation in the Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands biome.

Justification:

Elevated nitrogen is linked to external inputs causing negative ecological shifts including biodiversity loss and soil acidification.

Sources (2)

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

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

View Source
Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia; Soil nitrogen availability in the cereal zone of South Australia. I. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and nitrogen mineralisation rates
Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia; Soil nitrogen availability in the cereal zone of South Australia. I. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and nitrogen mineralisation rates Government

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Total Nitrogen (3" resolution) - Release 2

View Source

Supporting Sources (25)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Nitrogen rather than water availability limits aboveground ..., accessed July 26, 2025,
(PDF) Nitrogen rather than water availability limits aboveground ..., accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support

Global assessment of nitrogen deposition effects on terrestrial plant diversity : a synthesis - Marshall Digital Scholar, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - ResearchGate
(PDF) Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - ResearchGate
Direct Evidence

(PDF) Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of An inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 25, 2025
An inventory and condition survey of the Western Australian part of the Nullarbor region - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed July 25, 2025
Contextual Support Government

South Australia - Soil Science Australia

View Source
Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed August 3, 2025
Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient‐depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - Arid Ecology Lab, accessed August 3, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Soil Inorganic Carbon, the Other and Equally Important Soil Carbon Pool: Distribution, Controlling Factors, and the Impact of C

View Source
Preview of Bulk Density - Measurement | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 9, 2025,
Bulk Density - Measurement | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed August 9, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Soil compaction - practical considerations - Forest Research, accessed August 9, 2025

View Source
Preview of Categories - total soil nitrogen - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 26, 2025,
Categories - total soil nitrogen - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

NEW! TERN-ANU Landscape Data Visualiser | TERN Australia, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed August 5, 2025,
Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

How Past Rainfall Shapes Australia's Dryland Ecosystems - Western Sydney University

View Source
Preview of Different nitrogen saturation thresholds for above-, below-, and total ..., accessed July 26, 2025,
Different nitrogen saturation thresholds for above-, below-, and total ..., accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support

Different nitrogen saturation thresholds for above-, below-, and total ..., accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Geography of Western Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 26, 2025,
Geography of Western Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Geography of Western Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 7, 2025
High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 7, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

High clay contents, dense soils, and spatial variability are the principal subsoil constraints to cropping the higher rainfall land in south-eastern Australia - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Karst wetlands - WetlandInfo, accessed July 26, 2025,
Karst wetlands - WetlandInfo, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Karst wetlands - WetlandInfo, accessed July 25, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Management Plan - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,
Management Plan - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Regional reserves - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor - DBCA Library
Nullarbor - DBCA Library
Contextual Support Journal

Nullarbor - DBCA Library, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,
Nullarbor - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Wilderness protection in South Australia - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 27, 2025
Nullarbor - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 27, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Conservation areas - Department for Energy and Mining, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 26, 2025,
Nullarbor bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support

Flinders Lofty Block bioregion - DCCEEW, accessed July 27, 2025

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor National Park, Wilderness Protection Area and Regional Reserve, accessed July 27, 2025
Nullarbor National Park, Wilderness Protection Area and Regional Reserve, accessed July 27, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Nullarbor Parks - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Nullarbor Plain - Wikipedia, accessed July 25, 2025,
Nullarbor Plain - Wikipedia, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Nullarbor Plain - Wikipedia, accessed July 24, 2025

View Source
Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 22 – Chenopod shrublands, samphire shrublands and forblands - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025
NVIS Fact sheet MVG 22 – Chenopod shrublands, samphire shrublands and forblands - DCCEEW, accessed July 24, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

A Case for Below-Ground Dispersal? Insights into the Biology, Ecology and Conservation of Blind Cave Spiders in the Genus Troglodiplura (Mygalomorphae: Anamidae) - PubMed Central, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Resource condition, accessed July 26, 2025,
Resource condition, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Resource condition, accessed July 26, 2025

View Source
Preview of Resource condition, accessed July 27, 2025
Resource condition, accessed July 27, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

KARST - Earth Science Australia, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Total Nitrogen (3" resolution) - Release 2 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Total Nitrogen (3" resolution) - Release 2 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed August 5, 2025,
Direct Evidence Government

Geology | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia

View Source
Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - esoil.io, accessed July 13, 2025
Soil and Landscape Grid of Australia - esoil.io, accessed July 13, 2025
Direct Evidence Government

UPTAKE OF ARSENIC BY NATIVE PLANTS GROWING ON GOLD TAILINGS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIAN RANGELANDS1

View Source
Preview of Soil organic matter in cropping systems - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,
Soil organic matter in cropping systems - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

SOIL pH—SOUTH AUSTRALIA

View Source
Preview of Summary of Major Soil Features1 - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 26, 2025,
Summary of Major Soil Features1 - Enviro Data SA, accessed July 26, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

1301.0 - ABS Feature Articles, 1966 - Australian Bureau of Statistics, accessed July 26, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 10 Jun 2026

Notes

Higher nitrogen values are not better in this biome; values above 600 mg/kg indicate degradation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AKW-CON-SON family.

450 mg/kg Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
Point Active v1
— mg/kg Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Active v1
— mg/kg Moderate
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
CompositeFramework Active v1