Soil Nitrogen

AUS-TGP-AGR-SON General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

5900 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

Represents the mean Total N concentration in well-managed loam temperate grasslands. This is a benchmark for soils with moderate texture and good potential for building soil organic matter.

Metric Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen concentration in the topsoil (0-10 cm depth)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the total soil nitrogen concentration in the top 10 cm of loamy soils in temperate grassy woodlands and plains under agricultural crop production, indicating a healthy condition for soils with moderate texture and good organic matter potential.

Justification:

Derived from a multi-site study with clear stratification by soil texture, representing the best available condition achievable in sustainable cropping systems in this biome.

Sources (1)

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, Journal

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

View Source

Supporting Sources (23)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,
Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Australian Journal of Botany - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 12, 2025,
Australian Journal of Botany - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The Rangeland Journal - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 16, 2025
Discover the Top 6 Benefits of Regenerative Farming in Australia, accessed July 16, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Health: Supporting Rural Industries in the Wet Tropics, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Does diversity influence soil nitrate, light availability and productivity in the establishment phase of Australian temperate grassland reconstruction? - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,
Does diversity influence soil nitrate, light availability and productivity in the establishment phase of Australian temperate grassland reconstruction? - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Does diversity influence soil nitrate, light availability and productivity in the establishment phase of Australian temperate grassland reconstruction? - PubMed Central, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grains - Pollination - Bee Aware, accessed August 4, 2025,
Grains - Pollination - Bee Aware, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Grains - Pollination - Bee Aware, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grassy woodlands | Landscape Australia, accessed August 5, 2025,
Grassy woodlands | Landscape Australia, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Grassy woodlands | Landscape Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Gravel-associated organic material is important to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen stocks to depth in an agricultural cropping soil - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,
Gravel-associated organic material is important to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen stocks to depth in an agricultural cropping soil - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Gravel-associated organic material is important to quantify soil carbon and nitrogen stocks to depth in an agricultural cropping soil - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,
Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support

Is there a close association between 'soils' and 'vegetation'? A case study from central western New South Wales, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms | FutureBeef
Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms | FutureBeef
Contextual Support Journal

Healthy Soils for Sustainable Farms | FutureBeef, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Identifying ecological barriers to restoration in temperate grassy woodlands: soil changes associated with different degradation states - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Identifying ecological barriers to restoration in temperate grassy woodlands: soil changes associated with different degradation states - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Identifying ecological barriers to restoration in temperate grassy woodlands: soil changes associated with different degradation states - ResearchGate, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Methodology - Yield Gap Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,
Methodology - Yield Gap Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

THE NUTRIENT STATUS AND CULTIVATION PRACTICES OF THE SOILS OF THE NORTH-WEST WHEAT BELT OF NEW SOUTH WALES By E. G. HALLSWORTH,&, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of More Profit from Nitrogen | CRDC - Cotton Research and Development Corporation, accessed August 4, 2025,
More Profit from Nitrogen | CRDC - Cotton Research and Development Corporation, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

More Profit from Nitrogen | CRDC - Cotton Research and Development Corporation, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Negative effects of nitrogen override positive effects of phosphorus on grassland legumes worldwide | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025,
Negative effects of nitrogen override positive effects of phosphorus on grassland legumes worldwide | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Negative effects of nitrogen override positive effects of phosphorus on grassland legumes worldwide | PNAS, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 4, 2025,
Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australian Journal of Botany - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a Vertisol following 50 years of ...
Soil carbon and nitrogen dynamics in a Vertisol following 50 years of ...
Contextual Support Journal

The nitrogen book: Principles of soil nitrogen fertility management in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales farming, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Soil health: the foundation of sustainable agriculture - 2001 workshop proceedings - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The role of regenerative agriculture in sustainable land use - ClimateWorks Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soils ain't soils - carbon farming offers fertile future - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soils ain't soils - carbon farming offers fertile future - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 5, 2025,
The Abundance of Microbial Functional Genes in Grassy Woodlands ..., accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Grey Box (Eucalyptus microcarpa) Grassy Woodlands and Derived Native Grasslands of South-eastern Australia, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The combined effect of fire and nitrogen addition on biodiversity and herbaceous aboveground productivity in a coastal shrubland - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,
The combined effect of fire and nitrogen addition on biodiversity and herbaceous aboveground productivity in a coastal shrubland - PMC, accessed August 28, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Measuring plant-associated nitrogen fixation in agricultural systems, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The nitrogen book: Principles of soil nitrogen fertility management in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales farming
The nitrogen book: Principles of soil nitrogen fertility management in southern Queensland and northern New South Wales farming
Contextual Support Journal

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Agricultural Biodiversity Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

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

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 2000 mg/kg. Upper Detrimental Threshold: 6000 mg/kg. The functional range for loamy soils is defined by these thresholds, below which soil function is impaired and above which nitrogen enrichment causes ecological harm.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TGP-AGR-SON family.

4100 mg/kg Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
Point Active v1
— mg/kg Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
OptimalRange Active v1