Soil Structure & Compaction

AUS-ASC-LVG-SSC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

300 psi
Direction: Lower is desirable ↓
Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

"A reading above 300 psi indicates restrictions could be occurring to plants."

Metric Definition:

Soil penetrometer resistance measured using a circular stainless steel cone driven into a moist soil profile to capture mechanical resistance.

Benchmark Definition:

Diagnostic limit for soil compaction above which root growth restrictions occur in agricultural and pasture soils.

Justification:

This represents the standard, widely adopted soil compaction threshold within Australian agricultural and pastoral landscapes. It maps directly to pasture root-growth inhibition and compaction diagnostic monitoring.

Sources (1)

Preview of South Australian Department for Environment and Water. 2021. Soil health. Penetrometer. Government of South Australia.
South Australian Department for Environment and Water. 2021. Soil health. Penetrometer. Government of South Australia. Journal

South Australian Department for Environment and Water. 2021. Soil health. Penetrometer. Government of South Australia.

View Source

Supporting Sources (11)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Alpine Grazing Taskforce. (2005). Report of the Alpine Grazing Taskforce. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.
Alpine Grazing Taskforce. (2005). Report of the Alpine Grazing Taskforce. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria.
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of grazing on alpine grassland soil available nutrients across the Tibetan Plateau

View Source
Preview of Australian Subalpine Soil Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance Under Simulated Drought - ANU Student Journals
Australian Subalpine Soil Invertebrate Diversity and Abundance Under Simulated Drought - ANU Student Journals
Contextual Support Journal

Kirkpatrick, J. B., Bridle, K., & Wild, A. S. (2014). Patterns of variation in Australian alpine soils and their relationships to parent material, vegetation formation, climate and topography. CATENA, 121, 186-194.

View Source
Preview of Department of Conservation and Land Management. 1996. The effects of soil compaction on the emergence, survival and growth of eucalyptus seedlings. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia.
Department of Conservation and Land Management. 1996. The effects of soil compaction on the emergence, survival and growth of eucalyptus seedlings. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia.
Direct Evidence Journal

Department of Conservation and Land Management. 1996. The effects of soil compaction on the emergence, survival and growth of eucalyptus seedlings. Department of Conservation and Land Management, Western Australia.

View Source
Preview of Determining baselines, drivers and trends of soil health and stability ..., accessed July 12, 2025,
Determining baselines, drivers and trends of soil health and stability ..., accessed July 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Phosphorus: a finite resource essential for life, critical for agriculture and food security

View Source
Preview of Drewry, J. J., Cameron, K. C., & Buchan, G. D. (2008). Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing – a review.
Drewry, J. J., Cameron, K. C., & Buchan, G. D. (2008). Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing – a review.
Methodology Source Journal

Manea, A., & Aon, M. A. (2020). Penetration resistance: An effective indicator for monitoring soil compaction in pastures. Ecological Indicators, 117, 106647.

View Source
Preview of finalrepport - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,
finalrepport - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Western Australia. (n.d.). Soil compaction overview.

View Source
Preview of iForest. 2015. Effects of Soil Compaction on Seedling Morphology, Growth, and Architecture of Quercus castaneifolia. iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry.
iForest. 2015. Effects of Soil Compaction on Seedling Morphology, Growth, and Architecture of Quercus castaneifolia. iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry.
Contextual Support Journal

iForest. 2015. Effects of Soil Compaction on Seedling Morphology, Growth, and Architecture of Quercus castaneifolia. iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry.

View Source
Preview of Lunt, I. D., Eldridge, D. J., Morgan, J. W., & Witt, G. B. (2007). A framework to predict the effects of livestock grazing and grazing exclusion on conservation values in natural ecosystems in Australia. Australian Journal of Botany, 55(4), 401-415.
Lunt, I. D., Eldridge, D. J., Morgan, J. W., & Witt, G. B. (2007). A framework to predict the effects of livestock grazing and grazing exclusion on conservation values in natural ecosystems in Australia. Australian Journal of Botany, 55(4), 401-415.
Contextual Support Government

Lunt, I. D., Eldridge, D. J., Morgan, J. W., & Witt, G. B. (2007). A framework to predict the effects of livestock grazing and grazing exclusion on conservation values in natural ecosystems in Australia. Australian Journal of Botany, 55(4), 401-415.

View Source
Preview of Saputra, D. D., and others. 2024. Stay on trails: Detrimental effects of recreational activities on soil compaction and infiltration. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management.
Saputra, D. D., and others. 2024. Stay on trails: Detrimental effects of recreational activities on soil compaction and infiltration. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management.
Irrelevant

Saputra, D. D., and others. 2024. Stay on trails: Detrimental effects of recreational activities on soil compaction and infiltration. Journal of Degraded and Mining Lands Management.

View Source
Preview of Scherrer, D., & Pickering, C. M. (2009). Modelling the impact of drought on grass survival in Australian alpine environments. Journal of Plant Ecology, 5(2), 121-129.
Scherrer, D., & Pickering, C. M. (2009). Modelling the impact of drought on grass survival in Australian alpine environments. Journal of Plant Ecology, 5(2), 121-129.
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Drewry, J. J., Cameron, K. C., & Buchan, G. D. (2008). Pasture yield and soil physical property responses to soil compaction from treading and grazing – a review. Australian Journal of Soil Research, 46(4), 237-256.

View Source
Preview of TERN. (n.d.). Sustaining the Australian Alps. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network.
TERN. (n.d.). Sustaining the Australian Alps. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network.
Contextual Support Journal

TERN. (n.d.). Sustaining the Australian Alps. Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network.

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Agricultural Biodiversity Target
  • Vegetation Grassland
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 17 Jun 2026

Notes

Standard agricultural baseline metric; readings above 300 psi indicate that restrictions to root growth are occurring.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-LVG-SSC family.

70 kPa Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target · Woodland
MaximumOnly Active v2
1300 kPa Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference · Grassland · Summer
Point Active v1
1600 kPa Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Pristine Reference · Grassland · Summer
Point Active v1
2000 kPa Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
UpperThreshold Active v1
3000 kPa Low
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
UpperThreshold Active v1
70 kPa Moderate
Livestock Grazing & Pasture · Conservation Target · Woodland
Point Superseded v1