Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-ASP-AGR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1 %

Range: 1.5 to 2 %

Thresholds: Lower: 1, Upper: —

Optimal Range: 1.5 to 2

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context. The scoring engine uses 2 benchmarks together — the Point form drives the primary score, while 1 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

Point Primary Point Guard

Evidence & Context

The resulting benchmarks, representing a high level of ecological function achievable under best-practice regenerative cropping, are presented in Table 1.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) percentage in the 0-10 cm soil layer under agricultural cropping in Australian Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains biome.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best available Soil Organic Carbon level achievable under best-practice regenerative cropping management in Australian Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains agricultural cropping soils.

Justification:

Based on a comprehensive regional study (SA Murray-Darling Basin) and set at or near the upper limit of the 'Moderate OC standard' range reflecting achievable targets under best-practice management.

Sources (3)

Preview of Global meta-analysis of the relationship between soil organic matter and crop yields

Global meta-analysis of the relationship between soil organic matter and crop yields Journal

Global meta-analysis of the relationship between soil organic matter and crop yields, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of How Much Carbon Can Soil Store | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

How Much Carbon Can Soil Store | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au Government

How Much Carbon Can Soil Store | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

Preview of SAMDB NRM Region Soil Carbon Baseline - Department for ...

SAMDB NRM Region Soil Carbon Baseline - Department for ...

Supporting Sources (32)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Dryland Agriculture in Australia: Experiences and Innovations - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025,

(PDF) Dryland Agriculture in Australia: Experiences and Innovations - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Dryland Agriculture in Australia: Experiences and Innovations - ResearchGate, accessed July 7, 2025,

Preview of (PDF) Land use and management practices have little influence on agricultural soil organic carbon stocks in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

(PDF) Land use and management practices have little influence on agricultural soil organic carbon stocks in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

(PDF) Land use and management practices have little influence on agricultural soil organic carbon stocks in Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PMC, accessed March 28, 2026,

Preview of Effect of cropping practices on soil organic carbon: evidence from long-term field experiments in Victoria, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Effect of cropping practices on soil organic carbon: evidence from long-term field experiments in Victoria, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support

Effect of cropping practices on soil organic carbon: evidence from long-term field experiments in Victoria, Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Exploring Soil Carbon in the Mallee - Soils Connect, accessed July 6, 2025,

Exploring Soil Carbon in the Mallee - Soils Connect, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Mallee plants - Australian National Botanic Gardens, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation, accessed July 6, 2025,

Full article: Making soil carbon credits work for climate change mitigation, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support

Full article: Comparison of major carbon offset standards for soil carbon projects in Australian grazing lands - Taylor and Francis

Preview of Growing soil organic carbon in dryland agricultural systems - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 6, 2025,

Growing soil organic carbon in dryland agricultural systems - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Seasonal changes in microbial function and diversity ...

Preview of Increasing OC in the SAMDB - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 6, 2025,

Increasing OC in the SAMDB - Department for Environment and Water, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,

Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Living soils in agriculture | TERN Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

Preview of Managing for Soil Organic Carbon is Fundamental to Regenerative Agriculture, accessed July 6, 2025,

Managing for Soil Organic Carbon is Fundamental to Regenerative Agriculture, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Managing for Soil Organic Carbon is Fundamental to Regenerative Agriculture, accessed July 6, 2025,

$Preview of Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 6, 2025,$

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Pedogenic controls of soil organic carbon stocks and stability beneath montane Norway spruce forests along a precipitation gradient - PMC, accessed March 28, 2026,

Preview of Opportunities for improving soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in low and medium rainfall cropping systems - GRDC, accessed July 6, 2025,

Opportunities for improving soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in low and medium rainfall cropping systems - GRDC, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

GRDC Soil Health Stocktake (2024)

Preview of Organic and clay amendments to improve the productivity of sandy soils - Research findings fact sheet, accessed July 6, 2025,

Organic and clay amendments to improve the productivity of sandy soils - Research findings fact sheet, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Managing soils - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 7, 2025,

Preview of Organic Carbon Storage - WA | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 6, 2025,

Organic Carbon Storage - WA | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Organic Carbon Storage - WA | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

Preview of Physical Protection of Soil Carbon Stocks Under ... - EGUsphere, accessed July 6, 2025,

Physical Protection of Soil Carbon Stocks Under ... - EGUsphere, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Physical Protection of Soil Carbon Stocks Under ... - EGUsphere, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Predicting and regulating soil carbon in a warmer world | TERN Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,

Predicting and regulating soil carbon in a warmer world | TERN Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 16, 2025,

Preview of Quantifying the effect of soil organic carbon on wheat yield: a simulation study - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 6, 2025,

Quantifying the effect of soil organic carbon on wheat yield: a simulation study - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 6, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Quantifying the effect of soil organic carbon on wheat yield: a simulation study - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Regenerative opportunities for building soil biological resilience – a ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Regenerative opportunities for building soil biological resilience – a ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil and fertilizer phosphorus: Effects on plant P supply and mycorrhizal development - Canadian Science Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025

Preview of Significance of soil organic carbon for regenerative agriculture and ecosystem services | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Significance of soil organic carbon for regenerative agriculture and ecosystem services | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Significance of soil organic carbon for regenerative agriculture and ecosystem services | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Soil carbon holds the key to protecting global crop yields from climate change - The University of Western Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,

Soil carbon holds the key to protecting global crop yields from climate change - The University of Western Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil carbon holds the key to protecting global crop yields from climate change - The University of Western Australia, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands: a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Critical review of the impacts of grazing intensity on soil organic carbon storage and other soil quality indicators in extensively managed grasslands - PubMed Central, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Spatial distribution of soil microbial activity and soil properties ..., accessed August 13, 2025,

Preview of Soil Carbon Snapshot - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 5, 2025,

Soil Carbon Snapshot - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture - MDPI, accessed July 6, 2025,

Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture - MDPI, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Health and Sustainable Agriculture - MDPI, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of SOIL HEALTH AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY, accessed July 6, 2025,

SOIL HEALTH AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

SOIL HEALTH AND WATER USE EFFICIENCY, accessed July 6, 2025,

Preview of Soil Health Testing - Agronomic Insights, accessed July 6, 2025,

Soil Health Testing - Agronomic Insights, accessed July 6, 2025,

Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Australia's forests overview - DAFF

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,

Preview of Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 6, 2025,

Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soils and carbon for reduced emissions - Agriculture Victoria, accessed July 21, 2025,

Preview of The Soil Carbon Research Program (SCaRP) - CSIROpedia, accessed July 6, 2025,

The Soil Carbon Research Program (SCaRP) - CSIROpedia, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG

Preview of Understanding the Impacts of Soil, Climate, and Farming ... - Frontiers, accessed July 6, 2025,

Understanding the Impacts of Soil, Climate, and Farming ... - Frontiers, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Modeling Soil Organic Carbon Change across Australian Wheat Growing Areas, 1960 62010, accessed July 22, 2025,

Preview of Unexpected increases in soil carbon eventually fell in low rainfall farming systems - PubMed, accessed July 6, 2025,

Unexpected increases in soil carbon eventually fell in low rainfall farming systems - PubMed, accessed July 6, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Unexpected increases in soil carbon eventually fell in low rainfall farming systems - PubMed, accessed July 6, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Shrublands & Stony Plains
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 15 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 1 % SOC below which soil health and productivity are compromised. Optimal range shows diminishing returns above 1.5% to 2.0%. No evidence of detrimental effects from high SOC; upper limit is natural saturation or indicator of dysfunction in some cases. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASP-AGR-SOC family.