Gully Density

AUS-TMI-LVG-GUL General High confidence

Benchmark Value

0 m/ha
Range: 0 to 0 m/ha
Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 0
Optimal Range: 0 to 0
Direction: Lower 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 9 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 8 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

The reference value for active gully density in a landscape under best-practice sustainable grazing is 0 m/ha.

Metric Definition:

Active gully density in a landscape under best-practice sustainable grazing

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the ideal state of active gully density in landscapes managed with best-practice sustainable grazing, indicating high ecological stability and minimal erosion.

Justification:

This value represents a state of landscape stability where grazing pressure is managed within the land's carrying capacity, perennial ground cover is maintained at high levels, runoff is managed to prevent concentration and incision, new human-accelerated gullies are not forming, and any pre-existing historical gullies are stabilized and revegetated.

Sources (2)

Preview of Gully erosion | Erosion | Soil | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria, accessed May 13, 2025
Gully erosion | Erosion | Soil | Farm management | Agriculture Victoria, accessed May 13, 2025 Journal

Sustainable Agriculture | NQ Dry Tropics, accessed July 27, 2025,

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Lord Howe Island Biodiversity Management Plan - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025, Journal

Maintain and improve groundcover - Local Land Services, accessed August 3, 2025

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Supporting Sources (28)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of 1 Background - Lord Howe Island Board, accessed August 3, 2025,
1 Background - Lord Howe Island Board, accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

A Systematic Flora Survey, Floristic Classification and High ..., accessed August 3, 2025

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Management Practices - Farmers for Climate Action, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Management Practices - Farmers for Climate Action, accessed July 30, 2025,

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Preview of Assessment of UAV and Ground-Based Structure from Motion with, accessed July 30, 2025
Assessment of UAV and Ground-Based Structure from Motion with, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Assessment of UAV and Ground-Based Structure from Motion with, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025
Can simple, on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

on-ground vegetation and soil measures reliably indicate the health of rangelands? An application in Australia's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Chapter 13 Gully erosion and its control - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 12, 2025
Chapter 13 Gully erosion and its control - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Gully erosion and environmental change: importance and research needs, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of E528M Grazing management that protects sensitive areas from gully erosion - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 30, 2025
E528M Grazing management that protects sensitive areas from gully erosion - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The effects of vegetation on runoff and soil loss:Multidimensional structure analysis and scale characteristics - Journal of Geographical Sciences, accessed May 14, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Effects of grazing on gully erosion rates in red goldfields soil on ..., accessed May 13, 2025
Effects of grazing on gully erosion rates in red goldfields soil on ..., accessed May 13, 2025
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

Plant responses to livestock grazing frequency in an Australian temperate grassland, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source
Preview of Erosion experts converge on Townsville for gully symposium - NQ Dry Tropics, accessed July 30, 2025
Erosion experts converge on Townsville for gully symposium - NQ Dry Tropics, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support

Erosion experts converge on Townsville for gully symposium - NQ Dry Tropics, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Feral animals - Wet Tropics Management Authority, accessed July 30, 2025
Feral animals - Wet Tropics Management Authority, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Feral animals - Wet Tropics Management Authority, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Grazing impacts on gully dynamics indicate approaches for gully erosion control in northeast Australia - ANU Researcher Portal, accessed August 10, 2025,
Grazing impacts on gully dynamics indicate approaches for gully erosion control in northeast Australia - ANU Researcher Portal, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Lessons for Gully Management | NESP TWQ, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source
Preview of Grazing Lands - Northern Gulf NRM Plan, accessed July 30, 2025
Grazing Lands - Northern Gulf NRM Plan, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Grazing Lands - Northern Gulf NRM Plan, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Grazing Management in Tropical Savannas: Utilization and Rest Strategies to Manipulate Rangeland Condition - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025
Grazing Management in Tropical Savannas: Utilization and Rest Strategies to Manipulate Rangeland Condition - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

McIvor, J. G., & Gardener, C. J. (2008). Grazing management in tropical savannas: Utilization and rest strategies to manipulate rangeland condition. Rangeland Ecology & Management, 61(2), 217-225.

View Source
Preview of Gully erosion prediction across a large region: Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, accessed August 1, 2025,
Gully erosion prediction across a large region: Murray–Darling Basin, Australia, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's State of the Forests Report, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of Gully mapping and drivers in the grazing lands of the Burdekin catchment (RP66G) Summary Report - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 1, 2025,
Gully mapping and drivers in the grazing lands of the Burdekin catchment (RP66G) Summary Report - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

INNOVATIONS FOR REGENERATIVE LANDSCAPE ... - Soils For Life

View Source
Preview of How First Peoples Land Management Is Helping Conservation in Australia - Earth.Org, accessed July 30, 2025
How First Peoples Land Management Is Helping Conservation in Australia - Earth.Org, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

How First Peoples Land Management Is Helping Conservation in Australia - Earth.Org, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Impacts of feral pigs on tropical freshwater ecosystems - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025
Impacts of feral pigs on tropical freshwater ecosystems - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Impacts of feral pigs on tropical freshwater ecosystems - DCCEEW, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Improving gully density maps for modelling water quality within Great Barrier Reef Catchments - MSSANZ, accessed July 30, 2025
Improving gully density maps for modelling water quality within Great Barrier Reef Catchments - MSSANZ, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Improving gully density maps for modelling water quality within Great Barrier Reef Catchments - MSSANZ, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Lessons for Gully Management | NESP TWQ, accessed August 1, 2025,
Lessons for Gully Management | NESP TWQ, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Lessons for Gully Management | NESP TWQ, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Lessons from old fenced plots: Eco‐cultural Impacts of feral ungulates and potential decline in sea‐level rise resilience of coastal floodplains in northern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025
Lessons from old fenced plots: Eco‐cultural Impacts of feral ungulates and potential decline in sea‐level rise resilience of coastal floodplains in northern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Lessons from old fenced plots: Eco‐cultural Impacts of feral ungulates and potential decline in sea‐level rise resilience of coastal floodplains in northern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Lord Howe Island - Google Arts & Culture, accessed July 30, 2025
Lord Howe Island - Google Arts & Culture, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island - Google Arts & Culture, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of LORD HOWE ISLAND A Summary of Current and Projected Scientific and Environmental Activities - Australian Museum, accessed July 30, 2025
LORD HOWE ISLAND A Summary of Current and Projected Scientific and Environmental Activities - Australian Museum, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Baseline high-resolution maps of organic carbon content in Australian soils - PMC

View Source
Preview of Management of total grazing pressure - Making More From Sheep, accessed July 30, 2025
Management of total grazing pressure - Making More From Sheep, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Project Pioneer - Reef Trust Partnership Monitoring and Evaluation Plan

View Source
Preview of Program - CSIRO, accessed August 1, 2025,
Program - CSIRO, accessed August 1, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Review of soil erosion modelling involving water with field applications - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 Paddock case study - grazing: Tracking gully activity in the Burdekin range lands, accessed July 30, 2025
Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 Paddock case study - grazing: Tracking gully activity in the Burdekin range lands, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Reef Water Quality Protection Plan 2013 Paddock case study - grazing: Tracking gully activity in the Burdekin range lands, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Sustainability | Pinetrees Lodge | Lord Howe Island, accessed July 30, 2025
Sustainability | Pinetrees Lodge | Lord Howe Island, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Sustainability | Pinetrees Lodge | Lord Howe Island, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The impact of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) on an Australian lowland tropical rainforest, accessed July 30, 2025
The impact of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) on an Australian lowland tropical rainforest, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support

The impact of feral pigs (Sus scrofa) on an Australian lowland tropical rainforest, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Management Practices: Fire-Stick Farming and Beyond - Welcome To Country - Shop, accessed July 30, 2025
Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Management Practices: Fire-Stick Farming and Beyond - Welcome To Country - Shop, accessed July 30, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Land Management Practices: Fire-Stick Farming and Beyond - Welcome To Country - Shop, accessed July 30, 2025,

View Source
Preview of www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 13, 2025
www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 13, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Alluvial Gully Erosion Rates and Processes Across the Mitchell River Fluvial Megafan in Northern Queensland, Australia - Resilient Landscapes Hub

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 15 Mar 2026

Notes

The benchmark of 0 m/ha represents the density of active gullies in a landscape under best-practice sustainable grazing, signifying a state of high ecological health and stability. This value is based on the scientific consensus that active gully erosion is a degradation process to be prevented, not a feature to be maintained. The benchmark is derived from a synthesis of evidence from analogous mainland tropical savanna systems, where long-term livestock exclusion results in a 70-77% reduction in sediment yield and a halving of gully length compared to grazed areas. This is corroborated by qualitative evidence from the target biome proxy (Lord Howe Island), where best-practice conservation management focuses on reversing erosion caused by historical grazing.