Soil Nitrogen

AUS-TMS-LVG-SON General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

600 mg/kg

Range: 500 to 600 mg/kg

Thresholds: Lower: 500, Upper: —

Optimal Range: 500 to 600

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.

Evidence & Context

The derived benchmark for topsoil (0-10 cm) is 600 mg/kg.

Metric Definition:

Total soil nitrogen content in the topsoil (0-10 cm) under best-practice livestock grazing management in Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best achievable ecological condition for total soil nitrogen in the topsoil (0-10 cm) under sustainable livestock grazing in Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas.

Justification:

It is derived by applying a conservative 20% improvement over the baseline of 500 mg/kg measured in sustainable, moderately stocked savanna systems, reflecting significant increases observed under regenerative management.

Sources (4)

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Ludwig, J.A., Bastin, G.N., Chewings, V.H., Eager, R.W., and Liedloff, A.C. (2005). Clearing savannas for use as rangelands in Queensland: Altered landscapes and water-erosion processes. Rangeland Journal, 27(2), 135-149.

Preview of Regenerative grazing management in the Burdekin catchment: a space-for-time study of vegetation and soil condition

Regenerative grazing management in the Burdekin catchment: a space-for-time study of vegetation and soil condition

Preview of RESEARCH PROGRESS ON THE IMPACT OF NITROGEN DEPOSITION ON GLOBAL GRASSLANDS - HEP Journals

RESEARCH PROGRESS ON THE IMPACT OF NITROGEN DEPOSITION ON GLOBAL GRASSLANDS - HEP Journals Journal

RESEARCH PROGRESS ON THE IMPACT OF NITROGEN DEPOSITION ON GLOBAL GRASSLANDS - HEP Journals

Preview of Resting Subtropical Grasslands from Grazing in the Wet Season ...

Resting Subtropical Grasslands from Grazing in the Wet Season ... Journal

Resting Subtropical Grasslands from Grazing in the Wet Season Boosts Biocrust Hotspots to Improve Soil Health - MDPI

Supporting Sources (19)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Nitrogen cycling in tropical and temperate savannas - ResearchGate

(PDF) Nitrogen cycling in tropical and temperate savannas - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Nitrogen cycling in tropical and temperate savannas - ResearchGate

Preview of Andropogon gayanus (Gamba Grass) Invasion Increases Fire-mediated Nitrogen Losses in the Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Andropogon gayanus (Gamba Grass) Invasion Increases Fire-mediated Nitrogen Losses in the Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Contextual Support Journal

Andropogon gayanus (Gamba Grass) Invasion Increases Fire-mediated Nitrogen Losses in the Tropical Savannas of Northern Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Preview of Carbon and nitrogen stores in a savanna landscape in the Berrimah Agricultural Research Centre, northern Australia. CSIRO.

Carbon and nitrogen stores in a savanna landscape in the Berrimah Agricultural Research Centre, northern Australia. CSIRO.

Contextual Support Journal

Effect of fire and tree‐grass patches on soil nitrogen in Australian tropical savannas, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of Categories - nitrogen - CSIRO Data Access Portal

Categories - nitrogen - CSIRO Data Access Portal

Contextual Support Government

Categories - nitrogen - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 18, 2025,

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space for time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? - Great Barrier Reef Foundation, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Effect of fire and tree‐grass patches on soil nitrogen in Australian tropical savannas

Effect of fire and tree‐grass patches on soil nitrogen in Australian tropical savannas

Contextual Support Journal

Critical review of the impacts of grazing intensity on soil organic ..., accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of Effect of reduced grazing pressure on sediment and nutrient yields in savanna rangeland streams draining to the Great Barrier Reef - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Effect of reduced grazing pressure on sediment and nutrient yields in savanna rangeland streams draining to the Great Barrier Reef - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Contextual Support Journal

Hillslope gully erosion in savanna rangelands tributary to the Great ..., accessed July 19, 2025,

Preview of Impacts of Grazing Disturbance on Soil Nitrogen Component ... - MDPI

Impacts of Grazing Disturbance on Soil Nitrogen Component ... - MDPI

Contextual Support Journal

Impacts of Grazing Disturbance on Soil Nitrogen Component ... - MDPI

Preview of Land use change and the impact on greenhouse gas exchange in north Australian savanna soils - BG

Land use change and the impact on greenhouse gas exchange in north Australian savanna soils - BG

Contextual Support Journal

Land use change and the impact on greenhouse gas exchange in north Australian savanna soils - BG

Preview of Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen, accessed August 5, 2025,

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen, accessed August 5, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and soil nitrogen

Preview of Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and'soil'nitrogen

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and'soil'nitrogen

Direct Evidence Journal

Managing cattle grazing intensity: effects on soil organic matter and'soil'nitrogen

Preview of N2O, NO, N2 and CO2 emissions from tropical savanna and grassland of northern Australia: an incubation experiment with intact soil cores - BG

N2O, NO, N2 and CO2 emissions from tropical savanna and grassland of northern Australia: an incubation experiment with intact soil cores - BG

Contextual Support Journal

N2O, NO, N2 and CO2 emissions from tropical savanna and grassland of northern Australia: an incubation experiment with intact soil cores - BG

Preview of Nitrogen Runoff Generation Rates from Pasture Legumes and Changes Since Land Development - The Brigalow Catchment Study

Nitrogen Runoff Generation Rates from Pasture Legumes and Changes Since Land Development - The Brigalow Catchment Study

Contextual Support Journal

Nitrogen Runoff Generation Rates from Pasture Legumes and Changes Since Land Development - The Brigalow Catchment Study

Preview of PhD Thesis: Carbon dynamics in tropical savannas: from leaf to landscape (Davies, 2017)

PhD Thesis: Carbon dynamics in tropical savannas: from leaf to landscape (Davies, 2017)

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

PhD Thesis: Carbon dynamics in tropical savannas: from leaf to landscape (Davies, 2017)

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,

Contextual Support Government

Geology | Norfolk Island National Park | Parks Australia, accessed August 2, 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

Soil carbon sequestration in rangelands a critical review of the impacts of major management strategies - CSIRO Publishing, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Carbon Sequestration in Australian Tropical Soils

Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Carbon Sequestration in Australian Tropical Soils

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Carbon Sequestration in Australian Tropical Soils

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Contextual Support

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Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 15 Mar 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: 500 mg/kg. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. No evidence of a detrimental upper limit for nitrogen accumulated via natural ecosystem processes. Negative impacts are associated with high levels of external nitrogen inputs, not with high N levels achieved through regenerative land management.