Gully Density — Benchmark Detail - Nature Index

Benchmark Value

0.1 km/km²

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 0.1

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: UpperThreshold

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 8 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 7 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard Point Guard Point Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Proposed Value: >0.1 km/km² of active gullies (or >0.5% of area affected by active gullies).

Metric Definition:

Gully density expressed as the length of active gullies per unit area (km/km²)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the minimum gully density above which land degradation is evident, causing significant ecological and agricultural harm in tropical monsoonal savannas under agricultural crop production.

Justification:

This threshold serves as an urgent call for intervention indicating system failure in sustainable agricultural crop production.

Sources (1)

Preview of Identification of gully erosion activity and its influencing factors: A case study of the Sunshui River Basin | PLOS One, accessed July 16, 2025,

Identification of gully erosion activity and its influencing factors: A case study of the Sunshui River Basin | PLOS One, accessed July 16, 2025, Journal

Classification of Erosion Gullies by Remote Sensing and Spatial Pattern Analysis in Black Soil Region of Eastern Kebai, accessed July 27, 2025,

Supporting Sources (27)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Australian Savanna ecosystems - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

(PDF) Australian Savanna ecosystems - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Australian Savanna ecosystems - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of (PDF) Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio-economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

(PDF) Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio-economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

(PDF) Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio-economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment - ResearchGate, accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of (PDF) Large-Area, High-Resolution Remote Sensing Based ..., accessed May 11, 2025,

(PDF) Large-Area, High-Resolution Remote Sensing Based ..., accessed May 11, 2025,

Methodology Source Journal

(PDF) Large-Area, High-Resolution Remote Sensing Based ..., accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of (PDF) Prediction of Sheet and Rill Erosion Over the Australian Continent, Incorporating Monthly Soil Loss Distribution - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

(PDF) Prediction of Sheet and Rill Erosion Over the Australian Continent, Incorporating Monthly Soil Loss Distribution - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Australia state of the environment 2021: land

Preview of A New Soil Conservation Methodology and Application to Cropping Systems in Tropical Steeplands - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed May 11, 2025,

A New Soil Conservation Methodology and Application to Cropping Systems in Tropical Steeplands - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed May 11, 2025,

Methodology Source

A New Soil Conservation Methodology and Application to Cropping Systems in Tropical Steeplands - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Australia's tropical savannas: vast, ancient and rich landscapes - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed May 11, 2025,

Australia's tropical savannas: vast, ancient and rich landscapes - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Williams RJ, Duff GA, Bowman DMJS, Cook GD. Australia's tropical savannas: vast, ancient and rich landscapes. In: David Keith, editor/s. Australian vegetation. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press; 2017. 368-388.

Preview of Degradation of the Mitchell River fluvial megafan by alluvial gully erosion increased by post-European land use change, Queensla, accessed May 11, 2025,

Degradation of the Mitchell River fluvial megafan by alluvial gully erosion increased by post-European land use change, Queensla, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Gully mapping and drivers in the grazing lands of the Burdekin ...

Preview of Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio- economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment, accessed May 11, 2025,

Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio- economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence

Drivers of Gully Erosion and its Socio- economic and Environmental Effects in a Tropical Semi-arid Environment, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of ecollaboration.org.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

ecollaboration.org.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Gully Erosion | ECOllaboration

Preview of Guidelines for agricultural land evaluation in Queensland, accessed May 11, 2025,

Guidelines for agricultural land evaluation in Queensland, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Guidelines for agricultural land evaluation in Queensland, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Improving how gully erosion and river sediment transport processes are represented in Queensland catchment models, accessed May 11, 2025,

Improving how gully erosion and river sediment transport processes are represented in Queensland catchment models, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Regional pilot application of MERGE gully erosion model - Queensland science, accessed August 11, 2025

Preview of Influence of land use activities on predicted soil loss in a semi-arid river basin, accessed May 11, 2025,

Influence of land use activities on predicted soil loss in a semi-arid river basin, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

National Soil Strategy, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Intensive landscape-scale remediation improves water ... - HESS, accessed May 11, 2025,

Intensive landscape-scale remediation improves water ... - HESS, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Intensive landscape-scale remediation improves water ... - HESS

Preview of Linking hydrological connectivity to gully erosion in savanna rangelands tributary to the Great Barrier Reef using Structure‐from‐Motion photogrammetry | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Linking hydrological connectivity to gully erosion in savanna rangelands tributary to the Great Barrier Reef using Structure‐from‐Motion photogrammetry | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Linking hydrological connectivity to gully erosion in savanna rangelands tributary to the Great Barrier Reef using Structure‐from‐Motion photogrammetry | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Preview of Mastering Runoff Management: 10 Sustainable Farming Practices to Boost Soil Health and Water Quality in Queensland - - Farmonaut, accessed May 11, 2025,

Mastering Runoff Management: 10 Sustainable Farming Practices to Boost Soil Health and Water Quality in Queensland - - Farmonaut, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Mastering Runoff Management: 10 Sustainable Farming Practices to Boost Soil Health and Water Quality in Queensland - - Farmonaut

Preview of National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,

National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,

Regulatory Framework Journal

soils - of the australian alps

Preview of nesplandscapes.edu.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

nesplandscapes.edu.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Alluvial Gully Erosion Rates and Processes Across the Mitchell ...

Preview of Program - CSIRO, accessed August 1, 2025,

Program - CSIRO, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Rehabilitation effects on gully sediment yields and vegetation in a savanna rangeland - CSIRO Research Publications Repository

Preview of Rehabilitation effects on gully sediment yields and vegetation in a savanna rangeland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Rehabilitation effects on gully sediment yields and vegetation in a savanna rangeland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Guidelines for agricultural land evaluation in Queensland

Preview of Soil health stocktake Queensland - GRDC, accessed May 11, 2025,

Soil health stocktake Queensland - GRDC, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil health stocktake Queensland - GRDC, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of Soils and land suitability for the Victoria catchment ... - CSIRO, accessed May 15, 2025,

Soils and land suitability for the Victoria catchment ... - CSIRO, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

A New Soil Conservation Methodology and Application to Cropping Systems in Tropical Steeplands - Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of The Modern Outback | The Pew Charitable Trusts, accessed May 11, 2025,

The Modern Outback | The Pew Charitable Trusts, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Modern Outback | The Pew Charitable Trusts, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Unravelling Regenerative Agriculture's Sustainability Benefits and Outcomes: A Scoping Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,

Unravelling Regenerative Agriculture's Sustainability Benefits and Outcomes: A Scoping Review - MDPI, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Unravelling Regenerative Agriculture's Sustainability Benefits and Outcomes: A Scoping Review - MDPI

Preview of Water resource assessment for the Victoria catchment - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025,

Water resource assessment for the Victoria catchment - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soils and land suitability for the Victoria catchment, Northern Territory - CSIRO, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of www.greeningaustralia.org.au, accessed May 11, 2025,

www.greeningaustralia.org.au, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

www.greeningaustralia.org.au, accessed May 11, 2025

Preview of www.nqdrytropics.com.au, accessed May 11, 2025,

www.nqdrytropics.com.au, accessed May 11, 2025,

Contextual Support

Full article: Overcoming agricultural sustainability challenges in water-limited environments through soil health and water conservation: insights from the Ogallala Aquifer Region, USA - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 27, 2025,

Preview of www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 13, 2025

www.publications.qld.gov.au, accessed May 13, 2025

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Soil condition | NSW State of the Environment

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Conservation Target
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

Indicates a degraded state with active, expanding gullies causing significant ecological and agricultural harm. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values indicate worsening conditions.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-AGR-GUL family.