Soil Structure & Compaction

AUS-TMI-FOR-SSC General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

1000 kPa

Thresholds: Lower: —, Upper: 1000

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: MaximumOnly

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard UpperThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

The proposed benchmark for soil penetration resistance in a best-on-offer production forestry system in this biome is: Reference Value: < 1000 kPa

Metric Definition:

Soil penetration resistance measured by cone penetrometer, indicating soil strength and mechanical impedance to root growth.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the maximum soil penetration resistance below which soil compaction is minimal and root growth is not impeded in production forestry on tropical maritime islands.

Justification:

Derived from analogous systems, particularly a study of Eucalyptus plantations on tropical soils which identified a critical threshold of 1300 kPa where soil function is impaired. The proposed value provides a conservative buffer below this critical threshold, representing a state of minimal compaction achievable in non-trafficked areas under best practice.

Sources (1)

Preview of Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of Soil Compaction at Grazing and Forest Sites

Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of Soil Compaction at Grazing and Forest Sites Journal

Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of Soil Compaction at Grazing and Forest Sites

Supporting Sources (33)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Review of factors affecting disturbance, compaction and trafficability of soils with particular reference to timber harvesting in the forests of south-west Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

(PDF) Review of factors affecting disturbance, compaction and trafficability of soils with particular reference to timber harvesting in the forests of south-west Western Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Australia's State of the Forests Report Synthesis 2023

Preview of (PDF) Soil compaction and controlled traffic considerations in ..., accessed July 30, 2025,

(PDF) Soil compaction and controlled traffic considerations in ..., accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Ripping Mallee soils, what are the production benefits? - Agronomy Australia Proceedings

Preview of (PDF) Soil Compaction and Root Growth: A Review - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

(PDF) Soil Compaction and Root Growth: A Review - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Direct Evidence

(PDF) Soil Compaction and Root Growth: A Review - ResearchGate

Preview of 2025 Guide: Australian Forestry & Sustainable Farming Standards, accessed July 30, 2025,

2025 Guide: Australian Forestry & Sustainable Farming Standards, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

2025 Guide: Australian Forestry & Sustainable Farming Standards, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Additional Information: Forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi Islands, accessed July 31, 2025

Additional Information: Forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi Islands, accessed July 31, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Tiwi-led Forestry Project to Boost Estate and Double Exports - Wood Central, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025

Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions)

Preview of Australia's Indian Ocean Islands, accessed July 30, 2025,

Australia's Indian Ocean Islands, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australia's Indian Ocean Islands, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Category:Islands of the Northern Territory - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Category:Islands of the Northern Territory - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Category:Islands of the Northern Territory - Wikipedia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Cocos Keeling Islands - Australia's Last Unspoilt Paradise, accessed July 30, 2025,

Cocos Keeling Islands - Australia's Last Unspoilt Paradise, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Cocos Keeling Islands - Australia's Last Unspoilt Paradise, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Effects of soil compaction on the growth and mortality of planted dipterocarp seedlings in a logged-over tropical rainforest in Sarawak, Malaysia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Effects of soil compaction on the growth and mortality of planted dipterocarp seedlings in a logged-over tropical rainforest in Sarawak, Malaysia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

International Workshop on Soils - This document is discoverable and free to researchers across the globe due to the work of AgEcon Search. Help ensure our sustain, accessed May 16, 2025,

Preview of Explore Queensland Islands and Island Adventures, accessed July 30, 2025,

Explore Queensland Islands and Island Adventures, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Irrelevant

Explore Queensland Islands and Island Adventures, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Forestry | NT.GOV.AU, accessed August 1, 2025,

Forestry | NT.GOV.AU, accessed August 1, 2025,

Contextual Support

Additional Information: Forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi Islands, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of GUIDE TO GROWING AND MANAGING FORESTS | Safe Work Australia, accessed July 30, 2025,

GUIDE TO GROWING AND MANAGING FORESTS | Safe Work Australia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

GUIDE TO GROWING AND MANAGING FORESTS | Safe Work Australia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Impacts of Logging-Associated Compaction on Forest Soils: A Meta-Analysis - Frontiers, accessed July 30, 2025,

Impacts of Logging-Associated Compaction on Forest Soils: A Meta-Analysis - Frontiers, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Meta Analysis Journal

Distribution, nature and threats to soils of the Australian Alps: A ...

Preview of Improved forest management - CSIRO, accessed July 12, 2025,

Improved forest management - CSIRO, accessed July 12, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Ecosystem wicks: Woodland trees enhance water infiltration in a fragmented agricultural landscape in eastern Australia, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of INCREASED MECHANISATION AND SOIL DAMAGE IN FORESTS — A REVIEW - Scion Research, accessed July 30, 2025,

INCREASED MECHANISATION AND SOIL DAMAGE IN FORESTS — A REVIEW - Scion Research, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

INCREASED MECHANISATION AND SOIL DAMAGE IN FORESTS — A REVIEW - Scion Research, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Incredible Great Barrier Reef Islands For Your Holiday - Visitor's Guide - Queensland, accessed July 30, 2025,

Incredible Great Barrier Reef Islands For Your Holiday - Visitor's Guide - Queensland, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support

Incredible Great Barrier Reef Islands For Your Holiday - Visitor's Guide - Queensland, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 13, 2025,

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Category:IBRA regions - Wikipedia

Preview of Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Subregions), accessed July 30, 2025,

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Subregions), accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Subregions), accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of List of ecoregions in Australia Facts for Kids - Kids encyclopedia facts, accessed July 30, 2025,

List of ecoregions in Australia Facts for Kids - Kids encyclopedia facts, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

List of ecoregions in Australia Facts for Kids - Kids encyclopedia facts, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of ..., accessed July 30, 2025,

Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of ..., accessed July 30, 2025,

Direct Evidence Methodology Source Journal

Mechanical Resistance to Penetration for Improved Diagnosis of Soil Compaction at Grazing and Forest Sites - MDPI

Preview of Projects — Tiwi Plantations, accessed July 30, 2025,

Projects — Tiwi Plantations, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Projects — Tiwi Plantations, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONE PENETRATION RESISTANCE, BULK DENSITY, AND MOISTURE CONTENT IN UNCULTIVATED, REPACKED, AND CULTIVATED, accessed July 30, 2025,

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONE PENETRATION RESISTANCE, BULK DENSITY, AND MOISTURE CONTENT IN UNCULTIVATED, REPACKED, AND CULTIVATED, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Relationships between cone penetration resistance, bulk density, and moisture content in uncultivated, repacked, and cultivated hardsetting and non-hardsetting soils from the coastal lowlands of south-east Queensland, Australia

Preview of Research and development investment delivering for Tiwi community, accessed July 30, 2025,

Research and development investment delivering for Tiwi community, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Research and development investment delivering for Tiwi community, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Resistance and resilience of the forest soil microbiome to logging-associated compaction, accessed July 30, 2025,

Resistance and resilience of the forest soil microbiome to logging-associated compaction, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Use Our: Soil Penetrometer - onondaga county soil & water conservation district, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Soil compaction - practical considerations - Forest Research, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil compaction - practical considerations - Forest Research, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil on the Edge: Australia's Soil Health Crisis - Environmental Clean Technologies, accessed August 2, 2025

Preview of Soil compaction | UMN Extension, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil compaction | UMN Extension, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil compaction | UMN Extension, accessed July 22, 2025

Preview of Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 30, 2025,

Soil management guides - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Managing soils during and after drought in cropping systems - Fact sheet - Soil CRC, accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of Sustainable Forest Management, accessed July 30, 2025,

Sustainable Forest Management, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australia's Voluntary National Contribution to the United Nations Global Forest Goals – 2 April 2019

Preview of The Secretary - Parliament of Australia, accessed July 30, 2025,

The Secretary - Parliament of Australia, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Inquiry into forestry and mining operations on the Tiwi Islands

Preview of These 21 Beautiful Tropical Islands Are Closer Than You Think | Travel Insider - Qantas, accessed August 3, 2025

These 21 Beautiful Tropical Islands Are Closer Than You Think | Travel Insider - Qantas, accessed August 3, 2025

Contextual Support

These 21 Beautiful Tropical Islands Are Closer Than You Think | Travel Insider - Qantas, accessed August 4, 2025,

Preview of Tiwi Islands Tours & Travel Guide | AAT Kings US, accessed July 30, 2025,

Tiwi Islands Tours & Travel Guide | AAT Kings US, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Tiwi Islands Tours & Travel Guide | AAT Kings US, accessed July 30, 2025,

Preview of Tiwi-led Forestry Project to Boost Estate and Double Exports - Wood Central, accessed July 30, 2025,

Tiwi-led Forestry Project to Boost Estate and Double Exports - Wood Central, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Tiwi-led Forestry Project to Boost Estate and Double Exports - Wood Central, accessed July 30, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

No direct field data exists for best-practice forestry on Australian tropical maritime islands. The benchmark is based on inference from analogous systems and represents a target achievable with best management practices such as controlled traffic farming. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMI-FOR-SSC family.