Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC)

AUS-TMS-LVG-SEC General High confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 0.015 to 0.035 dS/m

Optimal Range: 0.015 to 0.035

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: OptimalRange

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 12 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 11 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

Proposed Benchmark Reference Value for Soil EC (0-10 cm depth) in AUS-TMS-LVG systems representing best available condition: 15-35 µS/cm.

Metric Definition:

Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC) quantifies the ability of the soil water to transmit an electrical current, primarily influenced by the concentration of dissolved salts in the soil solution.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the natural, very low electrical conductivity of healthy, minimally disturbed tropical monsoonal savanna soils under livestock grazing and pasture land use.

Justification:

Based on reference site data from CSIRO research sites near Darwin and TERN AusPlots monitoring site in the Carpentaria savanna, reflecting high ecological integrity and minimal salt accumulation.

Sources (2)

Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 16, 2025,

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 16, 2025, Journal

Litchfield Savanna BASE Contextual, Soil Physico-Chemical Data ..., accessed May 20, 2025,

Preview of TERN Linked Data, accessed May 13, 2025,

TERN Linked Data, accessed May 13, 2025, Government

TERN Linked Data

Supporting Sources (21)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems, accessed May 13, 2025,

(PDF) Final report Scoping Study of Soil Management in Livestock Grazing Systems, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support

AN ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF TARCHONANTHUS CAMPHORATUS L. IN THE NORTHERN CAPE PROVINCE OF SOUTH AFRICA

Preview of A Guide To Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC): Description, Importance & Soil EC Maps, accessed May 16, 2025,

A Guide To Soil Electrical Conductivity (EC): Description, Importance & Soil EC Maps, accessed May 16, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Electrical Conductivity(EC): What's It, Why Important, How to Measure & More - Latest News from Seeed Studio, accessed July 10, 2025

Preview of A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed May 13, 2025,

A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Respiration - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed August 1, 2025

Preview of Balancing production and environmental outcomes in Australia's tropical savanna under global change - ResearchGate, accessed May 13, 2025,

Balancing production and environmental outcomes in Australia's tropical savanna under global change - ResearchGate, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Reshaping forest management in Australia to provide nature-based solutions to global challenges - Talking Timber

Preview of Categories - Electrical Conductivity - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed May 13, 2025,

Categories - Electrical Conductivity - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Save Our Soils - Soil Science Australia

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 - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 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 - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

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 - ResearchGate, accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed May 13, 2025,

Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed May 13, 2025,

Methodology Source GreyLiterature

Ecosystem Surveillance Monitoring - Confluence - atlassian, accessed May 12, 2025,

Preview of Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

Experience and science a winning combo in arid-lands monitoring | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

ARID LANDS OF AUSTRALIA - Open Research Repository

Preview of Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and δ 15 N Ratio - MDPI, accessed May 13, 2025,

Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and δ 15 N Ratio - MDPI, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Grazing Intensity Accelerates Surface Soil C and N Cycling in Alpine Pastures as Revealed by Soil Genes and δ 15 N Ratio - MDPI, accessed May 10, 2026

Preview of Impacts of salinity | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed May 13, 2025,

Impacts of salinity | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Government

Recommended Measurements for Scaling Soil Health Assessment

Preview of Katherine Hallman Central High School Cape Girardeau, MO Australia, Sustainable Agriculture Australia: Soil Salinity in Australi - The World Food Prize, accessed May 13, 2025,

Katherine Hallman Central High School Cape Girardeau, MO Australia, Sustainable Agriculture Australia: Soil Salinity in Australi - The World Food Prize, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Katherine Hallman Central High School Cape Girardeau, MO Australia, Sustainable Agriculture Australia: Soil Salinity in Australi - The World Food Prize, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of Opportunities for Integrated Ecological Analysis across Inland Australia with Standardised Data from Ausplots Rangelands | PLOS One, accessed May 13, 2025,

Opportunities for Integrated Ecological Analysis across Inland Australia with Standardised Data from Ausplots Rangelands | PLOS One, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Methodology Source Journal

Chapter 9 AUSTRALIAN GRASSLANDS - Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Preview of Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 13, 2025,

Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Savanna ecosystem structure and productivity along a rainfall gradient: the role of - EGUsphere, accessed May 11, 2025,

Preview of Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed May 16, 2025,

Soil Electrical Conductivity - Natural Resources Conservation Service, accessed May 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

USDA 12

Preview of Soil Health | Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA, accessed May 13, 2025,

Soil Health | Natural Resources Conservation Service - USDA, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have ..., accessed July 29, 2025

Preview of Soil nutrient critical limits | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed May 13, 2025,

Soil nutrient critical limits | MBFP | More Beef from Pastures - MLA, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed July 17, 2025

Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 13, 2025,

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Impact of tree clearing on soil pH and nutrient availability in grazing systems of central Queensland, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality, accessed May 13, 2025,

Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Soil Tests Electrical Conductivity - Soil Quality, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of Survey teams head north to sample key ecosystems | TERN Australia, accessed May 16, 2025,

Survey teams head north to sample key ecosystems | TERN Australia, accessed May 16, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Survey teams head north to sample key ecosystems | TERN Australia, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed May 13, 2025,

The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed May 13, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

The contribution of trees and grasses to productivity of an Australian tropical savanna - BG, accessed May 13, 2025,

Preview of www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

www.barrierreef.org, accessed on May 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture Program restoring soil pH case study: Macdonald, Whites Flat/Koppio, accessed July 18, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

This range encapsulates the lower, consistently observed EC values in the surface soils of healthy, minimally disturbed or reference TMS sites. It reflects a state of very low soluble salt content, characteristic of these often leached, ancient landscapes. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TMS-LVG-SEC family.