Litter Cover

AUS-ASC-LVG-LIT General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

50 %
Thresholds: Lower: 50, Upper: —
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: LowerThreshold

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 LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard LowerThreshold Guard UpperThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard CompositeFramework Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

For NSW rangelands, a minimum of 50% total groundcover is considered necessary to protect soil from wind erosion, with levels below this constituting a critical trigger point for degradation.

Metric Definition:

Minimum total groundcover percentage to prevent soil erosion and maintain pasture health, including litter cover as a component.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the minimum total groundcover percentage, including litter cover, required in the Alpine and Subalpine Complex biome under livestock grazing and pasture land use in Australia to prevent soil erosion and maintain pasture health.

Justification:

General rangeland and pasture management guidelines consistently emphasize the importance of maintaining minimum total groundcover levels to prevent erosion and maintain pasture health.

Sources (2)

Preview of Function Attribute Benchmarks for the Biodiversity Assessment Method: Data audit, compilation and analysis - Environment and Heritage, accessed July 10, 2025,
Function Attribute Benchmarks for the Biodiversity Assessment Method: Data audit, compilation and analysis - Environment and Heritage, accessed July 10, 2025,

Function Attribute Benchmarks for the Biodiversity Assessment Method: Data audit, compilation and analysis - Environment and Heritage, accessed May 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Meat & Livestock Australia. (n.d.). Maintain ground cover. MLA.
Meat & Livestock Australia. (n.d.). Maintain ground cover. MLA. GreyLiterature

Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands

View Source

Supporting Sources (2)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025
(PDF) Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Fertilisers and the environment - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed May 11, 2025

View Source
Preview of Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,
Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 25, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Long-term Vegetation Change in Relation to Cattle Grazing in Subalpine Grassland and Heathland on the Bogong High Plains - DCCEEW, accessed on May 28, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
  • Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 16 Mar 2026

Notes

Litter is an indispensable component of total groundcover, especially during periods of plant dormancy or drought.