Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC)
Benchmark Value
Scoring Curve
This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.
Evidence & Context
At a site in Tintinara, South Australia, characterized by a Sodosol (a common soil type in some temperate dryland regions), the control plots in an agricultural system exhibited an MBC of 557 mg C/kg soil in the 0-10 cm depth, with a corresponding SOC of 1.8%.
Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) is defined as the total carbon contained within the living cells of microorganisms in the soil, primarily bacteria, fungi, and archaea, expressed as milligrams of carbon per kilogram of dry soil (mg C/kg soil).
Reference benchmark for MBC in the topsoil (0-10 cm) representing best available condition under best-practice sustainable or regenerative agricultural crop production in Australia's Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands biome.
This value is a robust, measured value from a relevant Australian agricultural system and soil type within the target biome, representing a high observed MBC in a relevant temperate dryland context.
Sources (2)
The Long-Term Effect of Biochar on Soil Microbial Abundance, Activity and Community Structure Is Overwritten by Land Management - Frontiers
View SourceSoil and fertilizer phosphorus: Effects on plant P supply and mycorrhizal development - Canadian Science Publishing, accessed August 28, 2025
View SourceSupporting Sources (1)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Farming system impact on soil biology and functions
View Source