Microbial Respiration

AUS-TDG-CON-SMR General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

20.06 mg/kg/day
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: Point

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

The reported respiration rate for this condition is 0.08±0.00 mg CO2-C g TOC−1 h−1. The Total Organic Carbon (TOC) content for the unburnt mallee soil under trees is reported as 10.45 mg C g soil−1. The daily basal respiration rate is calculated as: (0.08 mg CO2-C/(g TOC⋅h))×(10.45 g TOC/kg soil)×(24 h/day) =20.064 mg CO2-C kg soil−1 day−1

Metric Definition:

Basal microbial respiration rate of soil microbes under standardized laboratory conditions at 25°C and optimal moisture, measured as mg CO2-C produced per kg of soil per day.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents basal microbial respiration under controlled laboratory conditions in a relatively undisturbed woodland soil in temperate dry woodlands and native grasslands, indicating intrinsic microbial activity at optimal moisture and temperature.

Justification:

Derived from a peer-reviewed study at a well-characterized Australian TERN SuperSite within a conservation area, representing a relatively undisturbed native woodland ecosystem under optimal moisture and temperature conditions.

Sources (1)

Preview of Response of respiration and nutrient availability to drying and rewetting in soil from a semi-arid woodland depends on vegetation patch and a recent wild fire - ResearchGate
Response of respiration and nutrient availability to drying and rewetting in soil from a semi-arid woodland depends on vegetation patch and a recent wild fire - ResearchGate Journal

Response of respiration and nutrient availability to drying and rewetting in soil from a semi-arid woodland depends on vegetation patch and a recent wild fire - ResearchGate

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Supporting Sources (9)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) TERN, Australia's Land Observatory: addressing the global challenge of forecasting ecosystem responses to climate variability and change - ResearchGate, accessed on June 5, 2025
(PDF) TERN, Australia's Land Observatory: addressing the global challenge of forecasting ecosystem responses to climate variability and change - ResearchGate, accessed on June 5, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) TERN, Australia's Land Observatory: addressing the global challenge of forecasting ecosystem responses to climate variability and change - ResearchGate, accessed July 11, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Australia state of the environment 2021: land, accessed May 11, 2025
Australia state of the environment 2021: land, accessed May 11, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Management Standards and Procedures for timber harvesting operations in Victoria’s State forests

View Source
Preview of Carbon Pool Dynamic and Soil Microbial Respiration Affected by Land Use Alteration: A Case Study in Humid Subtropical Area - MDPI
Carbon Pool Dynamic and Soil Microbial Respiration Affected by Land Use Alteration: A Case Study in Humid Subtropical Area - MDPI
Contextual Support Journal

Carbon Pool Dynamic and Soil Microbial Respiration Affected by Land Use Alteration: A Case Study in Humid Subtropical Area - MDPI, accessed July 9, 2025

View Source
Preview of Great Western Woodlands Flux Data Release 2024_v2 - TERN Data ...
Great Western Woodlands Flux Data Release 2024_v2 - TERN Data ...
Contextual Support Government

Great Western Woodlands Flux Data Release 2024_v2 - TERN Data ...

View Source
Preview of Soil microbial biomass C, available N and P in soil under shrubs and... - ResearchGate
Soil microbial biomass C, available N and P in soil under shrubs and... - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Soil microbial biomass C, available N and P in soil under shrubs and... - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Soil microbial respiration adapts to ambient temperature in global drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil microbial respiration adapts to ambient temperature in global drylands - PMC, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support

A review on effective soil health bio-indicators for ecosystem restoration and sustainability, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Research - CSIRO PUBLISHING

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Preview of Soil Respiration in Semiarid Temperate Grasslands under Various Land Management - PMC - PubMed Central
Soil Respiration in Semiarid Temperate Grasslands under Various Land Management - PMC - PubMed Central
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Respiration in Semiarid Temperate Grasslands under Various Land Management - PMC - PubMed Central

View Source
Preview of Soil respiration rate and its sensitivity to temperature in pasture systems of dry-tropics - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 30, 2025,
Soil respiration rate and its sensitivity to temperature in pasture systems of dry-tropics - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil respiration rate and its sensitivity to temperature in pasture systems of dry-tropics - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed August 13, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Vegetation Woodland
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 17 Mar 2026

Notes

No explicit numerical lower or upper thresholds are defined in the literature for this biome and land use. This benchmark is specific to laboratory conditions and may not directly translate to field variability.