Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AIF-CON-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.54 %

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

Sand Plain has a mean SOC value of 0.54% representing sandy soils with moderate productivity, often bordering ephemeral lakes.

Metric Definition:

Mean SOC (0-10 cm) for Sand Plain soils

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the mean soil organic carbon content in the top 10 cm of soil for Sand Plain soils, reflecting moderate productivity in sandy soils often near ephemeral lakes in the arid floodplain biome.

Justification:

Represents sandy soils with moderate productivity, often bordering ephemeral lakes.

Sources (1)

Soil organic carbon dust emission: a synthesis of recent Australian research

Soil organic carbon dust emission: a synthesis of recent Australian research

View Source

Supporting Sources (14)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

(PDF) Australian net (1950s-1990) soil organic carbon erosion ..., accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Knowledge Review - WaterConnect, accessed July 22, 2025,

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A COMMUNITY INFORMATION PAPER FOR THE QUEENSLAND ..., accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Mitchell Grass Downs, Northern Territory - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025,

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Preview of Disturbance and resilience in riparian woodlands on the highly modified Upper Condamine floodplain - University of Southern Queensland Repository

Disturbance and resilience in riparian woodlands on the highly modified Upper Condamine floodplain - University of Southern Queensland Repository

Contextual Support

ssr200 - eriss research summary 2007–2008 - DCCEEW, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Disturbance and resilience in riparian woodlands on the highly modified Upper Condamine floodplain - University of Southern Queensland Repository, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Disturbance and resilience in riparian woodlands on the highly modified Upper Condamine floodplain - University of Southern Queensland Repository, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Drivers of seedling establishment success in dryland restoration efforts - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Threshold Concepts and Their Use in Rangeland Management and Restoration: The Good, the Bad, and the Insidious | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Drone maps, healthy ecosystems and Traditional knowledge: CMLR updates - Sustainable Minerals Institute - The University of Queensland, accessed July 21, 2025,

Drone maps, healthy ecosystems and Traditional knowledge: CMLR updates - Sustainable Minerals Institute - The University of Queensland, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Drone maps, healthy ecosystems and Traditional knowledge: CMLR updates - Sustainable Minerals Institute - The University of Queensland, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Enhancing Soil Health to Mitigate Soil Degradation - UNCCD, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Enhancing Soil Health to Mitigate Soil Degradation - UNCCD, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

finalrepport, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

finalrepport, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Geospatial technologies for land degradation assessment and management 9781315152325, 1315152320, 9781351638838, 1351638831, 9781351648363, 1351648365, 9781498749619, 1498749615 - DOKUMEN.PUB, accessed July 21, 2025,

Geospatial technologies for land degradation assessment and management 9781315152325, 1315152320, 9781351638838, 1351638831, 9781351648363, 1351648365, 9781498749619, 1498749615 - DOKUMEN.PUB, accessed July 21, 2025,

Methodology Source GreyLiterature

View Source

Preview of Long‐term livestock exclusion increases plant richness and reproductive capacity in arid woodlands - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025,

Long‐term livestock exclusion increases plant richness and reproductive capacity in arid woodlands - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Mean total species richness in each treatment at each conservation... - ResearchGate, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Mitchell Grass Downs Planned Burn Guideline - Parks and forests, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Mitchell Grass Downs Planned Burn Guideline - Parks and forests, accessed July 21, 2025,

View Source

Overlooking dynamics of reactive minerals in soil organic carbon sequestration, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Overlooking dynamics of reactive minerals in soil organic carbon sequestration, accessed July 21, 2025,

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Protected Areas: Buffering nature against climate change - PreventionWeb.net, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Protected Areas: Buffering nature against climate change - PreventionWeb.net, accessed July 22, 2025

View Source

Soil Health and Climate Change, accessed July 21, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil carbon - Department for Environment and Water, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 18 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AIF-CON-SOC family.