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. The scoring engine uses 11 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 10 guard(s) constrain the result.
Evidence & Context
This post-recession value of 1600 mg/kg represents a system operating at its peak functional capacity.
Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) is a measure of the total carbon held within the living cells of microorganisms, primarily bacteria and fungi, in a given mass of soil.
This benchmark represents the peak functional state of microbial biomass carbon in Australia's arid inland floodplains under best-practice livestock grazing, indicating a fully functioning and resilient ecosystem.
It is the highest field-measured MBC value found in the literature directly situated within the target biome and reflects the system's maximum potential to support a large, thriving microbial community when resources are not limited.
Sources (1)
Loss of Soil Carbon Associated with a Short-Duration Flood in a Semi-Arid Lowland River Floodplain Forest
View SourceSupporting Sources (2)
Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.
Soil microbial community structure is unaltered by grazing intensity and plant species richness in a temperate grassland steppe in northern China - Publication : USDA ARS, accessed July 29, 2025
View SourceMicrobial biomass and microbial biodiversity in some soils from New South Wales, Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 8, 2025
View Source