Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AIF-LVG-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

1 %

Thresholds: Lower: 1, Upper: —

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: LowerThreshold

Scoring Curve

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

Evidence & Context

An inferred threshold of <1.0% SOC is proposed, below which critical soil functions (e.g., water retention, structural stability) are likely compromised, hindering sustainable grazing.

Metric Definition:

Critical lower threshold of Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) in the topsoil (0-10 cm)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the critical lower threshold of Soil Organic Carbon below which essential soil functions degrade rapidly, compromising the resilience and productivity of floodplain grazing soils in this biome.

Justification:

Based on general soil health principles in the absence of specific research for this biome.

Sources (1)

Carbon storage value of native vegetation on a subhumid–semi-arid floodplain Journal

Carbon storage value of native vegetation on a subhumid–semi-arid floodplain

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Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Carbon storage in temperate and semi-arid Australian plant communities containing cotton

Contextual Support Journal

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change

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Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Degradation Threshold
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 18 Mar 2026

Notes

Below this level, the fertile clay soils of the floodplains become highly vulnerable to degradation.

Related Benchmarks

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