Soil Moisture

AUS-TDG-FOR-SMO General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range

Range: 29 to 40 % VWC

Optimal Range: 29 to 40

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: OptimalRange

Scoring Curve

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

Evidence & Context

Indicative optimal VWC ranges are: Sandy/Sandy-Loam soils: 15–22%. Loamy soils: 24–35%. Clayey/Clay-Loam soils: 29–40%.

Metric Definition:

Soil Moisture (Volumetric Water Content)

Benchmark Definition:

The optimal range for maintaining high ecological health and productivity in Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands under Production Forestry is the readily available water held between Field Capacity and a management threshold set safely above Permanent Wilting Point to prevent stress, specific to Clayey/Clay-Loam soils.

Justification:

Within this range, water is not a limiting factor for key processes like growth, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration.

Sources (1)

Preview of Great Western Woodlands SuperSite | Climate Change Impacts - TERN Australia, accessed July 10, 2025,

Great Western Woodlands SuperSite | Climate Change Impacts - TERN Australia, accessed July 10, 2025, Government

URBAN FOREST STRATEGY - Your Say South Perth, accessed July 13, 2025

Supporting Sources (24)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Long-term estimates of live above-ground tree carbon stocks and net change in managed uneven-aged mixed species forests of sub-tropical Queensland, Australia" - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

(PDF) Long-term estimates of live above-ground tree carbon stocks and net change in managed uneven-aged mixed species forests of sub-tropical Queensland, Australia" - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Growth rates of Eucalyptus and other Australian native tree species derived from seven decades of growth monitoring - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of (PDF) Woodland habitat structures are affected by both agricultural land management and abiotic conditions - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

(PDF) Woodland habitat structures are affected by both agricultural land management and abiotic conditions - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Preview of A guide to managing Box Gum Grassy Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025

A guide to managing Box Gum Grassy Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Manning, A. D., Cunningham, R. B., Tongway, D., & Lindenmayer, D. B. (2020). Woodlands and woody debris: Understanding structure and composition to inform restoration. PLoS ONE, 15(3), e0224258.

Preview of A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops, accessed May 15, 2025,

A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

A Guide to Soil Moisture - ConnectedCrops

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

Buffel grass in Queensland's semi-arid woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 13, 2025

Preview of Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing

Contextual Support Journal

Coarse woody debris reduces the rate of moisture loss from surface soils of cleared temperate Australian woodlands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of espace.library.uq.edu.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

espace.library.uq.edu.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Annual Research Report - 2021 Sustaining productive - The University of Western Australia, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Evaluating the Relationship Between Vegetation Status and Soil Moisture in Semi-Arid Woodlands, Central Australia, Using Daily Thermal, Vegetation Index, and Reflectance Data - MDPI, accessed July 15, 2025

Evaluating the Relationship Between Vegetation Status and Soil Moisture in Semi-Arid Woodlands, Central Australia, Using Daily Thermal, Vegetation Index, and Reflectance Data - MDPI, accessed July 15, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Assessing forestland area based on canopy cover in a semi-arid region: A case study, accessed July 15, 2025

Preview of Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Growth, recruitment and attrition of Eucalyptus tree species in semi-arid temperate woodland | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Hypothesized overall topsoil disturbance typology in relation to... - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Hypothesized overall topsoil disturbance typology in relation to... - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Hypothesized overall topsoil disturbance typology in relation to... - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Munglinup Phytophthora Dieback occurence assessment - EPA WA

Munglinup Phytophthora Dieback occurence assessment - EPA WA

Contextual Support Journal

Differential impacts of soil salinity and water logging on Eucalyptus growth and carbon sequestration under mulched vs. unmulched soils in south-western Punjab, India - ResearchGate, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 5 – Eucalypt woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 5 – Eucalypt woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Approved Conservation Advice for the White Box - Yellow Box - Blakely's Red Gum Grassy Woodland and Derived Native Grassland - DCCEEW

Preview of Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 15, 2025,

Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 17, 2025,

Public submission - Independent Planning Commission, accessed May 17, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Delivering biodiversity and socio economic co-benefits through the adoption of Beef Cattle Herd Management emission reduction pr - Southern Gulf NRM, accessed May 17, 2025

Preview of Soil – the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

Soil – the driver of carbon dioxide variability over Australia, accessed July 16, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Wired woodlands signal stress as climate dries - CSIRO

Preview of Soil moisture response to seasonal drought conditions and post‐thinning forest structure, accessed July 15, 2025,

Soil moisture response to seasonal drought conditions and post‐thinning forest structure, accessed July 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

www.nrc.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of TERRESTRIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF A ... - QUT ePrints, accessed May 15, 2025,

TERRESTRIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF A ... - QUT ePrints, accessed May 15, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

TERRESTRIAL HABITAT REQUIREMENTS OF A ... - QUT ePrints, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of The researcher's complete guide to soil moisture - METER Group, accessed May 15, 2025,

The researcher's complete guide to soil moisture - METER Group, accessed May 15, 2025,

Methodology Source GreyLiterature

The researcher's complete guide to soil moisture - METER Group, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater

Contextual Support Journal

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a ... - Oxford Academic, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater | Tree Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

Transpiration of Eucalyptus woodlands across a natural gradient of depth-to-groundwater | Tree Physiology | Oxford Academic, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Australian native forest commerciality - DAFF, accessed July 12, 2025

Preview of Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025

Understorey productivity in temperate grassy woodland responds to soil water availability but not to elevated [CO2 ] - PubMed, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

SNOWY MOUNTAIN FORESTED HILLSLOPE SOIL CHARACTERISATION, SOIL HYDROLOGICAL PROPERTIES AND SOIL GEOCHEMISTRY PROGRAM

Preview of What is soil moisture? The science behind the measurement - METER Group

What is soil moisture? The science behind the measurement - METER Group

Direct Evidence Journal

Irrigation Monitoringwith - Cotton - Texas A&M University, accessed May 15, 2025,

Preview of Word template - blue - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 28, 2025,

Word template - blue - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 28, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Word template - blue - Queensland Government publications, accessed August 28, 2025

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Pristine Reference
Vegetation Woodland
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Superseded
Version 1
Effective From 26 May 2026
Effective To 26 May 2026

Notes

Reference value of 27% mentioned in summary is the mid-point for Loamy soils.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TDG-FOR-SMO family.