Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AMR-AGR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

2.2 %

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

A benchmark that reflects a significant reversal of the historical carbon loss and indicates a highly functional state is ~2.2%.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) percentage in clayey soils under best-practice regenerative cropping in arid mountain ranges & uplands.

Benchmark Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) percentage as a measure of soil health and functional capacity under best-practice regenerative cropping in arid mountain ranges & uplands.

Justification:

Clay soils have the highest intrinsic potential to store and protect SOC. The benchmark reflects a highly functional state achieved through mixed crop-pasture systems.

Sources (1)

Preview of The value of soil organic matter and how we can slow its decline under cropping systems: Data from 500 paired-site comparisons - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), accessed August 5, 2025,

The value of soil organic matter and how we can slow its decline under cropping systems: Data from 500 paired-site comparisons - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), accessed August 5, 2025,

Full article: Exploring the barriers to farmer participation in soil carbon projects under the Australian Carbon Credit Unit Scheme - Taylor & Francis Online

View Source

Supporting Sources (2)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Soil Organic Carbon - Southern Farming Systems, accessed August 5, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Addressing the effects of soil organic carbon on water retention in US Pacific Northwest wheat–soil systems - Frontiers, accessed July 28, 2025,

View Source

Soil Organic Carbon update 2022-2023 - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority

Direct Evidence

Soil Organic Carbon update 2022-2023 - Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type TargetCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Native vegetation on these soils can support very high SOC levels (3.8–5.0%), but long-term cropping reduces SOC. The benchmark indicates a significant recovery.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-AMR-AGR-SOC family.