Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-AMR-FOR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.5 %

Thresholds: Lower: 0.5, Upper: —

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

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 13 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 12 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard LowerThreshold Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard LowerThreshold Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

An SOC level of approximately 0.5% is considered a critical lower limit.

Metric Definition:

Critical lower threshold of Soil Organic Carbon concentration below which essential soil functions are compromised.

Benchmark Definition:

Lower critical threshold for soil organic carbon below which soil function and ecosystem resilience are severely impaired in the Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands biome under production forestry.

Justification:

Based on evidence from degraded bare land SOC levels and functional soil degradation studies.

Sources (1)

Preview of (PDF) Drivers of soil organic carbon storage and vertical distribution in Eastern Australia, accessed July 22, 2025,

(PDF) Drivers of soil organic carbon storage and vertical distribution in Eastern Australia, accessed July 22, 2025, Government

Soil respirationdriven CO2 pulses dominate Australia's flux variability

Supporting Sources (14)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of A review of sampling designs for the measurement of soil organic carbon in Australian grazing lands - Integrity Systems, accessed July 27, 2025,

A review of sampling designs for the measurement of soil organic carbon in Australian grazing lands - Integrity Systems, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Total nitrogen levels as a key constraint on soil organic carbon ...

Preview of ABARES report reaffirms sustainability, sovereign capability and climate credentials of Australian native forestry, accessed August 10, 2025,

ABARES report reaffirms sustainability, sovereign capability and climate credentials of Australian native forestry, accessed August 10, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Review of fertiliser use in Australian forestry - Forest & Wood Products Australia

Preview of Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PubMed Central, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Baseline map of organic carbon in Australian soil to support national carbon accounting and monitoring under climate change - PMC, accessed March 28, 2026,

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 | Soil Research, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Effects of afforestation on soil organic carbon and other soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Effects of afforestation on soil organic carbon and other soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Effects of afforestation on soil organic carbon and other soil properties - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian rangelands - Bohrium, accessed July 26, 2025

Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian rangelands - Bohrium, accessed July 26, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Environmental drivers of soil organic carbon in the Australian rangelands - Bohrium, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of How much organic carbon could the soil store? The carbon sequestration potential of Australian soil - Rothamsted Repository, accessed July 30, 2025

How much organic carbon could the soil store? The carbon sequestration potential of Australian soil - Rothamsted Repository, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support

Capacity for increasing soil organic carbon stocks in dryland agricultural systems, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop

Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop

Contextual Support Journal

Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks_ A knowledge synthesis - Agritrop, accessed August 28, 2025,

$Preview of Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 30, 2025$

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Government

Australian soil carbon map sets a baseline for future gains - CSIRO, accessed March 28, 2026,

Preview of Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands, accessed July 30, 2025

Report card on sustainable natural resource use in the rangelands, accessed July 30, 2025

Methodology Source Journal

A systematic approach to soil carbon inventory on rangelands - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 28, 2025,

Preview of Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (1" resolution) - Release 1 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 30, 2025

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (1" resolution) - Release 1 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 30, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Soil and Landscape Grid National Soil Attribute Maps - Organic Carbon (1" resolution) - Release 1 - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 30, 2025

Soil bulk density (g cm-3 ), down the soil profile, in undisturbed... - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil bulk density (g cm-3 ), down the soil profile, in undisturbed... - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Preview of Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Preview of Tamm Review: Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks: A knowledge synthesis - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Tamm Review: Influence of forest management activities on soil organic carbon stocks: A knowledge synthesis - ResearchGate, accessed July 30, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

The impact of harvesting native forests on vegetation and soil C stocks, and soil CO2, N2O and CH4 fluxes - ResearchGate, accessed August 28, 2025,

Context

Region Australia
Biome Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Land Use Production Forestry
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

Represents a severe degradation state from which recovery is possible but functionally impoverished.

Related Benchmarks

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