Soil Organic Carbon (SOC)

AUS-TMI-AGR-SOC General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

2.5 %
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. The scoring engine uses 10 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 9 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

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

Evidence & Context

Considering this evidence, a benchmark value of 2.5% SOC is proposed. This value sits above the identified optimal range for crop production, reflecting the enhanced carbon storage capacity of a truly regenerative system that has been managed for soil health over the long term.

Metric Definition:

Soil Organic Carbon concentration in the top 0–10 cm of soil

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents a target soil organic carbon concentration in the top 0–10 cm of soil for tropical maritime island agricultural crop production, reflecting a high-functioning regenerative system with enhanced carbon storage capacity.

Justification:

This value is derived from evidence from high-functioning, regenerative agricultural systems in analogous mainland tropical environments, including sugarcane with full trash retention and integrated agroforestry systems.

Sources (2)

Preview of Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen under Leucaena leucocephala pastures in Queensland - ResearchGate
Soil organic carbon and total nitrogen under Leucaena leucocephala pastures in Queensland - ResearchGate Journal

Comparison of no-tillage and conventional tillage in the development of sustainable farming systems in the semi-arid tropics - ResearchGate, accessed May 11, 2025,

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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, Journal

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

View Source

Supporting Sources (38)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Soil Organic Carbon – Role in Rainfed Farming Systems With ...
(PDF) Soil Organic Carbon – Role in Rainfed Farming Systems With ...
Contextual Support

Soil Organic Carbon – Role in Rainfed Farming Systems With Particular Reference to Australian Conditions - ResearchGate, accessed July 16, 2025,

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Preview of a comparisonof the soils of tropical latin america ano tropical australia
a comparisonof the soils of tropical latin america ano tropical australia
Contextual Support Journal

Queensland Soil Monitoring Program | State of the Environment Report 2020, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Addressing the rundown of nitrogen and soil organic carbon - GRDC, accessed July 25, 2025,
Addressing the rundown of nitrogen and soil organic carbon - GRDC, accessed July 25, 2025,
Direct Evidence Journal

CRITICAL SOIL ORGANIC CARBON RANGE FOR OPTIMAL CROP RESPONSE TO MINERAL FERTILISER NITROGEN ON A FERRALSOL | Experimental Agriculture - Cambridge University Press

View Source
Preview of AGRICULTURAL AUDIT & LAND USE CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
AGRICULTURAL AUDIT & LAND USE CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT ..., accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island Agricultural Audit and Land Capability Assessment Report

View Source
Preview of Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Australia's bioregions (IBRA) - DCCEEW, accessed July 15, 2025
Contextual Support

Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia (IBRA), Version 7 (Regions), accessed July 12, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Can best agricultural practices saturate the organic carbon in tropical soils? - ResearchGate
Can best agricultural practices saturate the organic carbon in tropical soils? - ResearchGate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Can best agricultural practices saturate the organic carbon in tropical soils? - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025

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Preview of Carbon farming | CottonInfo
Carbon farming | CottonInfo
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Carbon farming | CottonInfo

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Preview of Characteristics and Drivers of Soil Organic Carbon Saturation Deficit in Karst Forests of China - MDPI
Characteristics and Drivers of Soil Organic Carbon Saturation Deficit in Karst Forests of China - MDPI
Contextual Support Journal

Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG

View Source
Preview of Climate of Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 13, 2025
Climate of Australia - Wikipedia, accessed July 13, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Climate of Australia - Wikipedia

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Preview of Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 9, 2025
Common soil types | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed August 9, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Australian Soil Classification edition 3 - CALCAROSOLS

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Preview of Common soil types | Environment, land and water | Queensland ...
Common soil types | Environment, land and water | Queensland ...
Contextual Support Government

Phosphorus nutrition of phosphorus-sensitive Australian native ...

View Source
Preview of critical soil organic carbon range for optimal crop response to mineral fertiliser nitrogen on a ferralsol - ResearchGate
critical soil organic carbon range for optimal crop response to mineral fertiliser nitrogen on a ferralsol - ResearchGate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

critical soil organic carbon range for optimal crop response to mineral fertiliser nitrogen on a ferralsol - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of critical soil organic carbon range for optimal crop response to mineral fertiliser nitrogen on a ferralsol - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,
critical soil organic carbon range for optimal crop response to mineral fertiliser nitrogen on a ferralsol - ResearchGate, accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support

CRITICAL SOIL ORGANIC CARBON RANGE FOR OPTIMAL CROP ...

View Source
Preview of Ecological Regions Of Australia - WorldAtlas, accessed July 27, 2025,
Ecological Regions Of Australia - WorldAtlas, accessed July 27, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Ecological Regions Of Australia - WorldAtlas, accessed July 28, 2025

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Preview of Enhancing Organic Carbon Content in Tropical Soils: Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Mitigation - ResearchGate
Enhancing Organic Carbon Content in Tropical Soils: Strategies for Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change Mitigation - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

AGRICULTURAL AUDIT & LAND USE CAPABILITY ASSESSMENT - Norfolk Island Regional Council

View Source
Preview of Growing soil organic carbon in dryland agricultural systems - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 6, 2025,
Growing soil organic carbon in dryland agricultural systems - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Seasonal changes in microbial function and diversity ...

View Source
Preview of HOW TO MEASURE AND INTERPRET RESULTS IN RELATION TO SOIL ORGANIC CARBON - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), accessed August 5, 2025,
HOW TO MEASURE AND INTERPRET RESULTS IN RELATION TO SOIL ORGANIC CARBON - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), accessed August 5, 2025,
Methodology Source GreyLiterature

HOW TO MEASURE AND INTERPRET RESULTS IN RELATION TO SOIL ORGANIC CARBON - Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC)

View Source
Preview of Is there any optimum range for organic carbon found in tropical soils? - ResearchGate
Is there any optimum range for organic carbon found in tropical soils? - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Is there any optimum range for organic carbon found in tropical soils? - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Lord Howe Island Palms
Lord Howe Island Palms
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Lord Howe Island supports a once-contiguous population of palm trees. Two soil types emerged on the - Chegg

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Preview of Managing soil organic carbon in tropical agroecosystems: evidence from four long-term experiments in Kenya - Agritrop
Managing soil organic carbon in tropical agroecosystems: evidence from four long-term experiments in Kenya - Agritrop
Contextual Support Journal

Managing soil organic carbon in tropical agroecosystems: evidence from four long-term experiments in Kenya - Agritrop

View Source
Preview of Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 6, 2025,
Mapping soil organic carbon fractions for Australia, their stocks, and uncertainty - BG, accessed July 6, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Pedogenic controls of soil organic carbon stocks and stability beneath montane Norway spruce forests along a precipitation gradient - PMC, accessed March 28, 2026,

View Source
Preview of National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,
National Soil Strategy, accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support

Grazing management for soil carbon in Australia: A review, accessed July 28, 2025,

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Preview of Norfolk Island Plant Communities - Jerry Coleby-Williams
Norfolk Island Plant Communities - Jerry Coleby-Williams
Contextual Support Journal

Norfolk Island Plant Communities - Jerry Coleby-Williams

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Preview of Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers
Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

The Longest Paddock: Cattle on Norfolk Island, accessed July 28, 2025

View Source
Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,
Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 28, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Responses to controlled release potassium fertilisers in agriculture following phosphate mining - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 30, 2025,
Responses to controlled release potassium fertilisers in agriculture following phosphate mining - CSIRO PUBLISHING | Soil Research, accessed July 30, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Healthy Land Ecosystems | TSRA State of the Environment

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government
Soil carbon | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government
Direct Evidence Journal

Soil carbon | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government

View Source
Preview of Soil carbon saturation: Linking concept and measurable carbon pools
Soil carbon saturation: Linking concept and measurable carbon pools
Contextual Support Journal

The six rights of how and when to test for soil C saturation - Copernicus.org

View Source
Preview of Soil Carbon Saturation: What Do We Really Know? - PMC - PubMed Central
Soil Carbon Saturation: What Do We Really Know? - PMC - PubMed Central
Contextual Support

Soil Carbon Saturation: What Do We Really Know? - PMC - PubMed Central

View Source
Preview of Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil Carbon Sequestration Potential: A review for Australian agriculture - MLA, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Spatial distribution of soil microbial activity and soil properties ..., accessed August 13, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil Carbon Snapshot - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 5, 2025,
Soil Carbon Snapshot - Agriculture Victoria, 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 - PubMed Central, accessed July 28, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Soil organic carbon is at risk in a large part of European agricultural land - EU Science Hub
Soil organic carbon is at risk in a large part of European agricultural land - EU Science Hub
Contextual Support Government

Soil carbon | Environment, land and water - Queensland Government, accessed July 19, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - JRC Publications Repository, accessed August 3, 2025,
Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - JRC Publications Repository, accessed August 3, 2025,
Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Soil Organic Carbon Thresholds and Nitrogen Management in Tropical Agroecosystems: Concepts and Prospects - JRC Publications Repository

View Source
Preview of Soil organic matter in dryland systems – management and opportunities - GRDC
Soil organic matter in dryland systems – management and opportunities - GRDC
Contextual Support Government

Soil Respiration and Carbon Balance Under Cover Crop in a no-Till Tropical Fruit Orchard - Frontiers, accessed July 28, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The Stories Beneath the Soil: Norfolk Island's Unique Flora and Its Secrets
The Stories Beneath the Soil: Norfolk Island's Unique Flora and Its Secrets
Contextual Support Government

The Stories Beneath the Soil: Norfolk Island's Unique Flora and Its Secrets

View Source
Preview of The Stories Beneath the Soil: Norfolk Island's Unique Flora and Its Secrets, accessed July 25, 2025,
The Stories Beneath the Soil: Norfolk Island's Unique Flora and Its Secrets, accessed July 25, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Geology - Norfolk Island Flora & Fauna Society

View Source
Preview of Too Much Organic Matter - Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Too Much Organic Matter - Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Study shows some urban gardens contain too much organic matter | Newsroom

View Source
Preview of Tropical Forests and Grasslands (Savanna) - Soils 4 Teachers
Tropical Forests and Grasslands (Savanna) - Soils 4 Teachers
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Tropical Forests and Grasslands (Savanna) - Soils 4 Teachers

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 19 Mar 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

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

— % Moderate
Agricultural Crop Production · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Active v1