Microbial Biomass Carbon (MBC) — Indicator

About this Indicator

Mass of living microbial carbon in topsoil (0–10 cm), indicating biological activity and soil health.

Benchmarks (66)

AUS-TGP-FOR-SMB Moderate

1409 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Production Forestry

AUS-TGP-FOR-SMB Moderate

700 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Production Forestry

AUS-ASC-CON-SMB Moderate

2240 mg/kg

Australia Alpine and Subalpine Complex Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-ASC-LVG-SMB Moderate

300–1200 µg MBC/g soil

Australia Alpine and Subalpine Complex Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-ASC-LVG-SMB Moderate

300 µg MBC/g soil

Australia Alpine and Subalpine Complex Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TDG-AGR-SMB Moderate

557 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TDG-AGR-SMB Moderate

200 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TDG-AGR-SMB Low

600–1000 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TDG-FOR-SMB Moderate

600 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands Production Forestry

AUS-TDG-LVG-SMB Moderate

400.2 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TDG-LVG-SMB Moderate

300–750 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-ASC-AGR-SMB Low

450 mg/kg

Australia Alpine and Subalpine Complex Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TGP-CON-SMB Low

536 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-TGP-CON-SMB Moderate

160 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-TGP-LVG-SMB Moderate

450–900 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TGP-LVG-SMB Moderate

350 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-AIF-AGR-SMB Moderate

350 mg/kg

Australia Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AIF-AGR-SMB Moderate

400–800 mg/kg

Australia Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AIF-LVG-SMB Moderate

1600 mg/kg

Australia Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-AIF-LVG-SMB Low

250 mg/kg

Australia Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-AIF-LVG-SMB Moderate

600–1600 mg/kg

Australia Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-AMR-LVG-SMB Moderate

280 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-AKW-AGR-SMB Moderate

180 mg/kg

Australia Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AKW-CON-SMB Low

Australia Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-AKW-LVG-SMB Moderate

200–350 mg/kg

Australia Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-AKW-LVG-SMB Moderate

150 mg/kg

Australia Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TGP-AGR-SMB Moderate

191 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TGP-AGR-SMB Moderate

150 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TGP-AGR-SMB Moderate

200–600 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AMR-AGR-SMB Moderate

400 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AMR-AGR-SMB Moderate

150 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AMR-AGR-SMB Moderate

0.02–0.05 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-AMR-CON-SMB Moderate

340 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-AMR-CON-SMB Low

76 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-AMR-FOR-SMB Moderate

630 mg/kg

Australia Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands Production Forestry

AUS-TMI-AGR-SMB Moderate

400 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TMI-AGR-SMB Moderate

150 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TMI-LVG-SMB Moderate

750–1000 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TMI-LVG-SMB Moderate

300 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TMS-AGR-SMB Moderate

286.6 mg/kg

Australia Tropical Monsoonal Savannas Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TSR-CON-SMB High

1120–4400 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-TSR-FOR-SMB Moderate

167 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests Production Forestry

AUS-TSR-FOR-SMB Moderate

650–950 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests Production Forestry

AUS-TSR-LVG-SMB Moderate

1200 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TSR-LVG-SMB Moderate

750–2700 mg/kg

Australia Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests Livestock Grazing & Pasture

AUS-TSW-AGR-SMB Moderate

150–300 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TSW-AGR-SMB Moderate

100 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands Agricultural Crop Production

AUS-TSW-CON-SMB Moderate

360 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands Conservation / Protected Natural Areas

AUS-TSW-FOR-SMB Moderate

200 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands Production Forestry

AUS-TSW-FOR-SMB Moderate

200–400 mg/kg

Australia Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands Production Forestry

View all 66 benchmarks

Properties

Domain —
Category Soil
Unit mg/kg
Direction Higher ↑
Seasonal No
Vegetation-specific No

Method Reference

Fumigation-extraction method (Vance et al. 1987) or equivalent commercial lab test