Microbial Respiration
General
mg CO2-C/kg/day
About this Indicator
Rate of CO2 released by soil microbes under controlled incubation, reflecting microbial activity and soil biological function.
Benchmarks (70)
AUS-TDG-FOR-SMR
Moderate
6.5–10.2
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Production Forestry
AUS-TDG-FOR-SMR
Low
2
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Production Forestry
AUS-TGP-FOR-SMR
Moderate
5
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Production Forestry
AUS-TGP-FOR-SMR
Moderate
5–15
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Production Forestry
AUS-TGP-FOR-SMR
Moderate
2
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Production Forestry
AUS-TGP-LVG-SMR
Moderate
7
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TGP-LVG-SMR
Moderate
22–70
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TGP-LVG-SMR
Moderate
70
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TMS-CON-SMR
Moderate
6
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-TMS-CON-SMR
Moderate
3–8
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-TMS-LVG-SMR
Moderate
40–60
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TMS-LVG-SMR
Low
10
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AMR-FOR-SMR
Moderate
11.1
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Production Forestry
AUS-TGP-AGR-SMR
Moderate
9.6
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-TMI-LVG-SMR
Moderate
20
ppm
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TMI-LVG-SMR
Moderate
50–150
ppm
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TMI-LVG-SMR
Moderate
200
ppm
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-ASC-CON-SMR
Moderate
2
mg CO2/kg/day
Australia
Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-ASC-CON-SMR
Moderate
2–10
mg CO2/kg/day
Australia
Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-ASC-CON-SMR
Moderate
10
mg CO2/kg/day
Australia
Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-ASC-FOR-SMR
Moderate
251
t C/ha
Australia
Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Production Forestry
AUS-ASC-FOR-SMR
Moderate
60
t C/ha
Australia
Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Production Forestry
AUS-TDG-CON-SMR
Moderate
20.06
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Dry Woodlands & Native Grasslands
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-AIF-LVG-SMR
Moderate
6.4
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AIF-LVG-SMR
Moderate
2
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AIF-LVG-SMR
Moderate
15
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AIF-LVG-SMR
Moderate
4–10
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-ASC-LVG-SMR
Moderate
20–150
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Alpine and Subalpine Complex
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AKW-CON-SMR
Moderate
7.89
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-AKW-LVG-SMR
Low
4.7
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AKW-LVG-SMR
Low
3.5
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AKW-LVG-SMR
Low
4–6
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Karstic Woodlands & Shrublands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-TMI-FOR-SMR
Moderate
101
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Production Forestry
AUS-TSW-AGR-SMR
Moderate
25
mg/kg/day
Australia
Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-TSW-LVG-SMR
Moderate
61
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AIF-AGR-SMR
Low
156
mg CO2/kg/day
Australia
Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-AIF-AGR-SMR
Low
12
mg CO2/kg/day
Australia
Arid Inland Floodplains & Ephemeral River Systems
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-AMR-AGR-SMR
Low
18–25
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-AMR-AGR-SMR
Moderate
5
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-AMR-AGR-SMR
Moderate
35
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-AMR-LVG-SMR
Moderate
13.5
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AMR-LVG-SMR
Moderate
7.1
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AMR-LVG-SMR
Moderate
14.3–28.6
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AMR-LVG-SMR
Moderate
28.6
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Livestock Grazing & Pasture
AUS-AMR-CON-SMR
Moderate
8.2
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-AMR-CON-SMR
Moderate
4.1
mg/kg/day
Australia
Arid Mountain Ranges & Uplands
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
AUS-TMI-AGR-SMR
Moderate
28.5
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-TMI-AGR-SMR
Moderate
20–35
mg C/kg soil/d
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Maritime Islands
Agricultural Crop Production
AUS-TSR-FOR-SMR
Low
50
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Production Forestry
AUS-TSR-FOR-SMR
Moderate
10
mg/kg/day
Australia
Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Production Forestry
Properties
- Domain —
- Category Soil
- Unit mg CO2-C/kg/day
- Direction Higher ↑
- Seasonal No
- Vegetation-specific No
Method Reference
Basal respiration test using sealed incubation and CO2 measurement