Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-ASC-CON-SFB General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 4 to 8 index
Optimal Range: 4 to 8
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: OptimalRange

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 4 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary Point Guard Point Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

For Australian Alpine and Subalpine Conservation Areas representing the "best available condition," an F:B ratio (PLFA-derived biomass) in the range of 4.0 to 8.0 is considered indicative of high environmental health.

Metric Definition:

The ratio of fungal to bacterial biomass (F:B ratio) in soil is a critical bioindicator, offering profound insights into soil health, ecological function, and the overall status of terrestrial ecosystems.

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the fungal to bacterial biomass ratio in soils of Australian Alpine and Subalpine Conservation Areas, indicating high environmental health when the ratio is between 4.0 and 8.0. It reflects well-structured soils with mature microbial communities typical of high ecological integrity in this biome and land use.

Justification:

This proposed range reflects ecosystems with well-structured soils, significant soil organic carbon stocks, and mature, stable microbial communities. It acknowledges that Australian alpine environments, while sharing core characteristics with more extreme cold biomes, may not consistently reach the very high F:B ratios seen in some high-latitude tundras, but should unequivocally demonstrate strong fungal dominance when in a state of high ecological integrity.

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Supporting Sources (51)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

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Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Pristine Reference
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 2 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. The benchmark is inferred from values observed in analogous undisturbed ecosystems globally, such as tundra, boreal forests, and temperate forests.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-CON-SFB family.

1 index Low
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Not Stated
MinimumOnly Active v1