Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-ASC-CON-SFB General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

1 index
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 2 benchmarks together — the MinimumOnly form drives the primary score, while 1 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

MinimumOnly Primary MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

In the specific context of Australian Alpine and Subalpine Conservation Areas, where the management objective is to maintain high ecological health and natural ecosystem processes, an F:B ratio consistently falling below 1.0 to 2.0 should be considered critically low.

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 identifies a critically low fungal to bacterial biomass ratio in soils of Australian Alpine and Subalpine Conservation Areas, signaling potential ecological stress when the ratio falls below 1.0.

Justification:

Such a low ratio would signal a fundamental shift away from the expected fungal dominance characteristic of mature, undisturbed, cold-climate ecosystems. It would suggest that the soil environment is experiencing stressors or alterations (e.g., increased nutrient deposition, physical disturbance, significant changes in vegetation leading to more labile carbon inputs) that are uncharacteristic of, and potentially detrimental to, a high-health conservation state.

Sources (4)

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Bailey VL, Smith JL, Bolton H Jr.. Fungal-to-bacterial ratios in soils investigated for enhanced C sequestration. Soil Bio Biochem 34: 997-1007

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Supporting Sources (48)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

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Bailey VL, Smith JL, Bolton H Jr.. Fungal-to-bacterial ratios in soils investigated for enhanced C sequestration. Soil Bio Biochem 34: 997-1007 | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed on June 5, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Bailey VL, Smith JL, Bolton H Jr.. Fungal-to-bacterial ratios in soils investigated for enhanced C sequestration. Soil Bio Biochem 34: 997-1007 | Request PDF - ResearchGate

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Methodology Source Journal

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Distribution of soil F:B ratio and its relationship to NrE and N min.... - ResearchGate, accessed on June 5, 2025
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Contextual Support

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Modeling microbial carbon fluxes and stocks in global soils from 1901 to 2016 - BG, accessed on June 5, 2025

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Principal role of fungi in soil carbon stabilization during early pedogenesis in the high Arctic | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed on June 5, 2025

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Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
  • Land Use Conservation / Protected Natural Areas
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

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

Notes

The document specifies a range of 1.0 to 2.0 as critically low; 1.0 is extracted as the floor value. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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

— index Low
Conservation / Protected Natural Areas · Pristine Reference
OptimalRange Active v1