eDNA Biodiversity Detection

AUS-TSW-AGR-DNA General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

8 count
Direction: Higher is desirable ↑
Form: Point

Scoring Curve

Scoring curve unavailable

The scoring engine could not generate a curve for this benchmark context. The primary form is CompositeFramework, but the benchmark data may be missing required fields (e.g., optimal range bounds for an OptimalRange benchmark). This is typically a data quality issue in the benchmark pipeline.

Contributing Benchmarks

CompositeFramework Primary Point Guard

Evidence & Context

Proposed Benchmark: Average of 8 native vertebrate species

Metric Definition:

Average number of native vertebrate species detected via eDNA in on-farm water bodies (farm dams)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the average native vertebrate species richness detected by eDNA in farm dams managed under conservation-oriented agricultural practices in temperate semi-arid shrublands and open woodlands.

Justification:

This value is chosen because it represents a real-world, field-measured eDNA result from on-farm water bodies. The report's key finding is that biodiversity was positively correlated with habitat quality, specifically dam size and the presence of surrounding vegetation, which serve as proxies for best-practice management.

Sources (1)

Preview of Farm Dam eDNA Biodiversity Report July 2019 - EnviroDNA
Farm Dam eDNA Biodiversity Report July 2019 - EnviroDNA Journal

Farm Dam eDNA Biodiversity Report July 2019 - EnviroDNA

View Source

Supporting Sources (19)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Environmental DNA reveals temporal and spatial variability of invertebrate communities in arid-lands ephemeral water bodies - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025
(PDF) Environmental DNA reveals temporal and spatial variability of invertebrate communities in arid-lands ephemeral water bodies - ResearchGate, accessed July 25, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australia's State of the Forests Report - DAFF, accessed July 20, 2025

View Source
Preview of A safe agricultural space for biodiversity - Frontiers
A safe agricultural space for biodiversity - Frontiers
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture in the UK: An Ecological Perspective - Leverhulme Centre for Nature Recovery, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Australia's strategy for nature 2024-2030 - DCCEEW
Australia's strategy for nature 2024-2030 - DCCEEW
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's strategy for nature 2024-2030 - DCCEEW

View Source
Preview of Before and After Riparian Management: Sediment and Nutrient Exports From a Small Agricultural Catchment, Western Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Before and After Riparian Management: Sediment and Nutrient Exports From a Small Agricultural Catchment, Western Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Full article: eDNA biodiversity from space: predicting soil bacteria and fungi alpha diversity in forests using DESIS satellite remote sensing - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Biodiversity and environmental change: monitoring, challenges and direction | TERN Australia - Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Biodiversity and environmental change: monitoring, challenges and direction | TERN Australia - Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Environmental DNA for measuring offshore marine biodiversity: what can DNA in water collected from the RV Investigator tell us? - Marine and Coastal Hub, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Categories - Environmental Sciences - CSIRO Data Access Portal
Categories - Environmental Sciences - CSIRO Data Access Portal
Contextual Support Government

Categories - Environmental Sciences - CSIRO Data Access Portal, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Coupling remote sensing and eDNA to monitor environmental impact: A pilot to quantify the environmental benefits of sustainable agriculture in the Brazilian Amazon | PLOS One - Research journals, accessed July 23, 2025,
Coupling remote sensing and eDNA to monitor environmental impact: A pilot to quantify the environmental benefits of sustainable agriculture in the Brazilian Amazon | PLOS One - Research journals, accessed July 23, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

EnviroDNA: eDNA Biodiversity Monitoring Solutions, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of eDNA biomonitoring – Towards a new generation of ecological assessment tools for managing coastal environments - CSIRO Research, accessed August 10, 2025
eDNA biomonitoring – Towards a new generation of ecological assessment tools for managing coastal environments - CSIRO Research, accessed August 10, 2025
Contextual Support Government

eDNA biomonitoring – Towards a new generation of ecological assessment tools for managing coastal environments - CSIRO Research

View Source
Preview of Enhancing biodiversity on working agricultural lands through environmental mitigation and offsets: Opportunities in Australia and the United States - Ecology Law Quarterly
Enhancing biodiversity on working agricultural lands through environmental mitigation and offsets: Opportunities in Australia and the United States - Ecology Law Quarterly
Contextual Support Journal

Enhancing biodiversity on working agricultural lands through environmental mitigation and offsets: Opportunities in Australia and the United States - Ecology Law Quarterly, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Environmental DNA reveals temporal and spatial variability ... - bioRxiv
Environmental DNA reveals temporal and spatial variability ... - bioRxiv
Contextual Support

Farm Dam eDNA Biodiversity Report July 2019 - EnviroDNA, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Fischer, J., et al. (2013). Maximizing retention of native biodiversity in Australian agricultural landscapes—The 10/20/40/30 guidelines. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 166, 35-45.
Fischer, J., et al. (2013). Maximizing retention of native biodiversity in Australian agricultural landscapes—The 10/20/40/30 guidelines. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 166, 35-45.
Contextual Support

Tree decline and the future of Australian farmland biodiversity - PMC - PubMed Central

View Source
Preview of Joint media release: eDNA results reveal rich biodiversity in the ..., accessed August 10, 2025
Joint media release: eDNA results reveal rich biodiversity in the ..., accessed August 10, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Murray–Darling Basin Authority. (2024). eDNA results reveal rich biodiversity in the Murray–Darling Basin. Joint Media Release.

View Source
Preview of Joint media release: eDNA results reveal rich biodiversity in the Murray–Darling Basin
Joint media release: eDNA results reveal rich biodiversity in the Murray–Darling Basin
Contextual Support Journal

Environmental DNA testing of regional waterways - Landscape SA

View Source
Preview of Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025
Regenerative agriculture in Australia: the changing face of farming - Frontiers, accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative agriculture is key to dry season preparation - Soils For Life, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of Revolutionising environmental monitoring using eDNA - CSIRO
Revolutionising environmental monitoring using eDNA - CSIRO
Contextual Support Government

Perfect match: DNA library to help identify species - CSIRO

View Source
Preview of Revolutionising environmental monitoring using eDNA - CSIRO, accessed August 12, 2025
Revolutionising environmental monitoring using eDNA - CSIRO, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Government

Environmental DNA (eDNA) - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

View Source
Preview of Spider webs capture environmental DNA from terrestrial vertebrates ...
Spider webs capture environmental DNA from terrestrial vertebrates ...
Contextual Support Journal

eDNA techniques detect the elusive Pilbara olive python - Biologic Environmental, accessed July 29, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The value of a National Biodiversity DNA Library - CSIRO Research, accessed August 12, 2025
The value of a National Biodiversity DNA Library - CSIRO Research, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Environmental DNA metabarcoding for marine monitoring across ecological scales - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository - The University of Western Australia

View Source
Preview of Use of farm dams as frog habitat in an Australian agricultural landscape: Factors affecting species richness and distribution | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Use of farm dams as frog habitat in an Australian agricultural landscape: Factors affecting species richness and distribution | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

A safe agricultural space for biodiversity - Frontiers, accessed July 8, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 5 Jun 2026

Notes

The benchmark is a proxy derived from a multi-site eDNA survey in a temperate agricultural landscape, used here due to the absence of direct benchmarks for the target semi-arid biome. There is no evidence for an upper detrimental threshold for native species richness; higher values are generally better up to natural saturation.