eDNA Biodiversity Detection

AUS-ASC-FOR-DNA General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.84 score
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.

Evidence & Context

The "best-on-offer" condition for a stream within a sustainably managed production forest is defined as a biological state that is indistinguishable from these pristine reference sites. This corresponds to AUSRIVAS Band A.

Metric Definition:

AUSRIVAS Observed/Expected (O/E) score, which compares the macroinvertebrate families found at a site (Observed) to those predicted to occur in the absence of environmental stress (Expected).

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the best available condition of aquatic biodiversity in production forestry streams, proxied by AUSRIVAS Band A, indicating a biological state indistinguishable from pristine reference streams.

Justification:

This benchmark is a proxy based on the Australian River Assessment System (AUSRIVAS), the national standard for aquatic bioassessment, representing the highest scientifically defensible standard for aquatic health.

Sources (1)

Preview of Publication (Media): The Australian Alps Stream Health Monitoring Project - eWater
Publication (Media): The Australian Alps Stream Health Monitoring Project - eWater GreyLiterature

The Australian Alps Stream Health Monitoring Project - eWater

View Source

Supporting Sources (28)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of Australian Alps - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,
Australian Alps - DCCEEW, accessed August 3, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Alpine sphagnum bogs and associated fens - EPBC Act policy statement 3.16

View Source
Preview of Australian guidelines for water quality monitoring and reporting
Australian guidelines for water quality monitoring and reporting
Contextual Support Journal

Using the reference condition maintains the integrity of a bioassessment program in a changing climate - BioOne Complete, accessed August 17, 2025,

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Preview of Australian Mammalogy - CSIRO PUBLISHING
Australian Mammalogy - CSIRO PUBLISHING
Contextual Support Journal

Australian Mammalogy - CSIRO PUBLISHING, accessed August 17, 2025

View Source
Preview of Australian River Assessment System (AusRivAS) Bioassessment: Macroinvertebrate
Australian River Assessment System (AusRivAS) Bioassessment: Macroinvertebrate
Contextual Support

Australian River Assessment System (AusRivAS) Bioassessment: Macroinvertebrate, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of eDNA as a tool for identifying freshwater species in sustainable ...
eDNA as a tool for identifying freshwater species in sustainable ...
Contextual Support Journal

Utility of environmental DNA for monitoring rare and indicator macroinvertebrate species | Freshwater Science: Vol 33, No 4, accessed July 20, 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 EnviroDNA: eDNA Biodiversity Monitoring Solutions, accessed August 12, 2025
EnviroDNA: eDNA Biodiversity Monitoring Solutions, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

EnviroDNA: eDNA Biodiversity Monitoring Solutions

View Source
Preview of Evaluating AUSRIVAS Predictive Model Performance for Detecting Simulated Eutrophication Effects on Invertebrate Assemblages - ResearchGate
Evaluating AUSRIVAS Predictive Model Performance for Detecting Simulated Eutrophication Effects on Invertebrate Assemblages - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Evaluating AUSRIVAS Predictive Model Performance for Detecting Simulated Eutrophication Effects on Invertebrate Assemblages - ResearchGate, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Evaluation and redirection of a long-term, broad-scale river health monitoring program in Tasmania, Australia - ResearchGate
Evaluation and redirection of a long-term, broad-scale river health monitoring program in Tasmania, Australia - ResearchGate
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

(PDF) Ecological Thresholds and Resilience in Streams - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Final Report: Temporal variability of macroinvertebrate communities in Australian streams - DCCEEW
Final Report: Temporal variability of macroinvertebrate communities in Australian streams - DCCEEW
Contextual Support

New sensitivity grades for Australian river macroinvertebrates - Murray-Darling Freshwater Research Centre

View Source
Preview of Forestry: Measuring nature using the power of DNA - NatureMetrics
Forestry: Measuring nature using the power of DNA - NatureMetrics
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Forestry: Measuring nature using the power of DNA - NatureMetrics

View Source
Preview of Impact of Environmental Factors of Stream Ecosystems on Aquatic Invertebrate Communities - MDPI
Impact of Environmental Factors of Stream Ecosystems on Aquatic Invertebrate Communities - MDPI
Contextual Support Journal

Impact of Environmental Factors of Stream Ecosystems on Aquatic Invertebrate Communities - MDPI

View Source
Preview of Leaf-associated macroinvertebrate assemblage and leaf litter breakdown in headwater streams depend on local riparian vegetation - PubMed Central
Leaf-associated macroinvertebrate assemblage and leaf litter breakdown in headwater streams depend on local riparian vegetation - PubMed Central
Contextual Support Journal

Leaf-associated macroinvertebrate assemblage and leaf litter breakdown in headwater streams depend on local riparian vegetation - PubMed Central, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Macroinvertebrate communities in streams with contrasting water sources in the Japanese Alps - PMC - PubMed Central
Macroinvertebrate communities in streams with contrasting water sources in the Japanese Alps - PMC - PubMed Central
Contextual Support Journal

Macroinvertebrate communities in streams with contrasting water sources in the Japanese Alps - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Macroinvertebrate responses to differing riparian treatments following forest harvest in the headwaters of Trask River watershed
Macroinvertebrate responses to differing riparian treatments following forest harvest in the headwaters of Trask River watershed
Contextual Support

Protecting wildlife - Forestry Corporation, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Macroinvertebrate responses to differing riparian treatments following forest harvest in the headwaters of Trask River watershed
Macroinvertebrate responses to differing riparian treatments following forest harvest in the headwaters of Trask River watershed
Contextual Support Journal

Macroinvertebrate responses to differing riparian treatments following forest harvest in the headwaters of Trask River watershed, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Monitoring riverine fish communities through eDNA metabarcoding: determining optimal sampling strategies along an altitudinal and biodiversity gradient
Monitoring riverine fish communities through eDNA metabarcoding: determining optimal sampling strategies along an altitudinal and biodiversity gradient
Contextual Support

eDNA as a tool for identifying freshwater species in sustainable forestry - USDA Forest Service

View Source
Preview of Monitoring riverine fish communities through eDNA metabarcoding: determining optimal sampling strategies along an altitudinal and biodiversity gradient, accessed August 12, 2025
Monitoring riverine fish communities through eDNA metabarcoding: determining optimal sampling strategies along an altitudinal and biodiversity gradient, accessed August 12, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Comparing morphological and DNA-based bioassessment methodologies for macroinvertebrates in Neotropical streams: a case study from Ecuador - Metabarcoding and Metagenomics, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of NSW forestry snapshot report 2021–2022
NSW forestry snapshot report 2021–2022
Contextual Support Government

NSW forestry snapshot report 2021–2022, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (n.d.). The Australian Alps Bioregion.
NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service. (n.d.). The Australian Alps Bioregion.
Contextual Support Journal

Australian Alps Montane Grasslands | One Earth, accessed May 11, 2026,

View Source
Preview of POPULATION MANAGEMENT PLAN - BAGO PLATEAU YELLOW-BELLIED GLIDER (Petaurus australis) - Forestry Corporation
POPULATION MANAGEMENT PLAN - BAGO PLATEAU YELLOW-BELLIED GLIDER (Petaurus australis) - Forestry Corporation
Contextual Support Journal

POPULATION MANAGEMENT PLAN - BAGO PLATEAU YELLOW-BELLIED GLIDER (Petaurus australis) - Forestry Corporation, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Review of water quality studies in the Australian Alps
Review of water quality studies in the Australian Alps
Methodology Source Government

Review of water quality studies in the Australian Alps, accessed August 17, 2025,

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 Soil microbiome and biodiversity implications – are we ignoring cost ...
Soil microbiome and biodiversity implications – are we ignoring cost ...
Contextual Support Journal

Monitoring riverine fish communities through eDNA metabarcoding ..., accessed August 17, 2025

View Source
Preview of Soil microbiome and biodiversity implications – are we ignoring cost-effective proxies of biodiversity measures? | TERN Australia
Soil microbiome and biodiversity implications – are we ignoring cost-effective proxies of biodiversity measures? | TERN Australia
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Wang, S., et al. (2022). Adaptive multi-paddock grazing increases soil nutrient availability and bacteria to fungi ratio in grassland soils. Applied Soil Ecology, 179, 104590.

View Source
Preview of www.environment.nsw.gov.au, accessed on May 25, 2025,
www.environment.nsw.gov.au, accessed on May 25, 2025,
Contextual Support

The Australian Alps Bioregion - Environment and Heritage, accessed on May 27, 2025,

View Source
Preview of www.epa.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,
www.epa.nsw.gov.au, accessed May 15, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's State of the Forests Report - updated indicators - DAFF

View Source
Preview of Yellow-bellied Glider PMP data from Bago-Maragle Forests (1995-2019) Leroy Gonsalves and Brad Law DPI Forest Science 1st Decembe
Yellow-bellied Glider PMP data from Bago-Maragle Forests (1995-2019) Leroy Gonsalves and Brad Law DPI Forest Science 1st Decembe
Contextual Support Government

Yellow-bellied Glider PMP data from Bago-Maragle Forests (1995-2019) Leroy Gonsalves and Brad Law DPI Forest Science 1st Decembe, accessed August 17, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Alpine and Subalpine Complex
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Conservation Target
  • Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 8 Jun 2026

Notes

No direct eDNA benchmark exists for this specific context. The value represents AUSRIVAS Band A, equivalent to the 79 pristine reference streams within the Australian Alps National Parks used to build the regional model. The concept of an upper detrimental threshold is not applicable to the O/E score.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-ASC-FOR-DNA family.

0.44 score Moderate
Production Forestry · Conservation Target
MinimumOnly Active v1
— score Moderate
Production Forestry · Conservation Target
OptimalRange Active v1