Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-TSW-AGR-SFB General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

No specific value — see range
Range: 0.8 to 1.2 index
Optimal Range: 0.8 to 1.2
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 5 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 4 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard OptimalRange Guard

Evidence & Context

Reference Value: 0.8 – 1.2

Metric Definition:

Fungal:Bacterial Ratio (F:B ratio) in soil, representing the ratio of fungal to bacterial biomass.

Benchmark Definition:

The Fungal:Bacterial Ratio indicates the balance between fungal and bacterial biomass in soil, which is important for soil health and function in temperate semi-arid shrublands under agricultural crop production.

Justification:

Derived from a long-term field trial in the Western Australian wheatbelt and corroborated by conceptual models for grass-based systems, representing the best available condition for regenerative annual cropping.

Sources (1)

Preview of ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology, accessed July 18, 2025
ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology, accessed July 18, 2025 Journal

ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology

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Supporting Sources (25)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) The measurement of soil fungal:bacterial biomass ratios as an ..., accessed July 19, 2025,
(PDF) The measurement of soil fungal:bacterial biomass ratios as an ..., accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Soil microbial community composition under Eucalyptus plantations of different age in subtropical China - ResearchGate, accessed July 23, 2025

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Preview of A review of the economics of regenerative agriculture in Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 4, 2025
A review of the economics of regenerative agriculture in Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

A review of the economics of regenerative agriculture in Western Australia - DPIRD's Digital library

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Preview of Biogeographical patterns of the soil fungal:bacterial ratio across France - PubMed Central, accessed July 18, 2025
Biogeographical patterns of the soil fungal:bacterial ratio across France - PubMed Central, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC, accessed July 23, 2025

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Preview of Contrasting sensitivity of soil bacterial and fungal community composition to one year of water limitation in Scots pine mesocosms | FEMS Microbiology Ecology | Oxford Academic, accessed July 22, 2025
Contrasting sensitivity of soil bacterial and fungal community composition to one year of water limitation in Scots pine mesocosms | FEMS Microbiology Ecology | Oxford Academic, accessed July 22, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil | Australia state of the environment 2021, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Crop sequences in Western Australia: what are they and are they sustainable? Findings of a four-year survey - ResearchGate
Crop sequences in Western Australia: what are they and are they sustainable? Findings of a four-year survey - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative agriculture reviewed - Western Australian Government, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Development of soil microbial communities for promoting sustainability in agriculture and a global carbon fix
Development of soil microbial communities for promoting sustainability in agriculture and a global carbon fix
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Development of soil microbial communities for promoting sustainability in agriculture and a global carbon fix

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Preview of Fungal and Bacterial Abundance in Long-Term No-Till and Intensive-Till Soils of the Northern Great Plains | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Fungal and Bacterial Abundance in Long-Term No-Till and Intensive-Till Soils of the Northern Great Plains | Request PDF - ResearchGate
Contextual Support Journal

Effect of No Tillage System on Soil Fungal Community Structure of Cropland in Mollisol: A Case Study - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Fungal to Bacterial Ratios: What and Why? - Ward Laboratories, Inc., accessed July 18, 2025
Fungal to Bacterial Ratios: What and Why? - Ward Laboratories, Inc., accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Tagged with ratio of fungi to bacteria - The Prairie Ecologist, accessed July 21, 2025

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Preview of Fungal:bacterial ratio - YouTube, accessed July 8, 2025
Fungal:bacterial ratio - YouTube, accessed July 8, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Fungal:bacterial ratio - YouTube, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management - ResearchGate

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Preview of Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management, accessed July 19, 2025,
Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management, accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC

View Source
Preview of Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC, accessed July 18, 2025
Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon Cycling - Frontiers, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of National Soil Monitoring Program - CSIRO, accessed August 4, 2025,
National Soil Monitoring Program - CSIRO, accessed August 4, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

National Soil Monitoring Program - CSIRO, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Prospect Pastoral Company case study (Haggerty farm)
Prospect Pastoral Company case study (Haggerty farm)
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Prospect Pastoral Company case study (Haggerty farm)

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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

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Preview of SECTION 5 Wheat - Nutrition and fertiliser - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025
SECTION 5 Wheat - Nutrition and fertiliser - GRDC, accessed July 8, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC). (2016). GrowNote Wheat South 05 Nutrition.

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Preview of Severe Prolonged Drought Favours Stress-Tolerant Microbes in Australian Drylands - PMC, accessed July 8, 2025
Severe Prolonged Drought Favours Stress-Tolerant Microbes in Australian Drylands - PMC, accessed July 8, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Severe Prolonged Drought Favours Stress-Tolerant Microbes in Australian Drylands - PMC, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon ... - Frontiers, accessed July 18, 2025
Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon ... - Frontiers, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers

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Preview of Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon Cycling - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 28, 2025
Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon Cycling - PMC - PubMed Central, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

The fungal-bacterial ratio for soil health - Farmer's Weekly, accessed July 21, 2025

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Preview of Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming - Frontiers
Soil Health and Nutrient Density: Beyond Organic vs. Conventional Farming - Frontiers
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Bacteria and Fungi - NSW | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Soil microbiome and biodiversity implications – are we ignoring cost-effective proxies of biodiversity measures? | TERN Australia, accessed on June 7, 2025,
Soil microbiome and biodiversity implications – are we ignoring cost-effective proxies of biodiversity measures? | TERN Australia, accessed on June 7, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Environment Monitoring Systems & Data for Ecosystem Studies ...

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Preview of Soil Properties Drive Microbial Community Structure in a Large Scale Transect in South Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
Soil Properties Drive Microbial Community Structure in a Large Scale Transect in South Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Properties Drive Microbial Community Structure in a Large Scale Transect in South Eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 8, 2025

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Preview of Tagged with ratio of fungi to bacteria - The Prairie Ecologist, accessed July 28, 2025
Tagged with ratio of fungi to bacteria - The Prairie Ecologist, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Analyzing your Fungal to Bacterial Ratio Results - microBIOMETER, accessed July 21, 2025

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Preview of Things you need to know about the Fungal to Bacterial Ratio (F:B) - MicroBiometer, accessed July 28, 2025
Things you need to know about the Fungal to Bacterial Ratio (F:B) - MicroBiometer, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Australian dryland soils are acidic and nutrient-depleted, and have unique microbial communities compared with other drylands - PMC, accessed July 23, 2025

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Preview of What are the optimal fungal to bacterial biomass ratios for different crops? - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
What are the optimal fungal to bacterial biomass ratios for different crops? - ResearchGate, accessed July 28, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon ... - Frontiers, accessed July 21, 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 8 Jun 2026

Notes

Lower Critical Threshold: An F:B ratio below 0.4 indicates a highly disturbed, bacterial-dominated system with poor soil structure, low carbon use efficiency, and high potential for nutrient loss. Upper Detrimental Threshold: For annual cropping, an F:B ratio exceeding 2.0 can be detrimental, leading to excessive nutrient tie-up in fungal biomass and promoting late-successional weeds, negatively impacting crop productivity.