Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-TGP-FOR-SFB General Moderate 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 6 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 5 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Therefore, the lower critical threshold for the F:B ratio in the context of Production Forestry in Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains is 1.0.

Metric Definition:

Fungal to bacterial biomass ratio in soil microbial communities

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the critical lower threshold of the fungal to bacterial biomass ratio below which soil ecosystem function is impaired, indicating degradation in production forestry soils of temperate grassy woodlands and plains.

Justification:

A sustained F:B ratio below 1.0 indicates a shift to a degraded, bacterially-dominated state inconsistent with long-term forest health and productivity, representing a failure of sustainable management.

Sources (3)

Preview of Are Fungal to Bacterial Ratios (F:B Ratio) Important for Plant Growth? - Garden Myths, accessed July 28, 2025
Are Fungal to Bacterial Ratios (F:B Ratio) Important for Plant Growth? - Garden Myths, accessed July 28, 2025 GreyLiterature

Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management, accessed July 23, 2025

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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 Journal

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

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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 Journal

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

View Source

Supporting Sources (26)

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,
Methodology Source Journal

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

View Source
Preview of About the Fungal-to-Bacterial Biomass Ratio - Mycoscope, accessed August 10, 2025,
About the Fungal-to-Bacterial Biomass Ratio - Mycoscope, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Analyses of soil fungal communities in adjacent natural forest and hoop pine plantation ecosystems of subtropical Australia using molecular approaches based on 18S rRNA genes | Request PDF - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Analyzing your Fungal to Bacterial Ratio Results - MicroBiometer, accessed July 18, 2025
Analyzing your Fungal to Bacterial Ratio Results - MicroBiometer, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Analyzing your Fungal to Bacterial Ratio Results - microBIOMETER, accessed July 23, 2025

View Source
Preview of ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology, accessed July 18, 2025
ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology, accessed July 18, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology

View Source
Preview of Biogeographical patterns of the soil fungal:bacterial ratio across France - PubMed, accessed July 28, 2025,
Biogeographical patterns of the soil fungal:bacterial ratio across France - PubMed, accessed July 28, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Biogeographical patterns of the soil fungal:bacterial ratio across France - PubMed Central

View Source
Preview of ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT - Forestry Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,
ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE FOREST MANAGEMENT - Forestry Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

www.forestry.org.au

View Source
Preview of Forest and Plantation Soil Microbiomes Differ in Their Capacity to Suppress Feedback Between Geosmithia morbida and Rhizosphere Pathogens of Juglans nigra Seedlings - APS Journals, accessed August 10, 2025,
Forest and Plantation Soil Microbiomes Differ in Their Capacity to Suppress Feedback Between Geosmithia morbida and Rhizosphere Pathogens of Juglans nigra Seedlings - APS Journals, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Forest and Plantation Soil Microbiomes Differ in Their Capacity to Suppress Feedback Between Geosmithia morbida and Rhizosphere Pathogens of Juglans nigra Seedlings - APS Journals, accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Forest Practices Plans - Private Forests Tasmania
Forest Practices Plans - Private Forests Tasmania
Contextual Support Journal

Australia's forests – overview - DAFF

View Source
Preview of Fungal Community, Not Substrate Quality, Drives Soil Microbial Function in Northeastern U.S. Temperate Forests - Frontiers, accessed August 10, 2025,
Fungal Community, Not Substrate Quality, Drives Soil Microbial Function in Northeastern U.S. Temperate Forests - Frontiers, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Fungal Community, Not Substrate Quality, Drives Soil Microbial Function in Northeastern U.S. Temperate Forests - Frontiers, accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Fungi to bacteria ratio: Historical misinterpretations and potential implications | Request PDF, accessed July 18, 2025
Fungi to bacteria ratio: Historical misinterpretations and potential implications | Request PDF, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC, accessed July 21, 2025

View Source
Preview of Logging has legacy effects on the structure of soil fungal communities several decades after cessation in Western Cascade forest stands - Frontiers, accessed August 10, 2025,
Logging has legacy effects on the structure of soil fungal communities several decades after cessation in Western Cascade forest stands - Frontiers, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Logging has legacy effects on the structure of soil fungal communities several decades after cessation in Western Cascade forest stands - Frontiers, accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources | The ISME Journal | Oxford Academic, accessed July 18, 2025
Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources | The ISME Journal | Oxford Academic, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources | The ISME Journal | Oxford Academic

View Source
Preview of Natural Temperate Grassland of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory. - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,
Natural Temperate Grassland of the Southern Tablelands of NSW and the Australian Capital Territory. - DCCEEW, accessed August 12, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19  Tussock grasslands, accessed August 6, 2025

View Source
Preview of NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,
NVIS Fact sheet MVG 19 6 Tussock grasslands, accessed July 16, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Understanding soil pH, accessed August 28, 2025

View Source
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

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Srivastava, S. C., & Singh, J. S. (1989). Effect of cultivation on microbial biomass C and N of a dry tropical forest soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 8(4), 343-348.
Srivastava, S. C., & Singh, J. S. (1989). Effect of cultivation on microbial biomass C and N of a dry tropical forest soil. Biology and Fertility of Soils, 8(4), 343-348.
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil microbial biomass, activity and community composition in adjacent native and plantation forests of subtropical Australia | Request PDF - ResearchGate

View Source
Preview of Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia, accessed August 4, 2025
Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia, accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Plant nutrients in the soil - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source
Preview of ten key steps to conserving Australia's temperate eucalypt woodlands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, accessed August 10, 2025,
ten key steps to conserving Australia's temperate eucalypt woodlands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

ten key steps to conserving Australia's temperate eucalypt woodlands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of ten key steps to conserving Australia's temperate eucalypt woodlands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, accessed August 4, 2025
ten key steps to conserving Australia's temperate eucalypt woodlands - the UWA Profiles and Research Repository, accessed August 4, 2025
Contextual Support

Sustainable forest management and the ecosystem approach - an Australian perspective

View Source
Preview of The biogeography of relative abundance of soil fungi versus bacteria in surface topsoil, accessed on June 5, 2025
The biogeography of relative abundance of soil fungi versus bacteria in surface topsoil, accessed on June 5, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Fungal/bacterial ratios in grasslands with contrasting nitrogen management, accessed July 31, 2025

View Source
Preview of The incorporation of fungal to bacterial ratios and plant ecosystem ..., accessed August 10, 2025,
The incorporation of fungal to bacterial ratios and plant ecosystem ..., accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

The incorporation of fungal to bacterial ratios and plant ecosystem ..., accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of The PLFA Soil Health Test | Agronomic Crops Network - The Ohio State University, accessed on June 5, 2025
The PLFA Soil Health Test | Agronomic Crops Network - The Ohio State University, accessed on June 5, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Temperate Grasslands - Greening Australia, accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Untangling the deep-rooted relationship between trees and fungi to reverse dieback, accessed August 10, 2025,
Untangling the deep-rooted relationship between trees and fungi to reverse dieback, accessed August 10, 2025,
Contextual Support

Untangling the deep-rooted relationship between trees and fungi to reverse dieback, accessed August 10, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Government

Woodlands - DCCEEW, accessed August 4, 2025,

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
  • Land Use Production Forestry
  • Assessment Not Stated
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

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

Notes

This threshold marks the point at which the soil ecosystem ceases to function in a manner consistent with a healthy, resilient forest, indicating critical failure of sustainable management practices. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TGP-FOR-SFB family.

— index Moderate
Production Forestry · Not Stated
OptimalRange Active v1