Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-TGP-LVG-SFB General Moderate confidence

Benchmark Value

0.05 index

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: MinimumOnly

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 MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard Point Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard Point Guard

Evidence & Context

Therefore, an F:B ratio (measured by PLFA) of less than 0.05 is proposed as the Lower Critical Threshold.

Metric Definition:

Ratio of fungal to bacterial biomass in soil measured by PLFA

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark represents the lower critical threshold for the fungal to bacterial biomass ratio in soil, below which soil function is significantly compromised in temperate grassy woodlands and pastures.

Justification:

This threshold is anchored in the lowest observed F:B ratio in undisturbed reference temperate woodland sites, representing a significant departure from natural reference state.

Sources (1)

Preview of Establishing Self-sustaining and Recognisable Ecological ... - Umwelt, accessed August 10, 2025,

Establishing Self-sustaining and Recognisable Ecological ... - Umwelt, accessed August 10, 2025, Journal

Mine Rehabilitation to Central Hunter Valley Eucalypt Forest and Woodland CEEC: A Comparative Assessment of Rehabilitation and Reference Sites (ACARP Project C26034)

Supporting Sources (19)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Climate and Biodiversity Credentials for Australian Grass-Fed Beef: A Review of Standards, Certification and Assurance Schemes - ResearchGate, accessed July 29, 2025

(PDF) Climate and Biodiversity Credentials for Australian Grass-Fed Beef: A Review of Standards, Certification and Assurance Schemes - ResearchGate, accessed July 29, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Introducing BASE: the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments soil microbial diversity database - La Trobe, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of A review of indicators and methods to assess biodiversity - FAO Knowledge Repository

A review of indicators and methods to assess biodiversity - FAO Knowledge Repository

Contextual Support Journal

Comparison of grazed and cleared temperate grassy woodlands in eastern Australia: patterns in space and inferences in time - ResearchGate, accessed August 6, 2025

Preview of Adaptive multi-paddock grazing management's influence on soil food web community structure for: increasing pasture forage production, soil organic carbon, and reducing soil respiration rates in southeastern USA ranches, accessed August 9, 2025,

Adaptive multi-paddock grazing management's influence on soil food web community structure for: increasing pasture forage production, soil organic carbon, and reducing soil respiration rates in southeastern USA ranches, accessed August 9, 2025,

Contextual Support

Adaptive multi-paddock grazing management's influence on soil food web community structure for: increasing pasture forage production, soil organic carbon, and reducing soil respiration rates in southeastern USA ranches

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

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

Contextual Support Journal

ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology

Preview of Biome of Australia Soil Environments - GBIF, accessed August 9, 2025,

Biome of Australia Soil Environments - GBIF, accessed August 9, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Biome of Australia Soil Environments - GBIF, accessed July 23, 2025

Preview of Consistent responses of soil microbial communities to elevated nutrient inputs in grasslands across the globe | PNAS, accessed August 9, 2025,

Consistent responses of soil microbial communities to elevated nutrient inputs in grasslands across the globe | PNAS, accessed August 9, 2025,

Contextual Support

Consistent responses of soil microbial communities to elevated nutrient inputs in grasslands across the globe | PNAS, accessed August 9, 2025,

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

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

Preview of How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers, accessed July 29, 2025

How Biodiversity-Friendly Is Regenerative Grazing? - Frontiers, accessed July 29, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Adaptive multi-paddock grazing increases soil nutrient availability and bacteria to fungi ratio in grassland soils | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Preview of K. J. Hutchinson's research works | University of New England and other places - ResearchGate, accessed August 9, 2025,

K. J. Hutchinson's research works | University of New England and other places - ResearchGate, accessed August 9, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

K. J. Hutchinson's research works | University of New England and other places - ResearchGate

Preview of Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,

Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Livestock grazing management and biodiversity conservation in Australian temperate grassy landscapes - ResearchGate

Preview of Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed August 9, 2025

Managing Grazing to Restore Soil Health, Ecosystem Function, and Ecosystem Services - Frontiers, accessed August 9, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Introducing BASE: the Biomes of Australian Soil Environments soil microbial diversity database - La Trobe, accessed July 29, 2025

Preview of Mapping Australia's soil biodiversity - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,

Mapping Australia's soil biodiversity - CSIRO, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

TERN Surveillance monitoring program: Soil vis-NIR spectral library with accompanying soil measurement data for 367 specimens - CSIRO Data Access Portal

Preview of Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC, accessed August 9, 2025,

Mechanisms and implications of bacterial–fungal competition for soil resources - PMC, accessed August 9, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil bacterial community composition is altered more by soil nutrient availability than pH following long-term nutrient addition in a temperate steppe - Frontiers, accessed August 9, 2025,

Preview of Microbial community composition and activity in paired irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in New Zealand - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 3, 2025

Microbial community composition and activity in paired irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in New Zealand - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 3, 2025

Contextual Support Journal

Microbial community composition and activity in paired irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in New Zealand - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 29, 2025

Preview of Rapid Soil Development in Response to Land Use Change School of Agriculture and Food Sciences - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed August 9, 2025,

Rapid Soil Development in Response to Land Use Change School of Agriculture and Food Sciences - UQ eSpace - The University of Queensland, accessed August 9, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Establishing Self-sustaining and Recognisable Ecological ... - Umwelt, accessed August 9, 2025,

Preview of Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health - DPIRD's Digital library, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support

Regenerative Agriculture Program restoring soil pH case study: Macdonald, Whites Flat/Koppio

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 ...

Preview of Temporal Soil Bacterial Community Responses to Cropping Systems and Crop Identity in Dryland Agroecosystems of the Northern Great Plains - Frontiers, accessed July 27, 2025,

Temporal Soil Bacterial Community Responses to Cropping Systems and Crop Identity in Dryland Agroecosystems of the Northern Great Plains - Frontiers, accessed July 27, 2025,

Contextual Support

Agricultural Soil Management Practices Differentially Shape the Bacterial and Fungal Microbiomes of Sorghum bicolor | Applied and Environmental Microbiology - ASM Journals

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Grassy Woodlands & Plains
Land Use Livestock Grazing & Pasture
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 8 Jun 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. A ratio below 0.05 indicates a highly disturbed, bacterially-dominated system with compromised nutrient retention and carbon storage functions. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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