Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-TSR-AGR-SFB General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

0.75 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 4 benchmarks together — the OptimalRange form drives the primary score, while 3 guard(s) constrain the result.

Contributing Benchmarks

OptimalRange Primary OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

Therefore, a Fungal:Bacterial ratio of < 0.75 is proposed as the lower critical threshold for agricultural crop production in this biome.

Metric Definition:

The ratio of fungal to bacterial biomass (F:B ratio) in soil is a powerful integrative metric that reflects the fundamental structure and functional strategy of the entire soil ecosystem.

Benchmark Definition:

The lower critical threshold below which ecological function is significantly compromised in agricultural crop production.

Justification:

Ratios below this indicate a highly disturbed, bacteria-dominated system with compromised ecological function and long-term sustainability.

Sources (1)

Preview of Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen
Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen
View Source

Supporting Sources (33)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Preview of (PDF) Balancing the environmental benefits of reforestation in ..., accessed July 18, 2025
(PDF) Balancing the environmental benefits of reforestation in ..., accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Balancing the environmental benefits of reforestation in ..., accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of (PDF) Cropping System Diversification Influences Soil Microbial Diversity in Subtropical Dryland Farming Systems - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
(PDF) Cropping System Diversification Influences Soil Microbial Diversity in Subtropical Dryland Farming Systems - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

(PDF) Cropping System Diversification Influences Soil Microbial Diversity in Subtropical Dryland Farming Systems - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025

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
Contextual Support Journal

ausveg - fact sheet: soil microbiology

View Source
Preview of Balancing the environmental benefits of reforestation in agricultural, accessed July 18, 2025
Balancing the environmental benefits of reforestation in agricultural, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support

Balancing the environmental benefits of reforestation in agricultural, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
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

View Source
Preview of Characterisation of the soil microbial community of cultivated and uncultivated vertisol in Australia under several management regimes | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Characterisation of the soil microbial community of cultivated and uncultivated vertisol in Australia under several management regimes | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Fungal/bacterial ratio - Eurofins Agro, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Effects of Conservation Agriculture and Fertilization on Soil Microbial Diversity and Activity, accessed July 18, 2025
Effects of Conservation Agriculture and Fertilization on Soil Microbial Diversity and Activity, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Effects of Conservation Agriculture and Fertilization on Soil Microbial Diversity and Activity, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Factors associated with the suppressiveness of sugarcane soils to plant-parasitic nematodes, accessed July 18, 2025
Factors associated with the suppressiveness of sugarcane soils to plant-parasitic nematodes, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Macadamia Horticulture (Trial) Ground Cover 89% (for near-zero erosion) Research 25

View Source
Preview of Farming for the Future, accessed July 18, 2025
Farming for the Future, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Farming for the Future, accessed July 18, 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 Fungal/bacterial ratio - Eurofins Agro, accessed July 18, 2025
Fungal/bacterial ratio - Eurofins Agro, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Irrelevant

Fungal/bacterial ratio - Eurofins Agro, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
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 Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

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

View Source
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 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 Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 18, 2025
Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture, accessed July 18, 2025
Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support

Harnessing the benefits of soil biology in conservation agriculture, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Healthy Soils in Macadamia orchards - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Healthy Soils in Macadamia orchards - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support

Macadamia husk compost improves soil health in sub-tropical horticulture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen - DPI eResearch Archive (eRA), accessed July 18, 2025
Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen - DPI eResearch Archive (eRA), accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Direct Evidence Journal

Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen - DPI eResearch Archive (eRA), accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen, accessed July 18, 2025
Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen, accessed July 18, 2025
Direct Evidence Journal

Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen - DPI eResearch Archive (eRA), accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Lauber CL, Strickland MS, Bradford MA, Fierer N.. The influence of ..., accessed July 18, 2025
Lauber CL, Strickland MS, Bradford MA, Fierer N.. The influence of ..., accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support

Lauber CL, Strickland MS, Bradford MA, Fierer N.. The influence of ..., accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Macadamia husk compost improves soil health in sub-tropical horticulture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Macadamia husk compost improves soil health in sub-tropical horticulture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Macadamia husk compost improves soil health in sub-tropical horticulture - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025

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 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 Microbial community composition and activity in paired irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in New Zealand - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 18, 2025
Microbial community composition and activity in paired irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in New Zealand - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Microbial community composition and activity in paired irrigated and non-irrigated pastures in New Zealand - CSIRO Publishing

View Source
Preview of Reforestation: Purposes, Impact, & Methods Of Implementation - EOS Data Analytics, accessed July 18, 2025
Reforestation: Purposes, Impact, & Methods Of Implementation - EOS Data Analytics, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Landuse affects the likelihood of soil colonization by a key plant pathogen, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,
Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed August 5, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Regenerative Agriculture—A Literature Review on the Practices and Mechanisms Used to Improve Soil Health - MDPI, accessed July 20, 2025,

View Source
Preview of Rhizosphere effects on soil nutrient dynamics and microbial activity in an Australian tropical lowland rainforest - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025,
Rhizosphere effects on soil nutrient dynamics and microbial activity in an Australian tropical lowland rainforest - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 19, 2025,
Contextual Support Journal

Rhizosphere effects on soil nutrient dynamics and microbial activity in an Australian tropical lowland rainforest - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of SOIL BIOLOGICAL HEALTH—WHAT IS IT AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE IT? - Wet Tropics Plan, accessed July 18, 2025
SOIL BIOLOGICAL HEALTH—WHAT IS IT AND HOW CAN WE IMPROVE IT? - Wet Tropics Plan, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Requirements for sugarcane growers | Environment, land and water

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 Sugarcane trash levels in soil affects the fungi but not bacteria in a short-term field experiment | Brazilian Journal of Microbiology - Elsevier, accessed July 18, 2025
Sugarcane trash levels in soil affects the fungi but not bacteria in a short-term field experiment | Brazilian Journal of Microbiology - Elsevier, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support Journal

Sugarcane trash levels in soil affects the fungi but not bacteria in a short-term field experiment | Brazilian Journal of Microbiology - Elsevier, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source
Preview of Young Seeds - Soils For Life, accessed July 18, 2025
Young Seeds - Soils For Life, accessed July 18, 2025
Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Young Seeds - Soils For Life, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source

Context

  • Region Australia
  • Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
  • Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
  • Assessment Agricultural Biodiversity Target
  • Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

  • Status Active
  • Version 1
  • Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation. Soils with an F:B ratio below this level are likely to exhibit poor soil structure, low CUE, high potential for nutrient leakage, and a diminished capacity to suppress soil-borne pathogens.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-AGR-SFB family.

— index Low
Agricultural Crop Production · Agricultural Biodiversity Target
OptimalRange Active v1