Fungal:Bacterial Ratio

AUS-TMS-AGR-SFB General Low confidence

Benchmark Value

0.5 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 MaximumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MinimumOnly Guard OptimalRange Guard MaximumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MinimumOnly Guard MaximumOnly Guard

Evidence & Context

A lower critical threshold, below which soil ecological function may be compromised, is suggested at <0.5.

Metric Definition:

The Fungal:Bacterial (F:B) ratio, typically measured as the ratio of fungal biomass to bacterial biomass (or their proxies such as specific phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) or gene copy numbers)

Benchmark Definition:

This benchmark defines the lower critical threshold of the fungal to bacterial biomass ratio below which soil ecological function may be compromised in the Australian Tropical Monsoonal Savannas biome under agricultural crop production.

Justification:

Low ratios typically signify highly bacterial-dominated systems, often associated with intensive tillage, low quality or quantity of soil organic matter, and other conditions that disproportionately favor bacteria over fungi.

Sources (13)

Preview of Dynamics of microbial biomass nitrogen in relation to plant nitrogen uptake during the crop growth period in a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania - Taylor & Francis Online

Dynamics of microbial biomass nitrogen in relation to plant nitrogen uptake during the crop growth period in a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania - Taylor & Francis Online Journal

Dynamics of microbial biomass nitrogen in relation to plant nitrogen uptake during the crop growth period in a dry tropical cropland in Tanzania - Taylor & Francis Online

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Dynamics of Sudanian Savanna-Woodland Ecosystem in Response to Disturbances - - Administrative page for SLU library Journal

Dynamics of Sudanian Savanna-Woodland Ecosystem in Response to Disturbances - - Administrative page for SLU library

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Preview of Effect of strategic tillage in soil microbial communities in Vertisols from Queensland, Australia - UQ eSpace, accessed July 17, 2025

Effect of strategic tillage in soil microbial communities in Vertisols from Queensland, Australia - UQ eSpace, accessed July 17, 2025 Journal

Effect of strategic tillage in soil microbial communities in Vertisols from Queensland, Australia - UQ eSpace, accessed July 21, 2025

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Preview of EFFECTS OF PRESCRIBED FIRE ON SOIL BIOGEOCHEMISTRY IN A MIXED GRASS PRAIRIE A Dissertation Submitted to the College of Graduate - HARVEST (uSask)

EFFECTS OF PRESCRIBED FIRE ON SOIL BIOGEOCHEMISTRY IN A MIXED GRASS PRAIRIE A Dissertation Submitted to the College of Graduate - HARVEST (uSask)

Effects of fire on the soil microbial metabolic quotient: A global meta-analysis | Request PDF

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Final report - MLA Journal

Final report - MLA

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Microbial Regulation of - Soil Structural Dynamics - CABI Digital Library Journal

Microbial Regulation of - Soil Structural Dynamics - CABI Digital Library

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Preview of Montealegre CM, van Kessel C, Russelle MP, Sadowsky MJ.. Changes in microbial activity and composition in a pasture ecosystem exposed to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide. Plant Soil 243: 197-207 - ResearchGate

Montealegre CM, van Kessel C, Russelle MP, Sadowsky MJ.. Changes in microbial activity and composition in a pasture ecosystem exposed to elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide. Plant Soil 243: 197-207 - ResearchGate Journal

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Preview of Responses of communities of soil organisms and plants to soil aging at two contrasting long-term chronosequences | Request PDF - ResearchGate

Responses of communities of soil organisms and plants to soil aging at two contrasting long-term chronosequences | Request PDF - ResearchGate Journal

Afforestation alters community structure of soil fungi | Request PDF - ResearchGate

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Responses of communities of soil organisms and plants to soil aging at two contrasting long-term chronosequences | Request PDF - ResearchGate, accessed July 19, 2025, Journal

Temporal and seasonal change in microbial community structure of ...

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Preview of Seasonal dynamics of soil respiration and nitrification in three ...

Seasonal dynamics of soil respiration and nitrification in three ... Government

Seasonal dynamics of soil respiration and nitrification in three subtropical plantations in southern China - iForest - Biogeosciences and Forestry

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Soil Quality and Its Management in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Environments - UKnowledge, accessed May 15, 2025,

Soil Quality and Its Management in Humid Subtropical and Tropical Environments - UKnowledge

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The Importance of Termites to the CH4 Balance of a Tropical Savanna Woodland of Northern Australia - ResearchGate Journal

The Importance of Termites to the CH4 Balance of a Tropical Savanna Woodland of Northern Australia - ResearchGate

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The legacy of intensive agricultural history on the soil health of (sub)tropical landscapes, accessed July 16, 2025,

The legacy of intensive agricultural history on the soil health of (sub)tropical landscapes, accessed July 16, 2025,

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical Monsoonal Savannas
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type DegradationThreshold

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 31 May 2026

Notes

A persistent F:B ratio below 0.5 should be a cause for concern and trigger investigation into soil management practices. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

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