煤矸山复垦林地和草地土壤微生物多样性和群落组成的差异及其影响因素

以山西省长治市潞安矿区煤矸山复垦多年的林地和草地为对象,采用磷脂脂肪酸法(phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA)研究2种复垦样地0~10和10~20 cm土层土壤微生物多样性和群落组成状况以及土壤环境因子对微生物群落组成的影响。结果表明:(1)草地0~10和10~20 cm土层土壤微生物丰富度指数(S)、Shannon指数(H)均大于林地(P0.05),但2种样地Pielou均匀度指数(E)无显著差异。(2)林地在0~10和10~20 cm土层土壤微生物总PLFAs含量、真菌PLFAs含量、放线菌PLFAs含量、革兰氏阳性菌PLFAs含量以及革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌、真菌/细菌均高于草地(P0.05);但细菌PLFAs含量和革兰氏阴性菌PLFAs含量在2土层中表现不同,林地0~10 cm土层高于草地(P0.05),10~20 cm土层则低于草地。(3)主成分分析表明,土壤微生物群落结构组成受复垦类型的显著影响。冗余分析表明,土壤理化性质对微生物PLFAs含量产生影响,其中土壤有效磷(AP)、pH值和阳离子交换量(CEC)是影响微生物群落组成的主要因子,并且AP和CEC与土壤微生物PLFAs含量呈正相关,pH值与之呈负相关。     

中亚热带地区两种森林植被类型土壤微生物群落结构

利用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)生物标记法分析了中亚热带地区罗浮栲天然林和相邻的杉木人工林土壤微生物群落结构特点.结果表明: 两种植被类型的磷脂脂肪酸总量、细菌特征脂肪酸、真菌特征脂肪酸、放线菌特征脂肪酸、革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌特征脂肪酸含量均为0～10 cm高于10～20 cm土层,罗浮栲天然林高于杉木人工林.在两种植被类型的两个土层中,细菌PLFAs含量均显著高于真菌PLFAs含量.两种植被类型中,细菌PLFAs含量约占PLFAs总量的44%～52%,而真菌仅占6%～8%,表明细菌在该地区两种植被类型土壤中处于优势地位.主成分分析表明,土壤微生物群落结构差异主要由植被类型差异引起,土层深度的影响相对较小.相关分析显示,革兰氏阴性菌、革兰氏阳性菌以及细菌的PLFAs含量与pH呈显著负相关,与含水量呈显著正相关;土壤微生物主要类群PLFAs含量与总氮、有机碳、C/N和铵态氮均呈显著正相关.     

中亚热带地区米槠天然林土壤微生物群落结构的多样性

为了解土壤微生物群落的结构,采用磷脂脂肪酸方法对武夷山和建瓯的米槠(Castanopsis carlesii)天然林土壤微生物群落的结构多样性进行了研究。结果表明,两地米槠天然林的土壤微生物群落组成十分丰富,多样性指数、丰富度指数和均匀度指数分别为2.92~3.01、25.84~28.23 和0.88~0.90。0~10 cm土层的磷脂脂肪酸总量、细菌特征脂肪酸、真菌特征脂肪酸、放线菌特征脂肪酸、革兰氏阳性菌和阴性菌特征脂肪酸含量均高于10~20 cm土层的,且建瓯万木林自然保护区的高于武夷山国家级自然保护区。10~20 cm土层的革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌高于0~10 cm土层的;细菌特征脂肪酸含量显著高于真菌,表明细菌在土壤微生物群落结构中处于优势地位。主成分分析表明,土壤微生物群落结构的差异主要是由采样地点的不同引起。     

磷脂脂肪酸法分析鹤山针叶林和荷木林的土壤微生物多样性

用磷脂脂肪酸法(PLFA)分析广东鹤山两种人工林——针叶林和荷木林不同土层(0~20 cm、20~40 cm、40~60 cm)的土壤微生物群落结构。结果表明,两种人工林的磷脂脂肪酸总量(PLFAs总量)、细菌特征脂肪酸(细菌PLFAs)、真菌特征脂肪酸(真菌PLFAs),以及革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌特征脂肪酸的含量都是0~20 cm土层最高;荷木林的PLFAs总量高于针叶林,但这种差异随土壤深度增加而递减, 且与土壤有机碳、全氮含量呈正相关。在相同土层,细菌PLFAs含量均显著高于真菌PLFAs含量。主成分分析表明,土壤微生物多样性及其丰富度受林型和土层综合作用的影响;单一的PLFAs中,i13:0、a13:0、17:0、cy17:0和16:0等脂肪酸对第一主成分的贡献较大;i16:0、cy19:0、18:1ω9c、i15:0、18:2ω6c和a17:0等脂肪酸对第二主成分贡献较大。     

高寒草甸连续围封与施肥对土壤微生物群落结构的影响

以放牧为对照,应用PLFA法分析研究了放牧、连续6年围封及围封内连续6年施肥后高寒草甸土壤微生物群落结构的变化.结果表明:围封和围封内施肥对不同土层各菌群和微生物总量均有显著影响,其对0 ～ 10 cm土层微生物的影响大于10～20 cm土层,不同土层的PLFA种类发生显著变化.围封和围封内施肥处理不同土层的革兰氏阴性菌(G-)含量均低于放牧;放牧0 ～10 cm土层中细菌、真菌、革兰氏阳性菌(G+)、微生物总量大干围封和围封内施肥处理,但其放线菌生物量均低于围封和围封内施肥处理;在10～20 cm土层中,各样地土壤中的G+无显著差异,围封土壤中的细菌、真菌、放线菌、微生物总量显著高于放牧,而围封内施肥后各菌群生物量及微生物总量明显下降.围封和围封内施肥不同土层的细菌/真菌均高于放牧;一般饱和脂肪酸/单烯不饱和脂肪酸(SAT/MONO)和革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌(G+/G－),围封处理均低于放牧,围封内施肥处理均高于放牧.连续围封和围封内施肥后降低了土壤微生物活性和土壤生态系统的稳定性.     

耕作方式对潮土土壤团聚体微生物群落结构的影响

为探究不同耕作方式对潮土土壤团聚体微生物群落结构和多样性的影响,采用磷脂脂肪酸(PLFA)法测定了土壤团聚体中微生物群落。试验设置4个耕作处理,分别为旋耕+秸秆还田(RT)、深耕+秸秆还田(DP)、深松+秸秆还田(SS)和免耕+秸秆还田(NT)。结果表明:与RT相比,DP处理显著提高了原状土壤和>5 mm粒级土壤团聚体中真菌PLFAs量和真菌/细菌,为真菌的繁殖提供了有利条件,有助于土壤有机质的贮存,提高了土壤生态系统的缓冲能力;提高了5～2 mm粒级土壤团聚体中细菌PLFAs量,降低了土壤革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌,改善了土壤营养状况;提高了<0.25 mm粒级土壤团聚体中微生物丰富度指数。总的来说,深耕+秸秆还田(DP)对土壤团聚体细菌和真菌生物量有一定的提高作用,并且在一定程度上改善了土壤团聚体微生物群落结构,有利于增加土壤固碳能力和保持土壤微生物多样性。冗余分析结果表明,土壤团聚体总PLFAs量、细菌、革兰氏阴性菌和放线菌PLFAs量与土壤有机碳相关性较强,革兰氏阳性菌PLFAs量与总氮相关性较强。各处理较大粒级土壤团聚体微生物群落主要受碳氮比、含水量、pH值和团聚体质量分数的影响,较小粒级土壤团聚体微生物群落则主要受土壤有机碳和总氮的影响。     

高寒草甸不同植被土壤微生物数量及微生物生物量的特征

用稀释平板法和氯仿熏蒸法研究了藏嵩草草甸、小嵩草草甸、矮嵩草草甸、禾草草甸、杂类草草甸及金露梅灌丛土壤的微生物数量、生物量及有机质的变化特征.结果表明:0～40 cm土层细菌和放线菌数量、微生物生物量碳和土壤有机质含量均以藏嵩草草甸最高,其微生物生物量及土壤有机质显著高于其它5种植被;真菌数量以金露梅灌丛最高;由表层到深层,随着土壤深度的增加以上各项指标均呈下降趋势.通径分析表明:土壤各生物环境因子之间存在着不同程度的相关性;土壤微生物数量、生物量及土壤有机质含量均与土壤水分含量存在显著的相关关系,说明土壤水分是调节高寒草甸生态系统土壤微生物代谢及物质转化的关键因子.     

长白山温带森林不同演替阶段土壤化学性质及微生物群落结构的变化

土壤微生物是生态系统物质循环和能量流动的驱动者,其群落结构可以用来表征土壤生态过程及其对地上植被变化的响应机制。本研究采用时空替代法在长白山地区选取了阔叶红松林演替序列的5个不同阶段:杨桦幼龄林、杨桦中龄林、杨桦成熟林、阔叶红松成熟林和阔叶红松过熟林,采用磷脂脂肪酸法(PLFA)测定了土壤微生物群落组成和结构,分析了其随地上植被演替过程的变化,同时比较了不同演替阶段土壤化学性质差异。结果表明:随着演替的正向进行,土壤总有机碳、全碳、全氮、全磷含量显著提高,碳氮比逐渐下降。土壤微生物生物量、群落结构及组成发生明显变化:土壤微生物总PLFAs、细菌PLFAs、革兰氏阳性菌PLFAs、革兰氏阴性菌PLFAs含量显著增加;真菌PLFAs(18:2ω6c)先增加后减少,中期阶段的杨桦成熟林土壤真菌PLFA含量最高,同时细菌/真菌最小;革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌(G+/G-)随着演替的进行逐渐增大。土壤微生物生物量与土壤全碳、总有机碳、全氮、全磷含量呈显著正相关,与碳氮比呈显著负相关;冗余分析(RDA)结果显示,全碳、总有机碳、全氮和碳氮比是影响土壤微生物群落结构的主要因素。本研究表明,随着植被演替的正向进行,土壤质量逐渐提高;土壤微生物群落组成明显改变;土壤微生物群落结构与土壤理化性质显著相关。     

不同复垦年限煤矸山土壤微生物群落和酶活性及其影响因子

土壤微生物和酶能对土壤生态机制变化和环境胁迫做出反应,对土壤生态功能恢复具有指示意义。为揭示土壤微生物群落及酶活性对煤矸山复垦土壤质量变化的指示作用,以山西省霍州市曹村矿区煤矸山复垦地为研究对象,采集了复垦年限为3、5和7 a果园的0~10和10~20 cm土层土壤,利用磷脂脂肪酸法(PLFA)分析了土壤微生物群落和脲酶(URE)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、脱氢酶(DH)和碱性磷酸酶(ALP)活性的变化情况,并运用通径分析法分析了土壤理化性质对微生物群落和酶活性的影响。结果表明:(1)3种复垦年限果园土壤有机质、碱解氮和有效磷均随复垦年限的增加而增加,但含水量与黏粒含量仅在复垦7 a果园中增加,与当地原地貌普通果园(CK)相比,3种复垦果园土壤性质均明显较差。(2)3种复垦果园不同群落微生物PLFAs浓度和酶活性随复垦年限的增加均有不同程度的增加,其中细菌、真菌、ALP和URE活性在0~10和10~20 cm土层均表现为随复垦年限的增加而增加的趋势;革兰氏阴性菌(G-)和DH活性在0~10 cm土层、放线菌和CAT活性在10~20 cm土层有显著增加。3种复垦果园土壤不同群落微生物PLFAs浓度和酶活性均低于CK样地。(3)土壤微生物细菌、真菌、放线菌、革兰氏阳性菌(G+)群落PLFAs浓度和CAT、ALP、URE和DH活性对土壤性质变化具有指示作用,可作为煤矸山复垦土壤质量变化的微生物学指标。     

杉木人工林土壤微生物群落结构特征

采用氯仿熏蒸法、稀释平板法和磷脂脂肪酸(phospholipid fatty acid,PLFA)方法,分析了常绿阔叶林转变成杉木人工林后土壤微生物种群数量和群落结构的变化特征.结果表明:常绿阔叶林转变为杉木人工林后,林地土壤的微生物生物量碳、可培养细菌和放线菌数降低.杉木人工林地总PLFAs、细菌PLFAs、真菌PLFAs比常绿阔叶林分别降低了49.4％、52.4％和46.6％,革兰氏阳性和阴性细菌PLFAs远低于常绿阔叶林.杉木人工林根际土壤微生物生物量碳、可培养细菌和放线菌数显著高于杉木人工林林地土壤,根际土壤中总PLFAs、细菌PLFAs、革兰氏阳性和阴性细菌PLFAs的含量也高于林地土壤,但真菌PLFAs和细菌PLFAs之比却低于林地土壤.对土壤微生物群落结构进行主成分分析发现,第1主成分和第2主成分共解释了土壤微生物群落结构变异的78.2％.表明常绿阔叶林与杉木人工林土壤的微生物群落结构间存在差异.     

南亚热带3种人工林土壤微生物生物量和微生物群落结构特征

以我国南亚热带格木、红椎和马尾松人工林为对象,采用氯仿熏蒸浸提法和磷脂脂肪酸法(PLFA)分析了林地土壤微生物生物量和微生物群落结构组成.结果表明: 林分和季节因素均显著影响土壤微生物生物量、总PLFAs量、细菌PLFAs量和真菌PLFAs量,且干季林分下的土壤微生物生物量、总PLFAs量、单个PLFA量均大于雨季.红椎人工林土壤微生物生物量碳(MBC)和总PLFAs量最高,而格木人工林土壤微生物生物量氮(MBN)最高.土壤pH值对土壤丛枝菌根真菌(16:1ω5c)的影响达到极显著正相关水平.土壤总PLFAs量、革兰氏阳性菌(G⁺)以及腐生真菌(18:2ω6,9c)、革兰氏阳性菌/革兰氏阴性菌(G⁺/G^-)与土壤有机碳、全氮和全磷显著相关,表明土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷含量是影响该地区土壤微生物数量和种类的重要因素.外生菌根真菌(18:1ω9c)和丛枝菌根真菌与土壤碳氮比值呈极显著相关.     

Fifteen years of climate change manipulations alter soil microbial communities in a subarctic heath ecosystem

Soil microbial biomass in arctic heaths has been shown to be largely unaffected by treatments simulating climate change with temperature, nutrient and light manipulations. Here, we demonstrate that more than 10 years is needed for development of significant responses, and that changes in microbial biomass are accompanied with strong alterations in microbial community composition. In contrast to slight or nonsignificant responses after 5, 6 and 10 treatment years, 15 years of inorganic NPK fertilizer addition to a subarctic heath had strong effects on the microbial community and, as observed for the first time, warming and shading also led to significant responses, often in opposite direction to the fertilization responses. The effects were clearer in the top 5 cm soil than at the 5–10 cm depth. Fertilization increased microbial biomass C and more than doubled microbial biomass P compared to the non-fertilized plots. However, it only increased microbial biomass N at the 5–10 cm depth. Fertilization increased fungal biomass and the relative abundance of phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) markers of gram-positive bacteria. Warming and shading decreased the relative abundance of fungal PLFAs, and shading also altered the composition of the bacterial community. The long time lag in responses may be associated with indirect effects of the gradual changes in the plant biomass and community composition. The contrasting responses to warming and fertilization treatments show that results from fertilizer addition may not be similar to the effects of increased nutrient mineralization and availability following climatic warming.     

Interactive Effects of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Soil Microbial Communities in a Tropical Forest

Elevated nitrogen (N) deposition in humid tropical regions may exacerbate phosphorus (P) deficiency in forests on highly weathered soils. However, it is not clear how P availability affects soil microbes and soil carbon (C), or how P processes interact with N deposition in tropical forests. We examined the effects of N and P additions on soil microbes and soil C pools in a N-saturated old-growth tropical forest in southern China to test the hypotheses that (1) N and P addition will have opposing effects on soil microbial biomass and activity, (2) N and P addition will alter the composition of the microbial community, (3) the addition of N and P will have interactive effects on soil microbes and (4) addition-mediated changes in microbial communities would feed back on soil C pools. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis was used to quantify the soil microbial community following four treatments: Control, N addition (15 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹), P addition (15 g P m⁻² yr⁻¹), and N&P addition (15 g N m⁻² yr⁻¹ plus 15 g P m⁻² yr⁻¹). These were applied from 2007 to 2011. Whereas additions of P increased soil microbial biomass, additions of N reduced soil microbial biomass. These effects, however, were transient, disappearing over longer periods. Moreover, N additions significantly increased relative abundance of fungal PLFAs and P additions significantly increased relative abundance of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi PLFAs. Nitrogen addition had a negative effect on light fraction C, but no effect on heavy fraction C and total soil C. In contrast, P addition significantly decreased both light fraction C and total soil C. However, there were no interactions between N addition and P addition on soil microbes. Our results suggest that these nutrients are not co-limiting, and that P rather than N is limiting in this tropical forest.     

改变碳输入对亚热带人工林土壤微生物生物量和群落组成的影响

通过在亚热带杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)和米老排(Mytilaria laosensis)人工林中设置互换凋落物、去除凋落物、去除凋落物+去除根系和对照处理来分析改变地上、地下碳输入对人工林土壤微生物生物量和群落组成的影响。结果显示,改变地上、地下碳输入对土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的影响因树种而异。在米老排林中,土壤微生物生物量不受碳源的限制。而在杉木林中,加入米老排凋落物、去除凋落物和去除凋落物+去除根系3种处理中土壤微生物生物量碳、氮具有明显增加的趋势。磷脂脂肪酸分析结果显示,杉木林中,添加高质量的米老排凋落物后,革兰氏阳性细菌、阴性细菌、丛枝菌根真菌、放线菌和真菌群落生物量分别显著增加了24%、24%、53%、25%、28%,革兰氏阴性细菌和丛枝菌根真菌的相对丰度均有显著增加。与对照相比,杉木林中去除凋落物后革兰氏阳性细菌、阴性细菌、丛枝菌根真菌、放线菌和真菌群落生物量分别显著增加了22%、29%、44%、25%、52%,真菌与细菌比值显著增加了21%。但是,去除凋落物+去除根系处理对两个树种人工林土壤微生物群落组成均无显著影响。米老排和杉木林土壤微生物生物量碳、氮的季节变化格局不同,土壤养分有效性可能是驱动土壤微生物生物量季节变化的主要因子。未来研究需要关注凋落物和根系在不同树种人工林中对土壤微生物群落的相对贡献。     

Cross-Site Soil Microbial Communities under Tillage Regimes: Fungistasis and Microbial Biomarkers

The exploitation of soil ecosystem services by agricultural management strategies requires knowledge of microbial communities in different management regimes. Crop cover by no-till management protects the soil surface, reducing the risk of erosion and nutrient leaching, but might increase straw residue-borne and soilborne plant-pathogenic fungi. A cross-site study of soil microbial communities and Fusarium fungistasis was conducted on six long-term agricultural fields with no-till and moldboard-plowed treatments. Microbial communities were studied at the topsoil surface (0 to 5 cm) and bottom (10 to 20 cm) by general bacterial and actinobacterial terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) and phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analyses. Fusarium culmorum soil fungistasis describing soil receptivity to plant-pathogenic fungi was explored by using the surface layer method. Soil depth had a significant impact on general bacterial as well as actinobacterial communities and PLFA profiles in no-till treatment, with a clear spatial distinction of communities (P < 0.05), whereas the depth-related separation of microbial communities was not observed in plowed fields. The fungal biomass was higher in no-till surface soil than in plowed soil (P < 0.07). Soil total microbial biomass and fungal biomass correlated with fungistasis (P < 0.02 for the sum of PLFAs; P < 0.001 for PLFA 18:2ω6). Our cross-site study demonstrated that agricultural management strategies can have a major impact on soil microbial community structures, indicating that it is possible to influence the soil processes with management decisions. The interactions between plant-pathogenic fungi and soil microbial communities are multifaceted, and a high level of fungistasis could be linked to the high microbial biomass in soil but not to the specific management strategy.     

The growth of external AM fungal mycelium in sand dunes and in experimental systems

We estimated the biomass and growth of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) mycelium in sand dunes using signature fatty acids. Mesh bags and tubes, containing initially mycelium-free sand, were buried in the field near the roots of the dune grass Ammophila arenaria L. AM fungal mycelia were detected at a distance of about 8.5 cm from the roots after 68 days of growth by use of neutral lipid fatty acid (NLFA) 16:1ω5. The average rate of mycelium extension during September and October was estimated as 1.2 mm day⁻¹. The lipid and fatty acid compositions of AM fungal mycelia of isolates and from sand dunes were analysed and showed all to be of a similar composition. Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) can be used as indicators of microbial biomass. The mycelium of G. intraradices growing in glass beads contained 8.3 nmol PLFAs per mg dry biomass, and about 15% of the PLFAs in G. intraradices, G. claroideum and AM fungal mycelium extracted from sand dunes, consisted of the signature PLFA 16:1ω5. We thus suggest a conversion factor of 1.2 nmol PLFA 16:1ω5 per mg dry biomass. Calculations using this conversion factor indicated up to 34 μg dry AM fungal biomass per g sand in the sand dunes, which was less than one tenth of that found in an experimental system with Glomus spp. growing with cucumber as plant associate in agricultural soil. The PLFA results from different systems indicated that the biomass of the AM fungi constitutes a considerable part of the total soil microbial biomass. Calculations based on ATP of AM fungi in an experimental growth system indicated that the biomass of the AM fungi constituted approximately 30% of the total microbial biomass. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

南亚热带红椎和格木人工幼龄林土壤微生物群落结构特征

采用氯仿熏蒸浸提法和磷脂脂肪酸法(Phospholipids fatty acid,PLFA)研究了我国南亚热带地区非固氮树种红椎(Castanopsis hystrix)和固氮树种格木(Erythrophleum fordii)人工幼龄林土壤微生物生物量与微生物群落结构特征。结果表明,在旱季和雨季,红椎幼龄林土壤微生物总PLFAs量,细菌PLFAs量、放线菌PLFAs量及丛枝菌根真菌PLFAs量均大于格木幼龄林。红椎幼龄林土壤PLFA Shannon多样性指数(H_(PLFA))在旱季和雨季均大于格木幼龄林。主成分分析表明,土壤微生物群落结构组成受到林分类型和季节的双重影响。冗余分析表明,土壤硝态氮(NO_3~--N)含量、土壤含水量、p H及土壤微生物生物量氮(MBN)与特征磷脂脂肪酸之间呈显著相关关系。以上结果表明固氮树种格木与非固氮树种红椎人工幼龄林对土壤微生物生物量和群落结构的影响存在显著差异。     

亚热带树种转换对林地土壤微生物群落结构和功能的影响

通过分析杉木采伐迹地营造阔叶树种尾巨桉和固氮树种黑木相思人工林后土壤微生物群落组成和酶活性,探讨造林树种转换对于改善杉木林地土壤微生物特性的影响.结果表明: 树种转换对土壤微生物群落组成和酶活性的影响主要局限于0～10 cm土壤层.杉木转换为固氮树种黑木相思后,显著提高了0～10 cm土壤层总脂肪酸含量、真菌、革兰氏阳性细菌、革兰氏阴性细菌和放线菌生物量.主成分分析表明,黑木相思人工林土壤微生物群落组成与杉木和尾巨桉人工林具有显著差异,土壤中革兰氏阳性细菌、阴性细菌和放线菌丰度显著提高.在0～10 cm土壤层,黑木相思人工林土壤纤维素水解酶、乙酰氨基-葡萄糖苷酶和酸性磷酸酶活性均显著高于杉木和尾巨桉人工林.研究表明,杉木转变为固氮树种黑木相思后会显著提高微生物生物量和酶活性,有助于土壤有机质的恢复,加快养分循环过程.     

Microbial assimilation of new photosynthate is altered by plant species richness and nitrogen deposition

To determine how plant species richness impacts microbial assimilation of new photosynthate, and how this may be modified by atmospheric N deposition, we analyzed the microbial assimilation of recent photosynthate in a 6-year-long field experiment in which plant species richness, atmospheric N deposition, and atmospheric CO₂ concentration were manipulated in concert. The depleted δ¹³C of fumigation CO₂ enabled us to investigate the effect of plant species richness and atmospheric N deposition on the metabolism of soil microbial communities in the elevated CO₂ treatment. To accomplish this, we determined the δ¹³C of bacterial, actinobacterial, and fungal phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs). In the elevated CO₂ conditions of this study, the δ¹³C of bacterial PLFAs (i15:0, i16:0, 16:1ω7c, 16:1ω9c, 10Me16:0, and 10Me18:0) and the fungal PLFA 18:1ω9c was significantly lower in species-rich plant communities than in species-poor plant communities, indicating that microbial incorporation of new C increased with plant species richness. Despite an increase in plant production, total PLFA decreased under N deposition. Moreover, N deposition also decreased fungal relative abundance in species-rich plant communities. In our study, plant species richness directly increased microbial incorporation of new photosynthate, providing a mechanistic link between greater plant detritus production in species-rich plant communities and larger and more active soil microbial community.