短期CO2浓度升高和干旱胁迫对白羊草土壤碳氮和微生物根际效应的影响

采用人工气候室和盆栽控水试验研究黄土丘陵区典型草本植物白羊草在倍增CO₂浓度(800 μmol·mol^-1)下和充分供水(75%～80%的田间持水量)、轻度干旱胁迫(55%～60%的田间持水量)和重度干旱胁迫(35%～40%的田间持水量)下根际和非根际土壤碳氮含量和微生物群落结构及其根际效应.结果表明: CO₂浓度升高和干旱胁迫对白羊草根际和非根际土壤有机碳、全氮和水溶性有机碳(DOC)含量及其根际效应均无显著影响.轻度干旱胁迫下CO₂浓度升高显著促进了根际土壤水溶性有机氮(DON)的消耗,导致DOC/DON升高,提高了DON的负根际效应和DOC/DON的正根际效应.干旱胁迫和CO₂浓度升高对土壤总磷脂脂肪酸(总PLFA)和细菌PLFA的根际效应无显著影响.CO₂浓度升高条件下干旱胁迫显著提高了根际土壤G⁺/G^- PLFA,降低了非根际土壤G⁺/G^- PLFA,导致其根际效应显著提高,表明根际微生物群落由自养微生物群落向异养微生物群落的转变.     

短期CO2浓度升高和干旱胁迫对白羊草土壤碳氮和微生物根际效应的影响

采用人工气候室和盆栽控水试验研究黄土丘陵区典型草本植物白羊草在倍增CO₂浓度(800 μmol·mol^-1)下和充分供水(75%～80%的田间持水量)、轻度干旱胁迫(55%～60%的田间持水量)和重度干旱胁迫(35%～40%的田间持水量)下根际和非根际土壤碳氮含量和微生物群落结构及其根际效应.结果表明: CO₂浓度升高和干旱胁迫对白羊草根际和非根际土壤有机碳、全氮和水溶性有机碳(DOC)含量及其根际效应均无显著影响.轻度干旱胁迫下CO₂浓度升高显著促进了根际土壤水溶性有机氮(DON)的消耗,导致DOC/DON升高,提高了DON的负根际效应和DOC/DON的正根际效应.干旱胁迫和CO₂浓度升高对土壤总磷脂脂肪酸(总PLFA)和细菌PLFA的根际效应无显著影响.CO₂浓度升高条件下干旱胁迫显著提高了根际土壤G⁺/G^- PLFA,降低了非根际土壤G⁺/G^- PLFA,导致其根际效应显著提高,表明根际微生物群落由自养微生物群落向异养微生物群落的转变.     

复合群落土壤微生物和酶活性对大气CO2浓度和温度升高的响应

应用自控、封闭、独立的生长室系统,研究川西亚高山林线复合群落根际、非根际土壤微生物数量以及根际、非根际土壤酶活性对大气CO2浓度升高(环境CO2浓度+350(±25)μmol.mol-1,EC)和温度升高(环境温度+2.0(±0.5)℃,ET)及其两者同时升高(ECT)的响应。结果表明:(1)与对照(CK)相比,EC、ET和ECT处理能够增加土壤根际微生物数量,但不同微生物种类对EC、ET和ECT的反应有所差异。(2)不同种类的根际土壤酶对EC、ET和ECT的响应不同。(3)与CK相比,EC、ET和ECT的非根际土壤微生物数量以及非根际土壤酶活性均无显著提高。(4)EC、ET和ECT处理对复合群落土壤微生物总数的根际效应明显;除ET处理的转化酶为负根际效应,其余处理的过氧化氢酶,脲酶及转化酶均表现为正根际效应。     

增施CO2对植物修复土壤DEHP污染的影响

修复效率低一直是植物修复技术需要解决的关键问题之一.基于我国的CO2减排压力和CO2对植物生长的必要性,选择C3植物绿豆和C4植物玉米作为修复植物,以DEHP为目标污染物,探索增施CO2对植物修复土壤DEHP污染的影响.结果表明:DEHP对两种植物生长和根际微环境都产生了抑制性影响.增施CO2后,两种植物地上干质量显著增加,叶片SOD酶活性明显下降,根际土壤碱性磷酸酶活性增加,根际微生物群落结构改变,根际耐DE-HP胁迫微生物数量增加,表明增施CO2对促进植物生长、增强植物抗DEHP胁迫能力、改善根际微环境有积极作用.增施CO2还促进了两种植物对DEHP的吸收,特别是植物地下部分.这些共同作用导致增施CO2后的两种植物根际DEHP残留浓度明显下降,土壤污染植物修复效率提高.整体上看,增施CO2对C3植物绿豆的影响明显大于C4植物玉米.可以将增施CO2作为强化植物修复过程的措施之一.     

辽宁省9种兰科植物根内与根际土壤中真菌群落结构的差异

兰科植物的生存及生长高度依赖其根中的共生真菌,其中的菌根真菌更是对兰科植物的种子萌发与后续生长有着非常重要的作用,研究兰科植物根中的真菌,尤其是菌根真菌,对兰科植物的保护有重要作用。该研究利用第二代测序技术,对中国辽宁省境内的9种属于极小种群的兰科植物的根、根际土和根围土中的真菌群落和菌根真菌组成进行了研究。结果显示,兰科植物根中的真菌群落和根际土、根围土中的真菌群落具有显著差异。兰科植物根中的总操作分类单元(OTU)数目远小于根际土和根围土中的总OTU数目。同时,兰科植物根中菌根真菌的种类和丰度与根际土、根围土中菌根真菌的种类与丰度没有明显联系。FunGuild分析结果显示,丛枝菌根真菌在根际土与根围土中的丰度非常高,但在兰科植物的根中却数量极少。这些结果表明,兰科植物根中的真菌群落与土壤中的真菌群落在一定程度上是相互独立的。     

辽宁省9种兰科植物根内与根际土壤中真菌群落结构的差异

兰科植物的生存及生长高度依赖其根中的共生真菌, 其中的菌根真菌更是对兰科植物的种子萌发与后续生长有着非常重要的作用, 研究兰科植物根中的真菌, 尤其是菌根真菌, 对兰科植物的保护有重要作用。该研究利用第二代测序技术, 对中国辽宁省境内的9种属于极小种群的兰科植物的根、根际土和根围土中的真菌群落和菌根真菌组成进行了研究。结果显示, 兰科植物根中的真菌群落和根际土、根围土中的真菌群落具有显著差异。兰科植物根中的总操作分类单元(OTU)数目远小于根际土和根围土中的总OTU数目。同时, 兰科植物根中菌根真菌的种类和丰度与根际土、根围土中菌根真菌的种类与丰度没有明显联系。FunGuild分析结果显示, 丛枝菌根真菌在根际土与根围土中的丰度非常高, 但在兰科植物的根中却数量极少。这些结果表明, 兰科植物根中的真菌群落与土壤中的真菌群落在一定程度上是相互独立的。     

大气CO2浓度和温度升高对作物生理生态的影响

论述了大气CO2浓度和温度升高下的植物生长,光合作用,产量以及水分养分利用效率等方面的研究进展,未来高CO2浓度下,光合作用速率有不同程度的提高,生物量和产量增加;气孔导度降低,水分利用效率（WUE）提高,一般地上部分和根系尤其是细根生物量增加,凋落物量随之增加,C/N比率提高,植物残体的腐解速率降低,CO2浓度升高后,会给根际微生物带来更多的底物,从而提高了微生物活性,加速养分的矿化过程,改善植物的养分状况。     

广西凭祥红锥-马尾松混交林菌根际微生物群落结构

以广西凭祥红锥-马尾松混交林中红锥和马尾松为研究对象,采集林下外生菌根和根际土壤,利用高通量测序分析该混交林下的菌根际微生物群落结构。结果表明,红锥、马尾松菌根际优势真菌为红菇属Russula、被孢霉属Mortierella、乳菇属Lactarius、鹅膏属Amanita、拟锁瑚菌属Clavulinopsis、丝盖伞属Inocybe、锁瑚菌属Clavulina和木霉属Trichoderma,其中,Russula为绝对优势类群,菌根和根际中共生真菌均以外生菌根真菌为主。而优势细菌主要为常见菌根辅助细菌,如伯克霍尔德氏菌属Burkholderia、假单细胞菌属Pseudomonas、慢生根瘤菌属Bradyrhizobium、根瘤菌属Rhizobium和土壤杆菌属Agrobacterium,除芽孢杆菌属Bacillus外,菌根内菌根辅助细菌均高于根际。PICRUST功能分析表明红锥和马尾松菌根中部分膜运输通路（ABC transporters、transporters和secretion system ABC）和信号转导通路（two-component system）的丰度高于根际。α多样性分析表明,菌根和根际微生物多样性存在显著差异,马尾松菌根、根际真菌群落多样性显著高于红锥;β多样性分析表明两树种菌根和根际分别具有相似的微生物群落结构。优势菌群和土壤环境因子的RDA分析表明,土壤pH、全磷和全钾是影响菌根际菌群结构的主要环境因子。     

大气CO_2与吡虫啉对甘蓝土壤细菌与微生物生物量C的影响

采用田间开顶式CO2控制气室(OTC),研究了375μL/L、750μL/L两个CO2浓度和CK、LC50、LC903种吡虫啉浓度处理条件下,甘蓝根际土壤细菌与非根际土壤微生物生物量C的变化。750μL/L CO2处理对甘蓝根际细菌数量显著增加(P0.01),而在同一CO2水平下各农药处理间并无显著差异;根区土壤微生物生物量C只有在750μL/L CO2且无吡虫啉处理的条件下显著(P0.05)下降,在LC50、LC90处理的影响下并不显著。同一CO2水平下,根区土壤微生物生物量C受农药处理的影响不明显。     

小叶锦鸡儿根际微生物群落功能多样性对环境变化的响应

利用Biolog技术对内蒙古草原灌丛优势种小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)根际土壤微生物群落功能多样性特征及其对大气CO2浓度、土壤氮水平和土壤水分3个环境因子变化的响应进行了研究。结果表明:(1)小叶锦鸡儿根际土壤微生物利用碳源总量在整个培养过程中呈逐渐增加的趋势。其利用比例较高的碳源类型为聚合物、糖类和氨基酸。(2)主成分分析表明,8个处理组的微生物群落功能多样性差异显著,其中与主成分1显著相关的碳源有14种,分别属于聚合物、糖类、氨基酸和羧酸。(3)加倍CO2浓度极显著提高平均颜色变化率(AWCD)以及丰富度指数和Shannon均匀度。(4)氮素添加使AWCD、丰富度指数和Shannon均匀度均极显著降低,其抑制效应在加倍CO2浓度时有所缓解。(5)加水处理对上述指标均有一定的促进作用,但是差异未达显著水平。(6)加倍CO2浓度和氮素添加联合处理下,小叶锦鸡儿根际微生物活性高于对照处理,说明加倍CO2浓度对微生物活性的促进效应强于添加氮素的抑制效应。(7)CO2和氮素对上述指标有交互作用。综上所述,小叶锦鸡儿根际土壤微生物群落的功能在很大程度上受到外界环境因子的影响,对环境变化较敏感的碳源类型为聚合物、糖类、氨基酸和羧酸,与利用比例较高的碳源类型基本一致。     

Impacts of 3 years of elevated atmospheric CO2 on rhizosphere carbon flow and microbial community dynamics

Carbon (C) uptake by terrestrial ecosystems represents an important option for partially mitigating anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. Short‐term atmospheric elevated CO₂ exposure has been shown to create major shifts in C flow routes and diversity of the active soil‐borne microbial community. Long‐term increases in CO₂ have been hypothesized to have subtle effects due to the potential adaptation of soil microorganism to the increased flow of organic C. Here, we studied the effects of prolonged elevated atmospheric CO₂ exposure on microbial C flow and microbial communities in the rhizosphere. Carex arenaria (a nonmycorrhizal plant species) and Festuca rubra (a mycorrhizal plant species) were grown at defined atmospheric conditions differing in CO₂ concentration (350 and 700 ppm) for 3 years. During this period, C flow was assessed repeatedly (after 6 months, 1, 2, and 3 years) by ¹³C pulse‐chase experiments, and label was tracked through the rhizosphere bacterial, general fungal, and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities. Fatty acid biomarker analyses and RNA‐stable isotope probing (RNA‐SIP), in combination with real‐time PCR and PCR‐DGGE, were used to examine microbial community dynamics and abundance. Throughout the experiment the influence of elevated CO₂ was highly plant dependent, with the mycorrhizal plant exerting a greater influence on both bacterial and fungal communities. Biomarker data confirmed that rhizodeposited C was first processed by AMF and subsequently transferred to bacterial and fungal communities in the rhizosphere soil. Over the course of 3 years, elevated CO₂ caused a continuous increase in the ¹³C enrichment retained in AMF and an increasing delay in the transfer of C to the bacterial community. These results show that, not only do elevated atmospheric CO₂ conditions induce changes in rhizosphere C flow and dynamics but also continue to develop over multiple seasons, thereby affecting terrestrial ecosystems C utilization processes.     

Responses of soil cellulolytic fungal communities to elevated atmospheric CO₂ are complex and variable across five ecosystems

Elevated atmospheric CO(2) generally increases plant productivity and subsequently increases the availability of cellulose in soil to microbial decomposers. As key cellulose degraders, soil fungi are likely to be one of the most impacted and responsive microbial groups to elevated atmospheric CO(2). To investigate the impacts of ecosystem type and elevated atmospheric CO(2) on cellulolytic fungal communities, we sequenced 10,677 cbhI gene fragments encoding the catalytic subunit of cellobiohydrolase I, across five distinct terrestrial ecosystem experiments after a decade of exposure to elevated CO(2). The cbhI composition of each ecosystem was distinct, as supported by weighted Unifrac analyses (all P-values; < 0.001), with few operational taxonomic units (OTUs) being shared across ecosystems. Using a 114-member cbhI sequence database compiled from known fungi, less than 1% of the environmental sequences could be classified at the family level indicating that cellulolytic fungi in situ are likely dominated by novel fungi or known fungi that are not yet recognized as cellulose degraders. Shifts in fungal cbhI composition and richness that were correlated with elevated CO(2) exposure varied across the ecosystems. In aspen plantation and desert creosote bush soils, cbhI gene richness was significantly higher after exposure to elevated CO(2) (550 μmol mol(-1)) than under ambient CO(2) (360 μmol mol(-1) CO(2)). In contrast, while the richness was not altered, the relative abundance of dominant OTUs in desert soil crusts was significantly shifted. This suggests that responses are complex, vary across different ecosystems and, in at least one case, are OTU-specific. Collectively, our results document the complexity of cellulolytic fungal communities in multiple terrestrial ecosystems and the variability of their responses to long-term exposure to elevated atmospheric CO(2).     

CO2浓度升高对森林土壤微生物呼吸与根（际）呼吸的影响

 根呼吸与微生物呼吸的作用底物不同,二者对高浓度CO₂的响应机理及敏感程度亦不同。在大气CO₂浓度升高的背景下,精确区分根呼吸与微生物呼吸是构建森林生态系统碳循环模型和预测森林生态系统碳源/汇关系所必需的。根（际）呼吸与微生物呼吸对高浓度CO₂的响应呈增加、降低或无明显变化等不同趋势,根（际）呼吸变化主要与根生物量明显相关,细根的作用大于粗根;土壤微生物呼吸变化存在较大的不确定性,微生物量和微生物活性与土壤微生物呼吸相关或不相关。根系统对高浓度CO₂的响应会潜在地影响微生物的代谢底物,进而影响微生物呼吸强度。凡影响土壤总呼吸的生物与非生物因子都会直接或间接地影响根呼吸与土壤微生物呼吸。     

The response of soil microorganisms and roots to elevated CO2 and temperature in a terrestrial model ecosystem

We investigate the response of soil microorganisms to atmospheric CO2 and temperature change within model terrestrial ecosystems in the Ecotron. The model communities consisted of four plant species (Cardamine hirsuta, Poa annua, Senecio vulgaris, Spergula arvensis), four herbivorous insect species (two aphids, a leaf-miner, and a whitefly) and their parasitoids, snails, earthworms, woodlice, soil-dwelling Collembola (springtails), nematodes and soil microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, mycorrhizae and Protista). In two successive experiments, the effects of elevated temperature (ambient plus 2 °C) at both ambient and elevated CO2 conditions (ambient plus 200 ppm) were investigated. A 40:60 sand:Surrey loam mixture with relatively low nutrient levels was used. Each experiment ran for 9 months and soil microbial biomass (Cmic and Nmic), soil microbial community (fungal and bacterial phospholipid fatty acids), basal respiration, and enzymes involved in the carbon cycling (xylanase, trehalase) were measured at depths of 0–2, 0–10 and 10–20 cm. In addition, root biomass and tissue C:N ratio were determined to provide information on the amount and quality of substrates for microbial growth.Elevated temperature under both ambient and elevated CO2 did not show consistent treatment effects. Elevation of air temperature at ambient CO2 induced an increase in Cmic of the 0–10 cm layer, while at elevated CO2 total phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) increased after the third generation. The metabolic quotient qCO2 decreased at elevated temperature in the ambient CO2 run. Xylanase and trehalase showed no changes in both runs. Root biomass and C:N ratio were not influenced by elevated temperature in ambient CO2. In elevated CO2, however, elevated temperature reduced root biomass in the 0–10 cm and 30–40 cm layers and increased N content of roots in the deeper layers. The different response of root biomass and C:N ratio to elevated temperature may be caused by differences in the dynamics of root decomposition and/or in allocation patterns to coarse or fine roots (i.e. storage vs. resource capture functions). Overall, our data suggests that in soils of low nutrient availability, the effects of climate change on the soil microbial community and processes are likely to be minimal and largely unpredicatable.     

Effect of elevated CO2 on rhizosphere carbon flow and soil microbial processes

Direct effects of increased above-ground CO₂ concentration on soil microbial processes are unlikely, due to the high pCO₂ of the soil atmosphere in most terrestrial ecosystems. However, below- ground microbial processes are likely to be affected through altered plant inputs at elevated CO₂. A major component of plant input is derived from litter fall and root turnover. Inputs also derive from rhizodeposition (loss of C-compounds from active root systems) which may account for up to 40% of photoassimilate. This input fuels the activity of complex microbial communities around roots. These communities are centrally important not only to plant–microbe interactions and consequent effects on plant growth, but also, through their high relative activity and abundance, to microbially mediated processes in soil generally. This review focuses on approaches to measure C-flow from roots, in particular, as affected by increased atmospheric CO₂ concentration. The available evidence for impacts on microbial communities inhabiting this niche, which constitutes an interface for possible perturbations on terrestrial ecosystems through the influence of environmental change, will also be discussed. While methodologies for measuring effects of increased CO₂ concentration on plant growth, physiology and C-partitioning are abundant and widely reported, there is relatively little information on plant-mediated effects on soil microbial communities and processes. Importantly, many studies have also neglected to recognize that any secondary effects on microbial communities may have profound effects on plant parameters measured in relation to environmental change. We critically review approaches which have been used to measure rhizodeposition under conditions of increased atmospheric CO₂ concentration, and then consider evidence for changes in microbial communities and processes, and the methodologies which have been recently developed, and are appropriate to study such changes.     

大气CO2增加对陆地生态系统微量气体地-气交换的影响

简要综述了近年来国内外在大气CO2浓度增加对微量气体交换影响方面的研究进展,首先介绍了有关大气CO2浓度增加的研究技术和方法,比较了目前两种常用技术开顶箱（OTC）和开放式空气CO2增加（FACE）方法的优缺点,然后着重阐述了用OTC和FACE研究陆地生态系统CH4、N2O、CO2等微量气体的地气交换对大气CO2浓度增加的响应,综合现有的资料表明,大气CO2浓度增加,会促进绿色植物生物量增加,同时改变生物质的C/N,降低有机质的分解速率,增强了陆地生态系统对大气CO2的固特作用;大气CO2浓度增加会提高产甲烷菌的活性和影响CH4的排放过程,有可能导致湿地生态系统CH4的排放增加;大气CO2浓度增加对N2O排放影响的研究较少,且尚无一致的结论;另外,对于其他微量气体,尚没有盯关研究报道,鉴于此,今后应加强大气CO2浓度增加的微量气体地气交换响应研究。     

Plant species and soil type cooperatively shape the structure and function of microbial communities in the rhizosphere

The rhizosphere is of central importance not only for plant nutrition, health and quality but also for microorganism-driven carbon sequestration, ecosystem functioning and nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. A multitude of biotic and abiotic factors are assumed to influence the structural and functional diversity of microbial communities in the rhizosphere. In this review, recent studies on the influence of the two factors, plant species and soil type, on rhizosphere-associated microbial communities are discussed. Root exudates and the response of microorganisms to the latter as well as to root morphology were shown to shape rhizosphere microbial communities. All studies revealed that soil is the main reservoir for rhizosphere microorganisms. Many secrets of microbial life in the rhizosphere were recently uncovered due to the enormous progress in molecular and microscopic tools. Physiological and molecular data on the factors that drive selection processes in the rhizosphere are presented here. Furthermore, implications for agriculture, nature conservation and biotechnology will also be discussed.     

Strong associations between plant genotypes and bacterial communities in a natural salt marsh

Although microbial communities have been shown to vary among plant genotypes in a number of experiments in terrestrial ecosystems, relatively little is known about this relationship under natural conditions and outside of select model systems. We reasoned that a salt marsh ecosystem, which is characterized by twice‐daily flooding by tides, would serve as a particularly conservative test of the strength of plant–microbial associations, given the high degree of abiotic regulation of microbial community assembly resulting from alternating periods of inundation and exposure. Within a salt marsh in the northeastern United States, we characterized genotypes of the foundational plant Spartina alterniflora using microsatellite markers, and bacterial metagenomes within marsh soil based on pyrosequencing. We found significant differences in bacterial community composition and diversity between bulk and rhizosphere soil, and that the structure of rhizosphere communities varied depending on the growth form of, and genetic variation within, the foundational plant S. alterniflora. Our results indicate that there are strong plant–microbial associations within a natural salt marsh, thereby contributing to a growing body of evidence for a relationship between plant genotypes and microbial communities from terrestrial ecosystems and suggest that principles of community genetics apply to this wetland type.     

基于稳定碳同位素技术研究大气CO2浓度升高对植物-土壤系统碳循环的影响

大气CO₂浓度升高影响植物光合作用过程和生物量积累,改变植物地上和地下生物量的动态分配.土壤有机质的形成和周转依赖于植物组分的输入,因此,CO₂浓度升高所造成的植物生理和代谢的变化对土壤碳库收支平衡具有重要影响.采用稳定碳同位素(¹³C)技术研究土壤-植物系统的碳循环可阐明大气CO₂浓度升高条件下光合碳在植物各器官的分配特征和时间动态,明确光合碳在土壤中的积累、分解与迁移转化过程以及对土壤有机碳库周转的影响.本文综述了基于¹³C自然丰度法或¹³C示踪技术研究大气CO₂浓度升高对土壤-植物系统碳循环的影响,主要包括:1)对植物光合作用的同位素分馏的影响;2)对植物光合碳(新碳)分配动态的影响;3)对土壤有机碳新老碳库动态以及微生物转化过程的影响.明确上述过程及其调控机制可为预测CO₂浓度升高对陆地生态系统碳循环及源汇效应的长期影响奠定基础.     

Impact of elevated CO2 on the metabolic diversity of microbial communities in N-limited grass swards

The impact of elevated atmospheric CO2 on qualitative and qua ntitative changes in rhizosphere carbon flow will have important consequences fo r nutrient cycling and storage in soil, through the effect on the activity, biom ass size and composition of soil microbial communities. We hypothesized that mic robial communities from the rhizosphere of Danthonia richardsonii, a n ative C3 Australian grass, growing at ambient and twice ambient CO2 a nd varying rates of low N application (20, 60, 180 kg N ha-1) will be different as a consequence of qualitative and quantitative change in rhizosphere carbon flow. We used the Biolog^TM system to construct sole carbon source utilisation profiles of these communities from the rhizosphere of D. richardsonii. Biolog^TM GN and MT plates, the latter to which more ecologically relevant root exudate carbon sources were added, were used to characterise the communities. Microbial communities from the rhizosphere of D. richardsonii grown for four years at twice ambient CO2 had significantly greater utilisation of all carbon sources except those with a low C:N ratio (neutral and acidic amino acids, amides, N-heterocycles, long chain aliphatic acids) than communities from plants grown at ambient CO2. This indicates a change in microbial community composition suggesting that under elevated CO2 compounds with a higher C:N ratio were exuded. Enumeration of microorganisms, using plate counts, indicated that there was a preferential stimulation of fungal growth at elevated CO2 and confirmed that bacterial metabolic activity (C utilisation rates), not population size (counts), were stimulated by additional C flow at elevated CO2. Nitrogen was an additional rate-limiting factor for microbial growth in soil and had a significant impact on the microbial response to elevated CO2. Microbial populations were higher in the rhizosphere of plants receiving the highest N application, but the communities receiving the lowest N application were most active. These results have important implications for carbon turnover and storage in soils where changes in soil microbial community structure and stimulation of the activity of microorganisms which prefer to grow on rhizodeposits may lead to a decrease in the composition of organic matter and result in an accumulation of soil carbon.