Increased N deposition, rather than warming, strongly affects the functional structure of soil microbial community in a subtropical forest

Low-latitude forest ecosystems are characterized by high productivity, high mineral nitrogen (N) levels and low soil organic carbon (C) levels. The continuous increase of both the global temperature and N deposition has been predicted to stimulate microbial communities and their function. However, because of the difficulty of field experimentation in mountain forests, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We examined the functional gene composition, structure, and metabolic potential of soil microbial communities after a 4-year exposure to warming and N addition using a functional gene microarray (GeoChip 5.0) in the context of subtropical forests.