Temperature mediates spatial scaling of farmland soil microbes

Climate warming is increasingly leading to significant changes in biodiversity, but it remains unclear how temperature affect the pattern of spatial scaling (β-diversity). We hypothesized that in accordance with metabolic theory of ecology, the z-values of microbial taxa-area relationship increased with temperature at both taxonomic and functional levels. By conducting a comprehensive sampling strategy along five climatic zones, we found the mean annual temperature is the most important factor in predicting the spatial turnover rates of Archaeal and bacterial communities, and also microbial functional genes. The results imply vulnerability of biodiversity due to climate warming.