Abstract：Using a free-air concentration enrichment (FACE) system, field studies were conducted on functional diversity of soil microbial community from two rice lines, transgenic Bt Shanyou 63 (Bt-SY63) and its non-transgenic counterpart (SY63), in elevated O3 (E-O3) versus ambient O3 (A-O3) condition during 2010~2011. The results indicated that the AWCD (average well colour development) values of Bt-SY63 and SY63 tended to decrease as O3 increased. No significant ozone effects (P > 0.05) were detected on Simpson, Shannon and McIntosh indices of functional diversity of the soil microbial communities in Bt-SY63 and SY63. Edaphon’s ability to utilize the substrates of some specific carbon resources was significantly affected (P < 0.05) by E-O3 in Bt-SY63 from the original carbohydrates and their derivants to the metabolic mediates and secondary metabolites, whereas SY63 was not significantly affected (P < 0.05) by E-O3. The results suggested that Bt-SY63 might be more sensitive to E-O3 than SY63 with respect to the different responses to E-O3 in the soil microbial community.
