Abstract:Soil microbial community composition was the hot issue of soil science, microbiology and ecology. This research conducted in China was in the international forefront and more and more relevant research has been published in high influential international journals. The phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method plays a significant role in the analysis of soil microbial communities, both domestic and foreign. But it also has some shortages, which should arouse the concern of research scholars. This paper reviewed the related research focusing on the development history and the application of PLFA method. This review highlights the caution when using and interpreting PLFA data, summarizes the PLFA biomarker and provides some suggestions towards the combination with the new approach in order to facilitate future studies.
