To investigate the diversity and structure of soil bacterial and fungal communities in saline soils, soil samples with three increasing salinity levels (S1, S2 and S3) were collected from a maize field in Yanqi, Xinjiang Province, China. The results showed that the K+, Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ values in the bulk soil were higher than those in the rhizosphere soil, with significant differences in S2 and S3 (p p 2+, available phosphorus (AP), saturated electrical conductivity (ECe) and available kalium (AK) as the dominant environmental factors correlated with bacterial community structures (p 2+ and ECe as the dominant factors correlated with fungal community structures (p < 0.001). The relative abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes showed positive correlations with the salinity gradient. Our findings regarding the bacteria having positive correlations with the level of salinization might be a useful biological indicator of microorganisms in saline soils.
