Abstract: Soil microbial community characteristics are an important indicator of soil quality and ecosystem functional changes. In this study, the impacts of cattle grazing intensity on soil microbial community structures were examined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) in temperate meadow steppe on the Hulunber grasslands, northeastern China. Microbial communities under four grazing intensities; 0, 0.23, 0.46 and 0.92 animal units (au)/ha with three replicates were assessed in 2013. The results showed that grazing influenced the composition of the soil microbial community. Total soil microbial biomass was highest under zero grazing, followed by the 0.92 au/ha stocking rate and was lowest under the moderate stocking rate. The biomass of bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, saprophytic fungi, and Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) responded similarly. There was a large, highly significantly treatment effect on AMF. The biomass of Gram-positive bacteria and Actinomyces trended upward with increased grazing intensity. In addition, we found that soil microbial community structure was similar in the un-grazed and low stocking rate treatments whereas the intermediate and high stocking rates substantial changed the microbial community structure. Soil organic matter and available phosphorus were important factors influencing soil microbial biodiversity and biomass.