Аннотация:The present study aimed to evaluate the shifts in the activity and composition of the soil methanotrophiccommunities in the microcosm experiments in response to La addition. Microcosms of the soddy podzolic soilwere incubated in methane: air (10:90, v/v) atmosphere and 5 mg La/kg soil were added. The addition of Laslightly increased soil methanotrophic activity. A metagenomics study has revealed the correlation betweenthe abundances of the Methylococcaceae and Methylophilacea populations. In the La-amended samples,the quantity of Methylobacter was 4% and 6% after 1 and 2 months correspondingly. In native soil, it wasundetected and has risen to 0.4% after methane incubation. Simultaneously, the content of methylotrophMethylotenera was 10 and 19% after 1 and 2 months. These data suggested that Methylotenera can obtaincarbon from methane and that there may be selective La pressure for these organisms to work collectivelywith the methanotrophs. This interaction, and its dependence on La, may have important implications for themethane cycle in soils worldwide.