Soil microclimate and vegetation dynamics shape elevational and seasonal variations of diazotrophic communities in alpine grasslands.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Diazotrophs play critical roles in maintaining ecosystem nitrogen (N) cycling in alpine grasslands. However, the elevational and seasonal variations of diazotrophic communities in these ecosystems remain poorly understood. This gap in knowledge limits our ability to predict how N fixation will respond to environmental change. Here, we investigated the seasonal dynamics of soil diazotrophic communities across a 3200-4000 m elevational gradient in Qinghai-Tibetan alpine grasslands during the growing season.

Methods

Soil samples were collected across an elevational gradient (3200-4000 m) throughout the growing season. The diazotrophic community composition was assessed by sequencing the nifH gene, which was also quantified using quantitative PCR. Soil nitrogenase a

SUBMITTER: Rui J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12477229 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature