Soil C/N ratio governs bacterial community assembly along an arid mountain elevational gradient.

ABSTRACT: The mechanisms governing soil bacterial community assembly along elevational gradients in cold-arid mountains remain poorly understood, despite their critical role in these fragile ecosystems. This study investigates these mechanisms along a pronounced climatic and vegetational gradient (1,707-3,548 m) on the northern slope of the Central Kunlun Mountains. The results show that bacterial α-diversity increased with elevation, while β-diversity exhibited a hump-shaped pattern. Mean annual precipitation (MAP) and vegetation cover were the primary drivers of these patterns, exerting stronger influences than soil pH. This suggests that arid-adapted bacteria possess unique environmental tolerances. Notably, after accounting for multicollinearity among environmental factors, the soil organic carb

SUBMITTER: Zhang Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12864470 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature