16S-V4 rRNA sequencing data associated with N-cycling activity from soils collected along an elevation gradient in the Colorado Front Range (2018-2019).

Atmospheric deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) can impact the soil microbial community structure and function and thus ecosystem processing and export of nutrients. Ecosystem response to atmospheric inputs of nitrogen depends on several factors, including elevational climate conditions (freeze/thaw cycles, precipitation), geology, soil and vegetation type, N speciation and microbial community structure. The focus of this study was to evaluate how spatial and seasonal variations in N deposition affect the ability of soil microbial communities to process N along an elevational gradient (1700 to 3015 meters) from plains to subalpine ecosystems west of Boulder, Colorado. In conjunction with a study measuring the variability of wet-plus-dry Nr Deposition along this gradient using ion exchange resin (IER) columns, soil samples (0 - 10 cm depth) were collected seasonally at 3 locations and once at a 4th location. To assess the role that the soil microbial community plays in processing nitrogen, soils were measured for nitrification potential, net N mineralization rates and N-cycling gene abundance. The microbial community structure was analyzed based on the 16S-V4 rRNA Illumina sequencing results presented in this submission. Associated data, including soil carbon and nitrogen content, pH, extractable nitrogen, ammonium sorption potential, and bulk density can be found in the USGS Science Base data release linked on this page.