Metagenomic data of soil microbial communities and functional genes involved in carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling under different livestock grazing in alpine grasslands on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

This dataset comprises metagenomic sequencing data and corresponding soil physicochemical properties from a field grazing experiment conducted in alpine grassland on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The research aimed to test the hypothesis that different livestock grazing—Tibetan sheep grazing (SG), yak grazing (YG), and mixed grazing by both (MG)—differentially influence soil microbial community composition and the abundance of functional genes involved in carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) cycling. Soil samples were collected from both topsoil and subsoil layers across all grazing treatments. Total DNA was extracted and subjected to shotgun metagenomic sequencing to characterize microbial taxonomic profiles (including bacteria and fungi) and quantify functional genes associated with C, N, and P cycles. Soil properties and plant characteristicswere also measured. The data reveal grazing-specific effects: SG increased the relative abundance of Pseudomonadota and the bacterial Chao1 index, while YG increased Actinomycetota, Ascomycota, and specific diversity indices. Notably, genes related to C fixation, N cycling, and P cycling were significantly more abundant in the subsoil under SG, whereas methane metabolism genes were enriched in the topsoil under YG. Further analysis identified NH4+-N, SOC, and AP as the primary soil factors driving changes in functional gene abundances. This dataset enables researchers to explore livestock-microbe-soil interactions, assess depth-dependent microbial responses to grazing, and supports meta-analyses on grazing effects on nutrient cycling in sensitive alpine ecosystems.