Biological OsmoSampler continuous sample from East River, CO Raw sequence reads

Biogeochemical processes capable of altering global carbon systems occur frequently in Earth's Critical Zone, the area spanning from vegetation canopy to saturated bedrock, yet many of these phenomena are difficult to detect. Observation of these processes is limited by the seasonal inaccessibility of remote ecosystems, such as those in mountainous, snow- and ice-dominated areas. This isolation leads to a distinct gap in biogeochemical knowledge that ultimately affects the accuracy and confidence with which these ecosystems can be computationally modeled for the purpose of projecting change under different climate scenarios. Continuously collected microbial communities in the river in the late fall and early winter revealed diverse populations that reflect the taxonomic composition of ecologically similar river systems. These measurements captured several biogeochemical components of the hight altitude watershed in response to seasonality, strengthening our understanding of these systems during the winter months.