Contrasting altitudinal patterns and co-occurrence networks of soil bacterial and fungal communities along soil depths in the cold-temperate montane forests of China

Soil bacterial and fungal communities with different key ecological functions play important roles in boreal forest ecosystems. Although several studies have reported on the altitudinal distribution patterns of microbes, our understanding characteristics microbial community core composition microbiome cold-temperate montane forests is still limited. In this study, Illumina MiSeq sequencing was used to investigate changes soil surface subsurface soils along an gradient (from 830 m 1300 m) Oakley Mountain. The diversity showed a monotonic decrease increase altitude, respectively. influence altitude stronger than that depth. variations pH dissolved organic nitrogen content at altitudes were main factors influencing structures, There no obvious difference between network structures communities, while more complex intricate community. nodes mainly belonging Proteobacteria Actinobacteria taxa two layers. drivers structure are consistent for whole sub-nerwork subnetwork analysis revealed other (i.e. temperature nitrate nitrogen) do not capture by analysis. Thus, comprehensive picture shaping can be achieved combining analyses. Our results demonstrated had depth divergent