4. Conclusions
In summary, Acidobacterial diversity patterns along elevational gradients were analyzed by the 16S rRNA high-throughput
sequencing technique. We found that the dominant subdivision in different soil environments is variable and they may
be involved in different ecological metabolic processes. The Acidobacterial shannon index indicated a significant single
peak in soil Acidobacteria diversity (P< 0.05) with an increase in elevation, and the Jaccard and Bray–Curtis index showed that the Acidobacteria compositional similarity significantly decreased (P< 0.01) with an increase in elevational distance. Soil pH, soil temperature and plant diversity may be the key factors in shaping soil Acidobacteria community composition and structure.