Patch-level rates of nitrogen fixation and denitrification and environmental covariates from seven streams in Idaho and Michigan

We hypothesized that environmental variation at the patch scale (1 - 10’s m) would facilitate the co-occurrence of N2 fixation and denitrification through the formation of hot spots in streams. We measured rates of N2 fixation and denitrification and relative abundances of the genes nifH and nirS in patches determined by channel geomorphic units and substrate type in 4 Idaho and 3 Michigan streams encompassing a gradient of N and P concentrations. This data package includes patch-level measurements of N2 fixation and denitrification rates, relative gene abundances of nifH and nirS, and environmental covariates (nutrient concentrations, water temperature, surface and subsurface dissolved oxygen concentrations, organic matter content) that were used to explore the factors that could predict process rates and relative gene abundances across patches and streams.