Exploring the role of cryptic nitrogen fixers in terrestrial ecosystems: A frontier in nitrogen cycling research

Cory Cleveland; Carla R. G. Reis; Steven S. Perakis; Katherine A Dynarski; Sarah Batterman; Timothy Crews; Maga Gei; Michael J. Gundale; Duncan Menge; Mark Peoples; Sasha C. Reed; Verity Salmon; Fiona M. Soper; Benton Taylor; Monica Turner; Nina Wurzburger

doi:10.1007/s10021-022-00804-2

Exploring the role of cryptic nitrogen fixers in terrestrial ecosystems: A frontier in nitrogen cycling research

Ecosystems

By: Cory Cleveland, Carla R. G. Reis, Steven S. Perakis, Katherine A Dynarski, Sarah Batterman, Timothy Crews, Maga Gei, Michael J. Gundale, Duncan Menge, Mark Peoples, Sasha C. Reed, Verity Salmon, Fiona M. Soper, Benton Taylor, Monica Turner, and Nina Wurzburger

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-022-00804-2

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Abstract

Biological nitrogen fixation represents the largest natural flux of new nitrogen (N) into terrestrial ecosystems, providing a critical N source to support net primary productivity of both natural and agricultural systems. When they are common, symbiotic associations between plants and bacteria can add more than 100 kg N ha⁻¹ y⁻¹ to ecosystems. Yet, these associations are uncommon in many terrestrial ecosystems. In most cases, N inputs derive from more cryptic sources, including mutualistic and/or free-living microorganisms in soil, plant litter, decomposing roots and wood, lichens, insects, and mosses, among others. Unfortunately, large gaps remain in the understanding of cryptic N fixation. We conducted a literature review to explore rates, patterns, and controls of cryptic N fixation in both unmanaged and agricultural ecosystems. Our analysis indicates that, as is common with N fixation, rates are highly variable across most cryptic niches, with N inputs in any particular cryptic niche ranging from near zero to more than 20 kg ha⁻¹ y⁻¹. Such large variation underscores the need for more comprehensive measurements of N fixation by organisms not in symbiotic relationships with vascular plants in terrestrial ecosystems, as well as identifying the factors that govern cryptic N fixation rates. We highlight several challenges, opportunities, and priorities in this important research area, and we propose a conceptual model that posits an interacting hierarchy of biophysical and biogeochemical controls over N fixation that should generate valuable new hypotheses and research.

Suggested Citation

Cleveland, C., Reis, C., Perakis, S.S., Dynarski, K.A., Batterman, S., Crews, T., Gei, M., Gundale, M.J., Menge, D., Peoples, M., Reed, S., Salmon, V., Soper, F.M., Taylor, B., Turner, M., and Wurzburger, N., 2022, Exploring the role of cryptic nitrogen fixers in terrestrial ecosystems: A frontier in nitrogen cycling research: Ecosystems, v. 25, p. 1653-1669, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10021-022-00804-2.

Additional publication details
Publication type	Article
Publication Subtype	Journal Article
Title	Exploring the role of cryptic nitrogen fixers in terrestrial ecosystems: A frontier in nitrogen cycling research
Series title	Ecosystems
DOI	10.1007/s10021-022-00804-2
Volume	25
Publication Date	November 18, 2022
Year Published	2022
Language	English
Publisher	Springer
Contributing office(s)	Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Southwest Biological Science Center
Description	17 p.
First page	1653
Last page	1669