Scaling from Molecules to Ecosystems

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All living organisms require nitrogen, and a singleprocess - biological nitrogen fixation - accounts formore than 97% of natural nitrogen inputs into Earth'secosystems. To date, most nitrogen fixation researchhas focused on the symbiotic nitrogen fixationoccurring via the structured relationship ofparticular bacteria and plant roots. Yet free-livingnitrogen fixation, the nitrogen fixation occurringoutside of this symbiosis, may represent the dominantsource of biologically-available nitrogen to avariety of ecosystems. Here we explored free-livingnitrogen fixation controls, ranging from the effectof fertilization on nitrogen inputs to the role ofmicrobial nitrogen-fixer community structure inregulating nitrogen fixation rates. We found thatfree-living nitrogen fixation was a dynamic processthat supplied diverse ecosystems with nitrogen, andthat we could elucidate multiple controls over thisimportant process.