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Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O
Published on: October 7, 2020
Facultative versus obligate nitrogen fixation strategies and their ecosystem consequences
Duncan N L Menge1, Simon A Levin, Lars O Hedin
1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey 08544, USA. menge@nceas.ucsb.edu
Facultative nitrogen (N) fixers can outcompete obligate strategies. Costs and time lags explain why non-fixers and obligate fixers persist, maintaining ecosystem nitrogen balance.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Biogeochemistry
- Mathematical Modeling
Background:
- Symbiotic nitrogen (N) fixers are vital for terrestrial ecosystems.
- N fixers exhibit obligate (constant rate) or facultative (adjustable rate) strategies.
- The ecosystem impacts of these strategies remain underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To model the optimal facultative N fixation strategy.
- To investigate the conditions favoring obligate vs. facultative N fixation.
- To explain persistent N limitation and N richness patterns.
Main Methods:
- Development of a simple mathematical model.
- Analysis of N fixation strategies under varying environmental conditions.
- Exploration of costs and time lags associated with N fixation.
Main Results:
- The optimal facultative strategy excludes obligate strategies in the basic model.
- Costs and time lags select against facultative N fixers.
- These factors explain sustained N limitation and N richness.
Conclusions:
- Facultative N fixation is not always dominant due to costs and lags.
- These dynamics can explain ecosystem N patterns across biomes.
- Further research is needed on regional differences in costs and lags.
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