Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

The Nitrogen Cycle01:49

The Nitrogen Cycle

51.5K
Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...
51.5K
The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition02:11

The Roles of Bacteria and Fungi in Plant Nutrition

34.9K
Plants have the impressive ability to create their own food through photosynthesis. However, plants often require assistance from organisms in the soil to acquire the nutrients they need to function correctly. Both bacteria and fungi have evolved symbiotic relationships with plants that help the species to thrive in a wide variety of environments.
34.9K
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism01:20

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

7.8K
Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of  ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or  nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this...
7.8K
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition02:35

Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

18.6K
Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the...
18.6K
Threats to Biodiversity01:50

Threats to Biodiversity

22.1K
There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...
22.1K
The Calvin Benson Cycle01:46

The Calvin Benson Cycle

4.4K
Ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) is a critical enzyme that catalyzes carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis. However, it is an inefficient enzyme, having an extremely slow catalytic rate. A typical enzyme can process about a thousand molecules per second; however, RuBisCo fixes only around three-carbon dioxides per second. Photosynthetic cells compensate for this slow rate by synthesizing very high amounts of RuBisCo, making it the most abundant single...
4.4K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Can fire exclusion zones enhance postfire tree regeneration? A simulation study in subalpine conifer forests.

Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America·2025
Same author

Patterns of early post-disturbance reorganization in Central European forests.

Proceedings. Biological sciences·2024
Same author

Long-term efficacy of fuel reduction and restoration treatments in Northern Rockies dry forests.

Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America·2024
Same author

Peeking under the canopy: anomalously short fire-return intervals alter subalpine forest understory plant communities.

The New phytologist·2023
Same author

Less fuel for the next fire? Short-interval fire delays forest recovery and interacting drivers amplify effects.

Ecology·2023
Same author

Regeneration strategies and forest resilience to changing fire regimes: Insights from a Goldilocks model.

Ecology·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 29, 2025

Design and Operation of a Continuous 13C and 15N Labeling Chamber for Uniform or Differential, Metabolic and Structural, Plant Isotope Labeling
10:16

Design and Operation of a Continuous 13C and 15N Labeling Chamber for Uniform or Differential, Metabolic and Structural, Plant Isotope Labeling

Published on: January 16, 2014

21.9K

Rates and controls of nitrogen fixation in postfire lodgepole pine forests.

Robert E Heumann1, Monica G Turner2, Cory C Cleveland1

  • 1Department of Ecosystem and Conservation Sciences, W.A. Franke College of Forestry and Conservation, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA.

Ecology
|February 7, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Wildfires deplete forest nitrogen. Cryptic nitrogen fixation in lodgepole pine forests is limited by moisture and temperature, contributing less than 10% to post-fire nitrogen recovery, leaving the primary source unknown.

Keywords:
Greater Yellowstone Ecosystemassociativeasymbioticbiogeochemistrycrypticdisturbance ecologyfree‐livingseasonal variation

More Related Videos

Assessment of Labile Organic Carbon in Soil Using Sequential Fumigation Incubation Procedures
09:04

Assessment of Labile Organic Carbon in Soil Using Sequential Fumigation Incubation Procedures

Published on: October 29, 2016

11.4K
Author Spotlight: In Vitro Co-Culture System of Pine Shoots and Pinewood Nematode for Studying Host Volatile Response
08:42

Author Spotlight: In Vitro Co-Culture System of Pine Shoots and Pinewood Nematode for Studying Host Volatile Response

Published on: September 27, 2024

648

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 29, 2025

Design and Operation of a Continuous 13C and 15N Labeling Chamber for Uniform or Differential, Metabolic and Structural, Plant Isotope Labeling
10:16

Design and Operation of a Continuous 13C and 15N Labeling Chamber for Uniform or Differential, Metabolic and Structural, Plant Isotope Labeling

Published on: January 16, 2014

21.9K
Assessment of Labile Organic Carbon in Soil Using Sequential Fumigation Incubation Procedures
09:04

Assessment of Labile Organic Carbon in Soil Using Sequential Fumigation Incubation Procedures

Published on: October 29, 2016

11.4K
Author Spotlight: In Vitro Co-Culture System of Pine Shoots and Pinewood Nematode for Studying Host Volatile Response
08:42

Author Spotlight: In Vitro Co-Culture System of Pine Shoots and Pinewood Nematode for Studying Host Volatile Response

Published on: September 27, 2024

648

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Forest Science

Background:

  • Wildfires significantly reduce nitrogen (N) in subalpine conifer forests, potentially limiting productivity.
  • Post-fire nitrogen replenishment in lodgepole pine forests is observed, but the sources remain unclear.
  • Understanding nitrogen fixation is crucial for ecosystem recovery in fire-prone regions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the rates, temporal dynamics, and climate controls of cryptic nitrogen fixation in lodgepole pine forests 34 years after wildfire.
  • To identify the contribution of various microhabitats (lichen, moss, litter, dead wood, soil) to nitrogen fixation.
  • To determine the role of cryptic nitrogen fixation in overall post-fire ecosystem nitrogen recovery.

Main Methods:

  • Field measurements of acetylene reduction rates across multiple cryptic niches in 34-year-old lodgepole pine stands.
  • Laboratory experiments manipulating temperature and moisture to assess their impact on nitrogenase activity in different niches.
  • Comparison of estimated nitrogen fixation rates with observed post-fire nitrogen accumulation in biomass and soil.

Main Results:

  • Acetylene reduction rates, indicating nitrogen fixation, were highest in late May, correlating with high moisture availability.
  • Moisture was identified as a key regulator of field-based nitrogen fixation, with some niches showing activity after rain events.
  • Moss and dead wood niches exhibited responses to temperature and moisture in laboratory settings, but field results suggest asynchrony limits overall fixation.
  • Total annual cryptic nitrogen fixation (0.07-2.9 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹) accounted for less than 10% of the post-fire nitrogen accumulation (39.4 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹).

Conclusions:

  • Cryptic nitrogen fixation plays a minor role in the rapid post-fire nitrogen recovery observed in these lodgepole pine forests.
  • Moisture availability and the temporal asynchrony of favorable temperature and moisture conditions significantly limit nitrogen fixation rates in the field.
  • The primary source of substantial ecosystem nitrogen replenishment following wildfire in this system remains unidentified and warrants further investigation.