Forest restoration - ’balance nitrogen-fixing trees with other species’

Reforestation projects could be made more effective with the findings of new research into the constraints on nitrogen fixation among plants. Some trees, such as those from the Fabaceae or legume family, form a symbiotic relationship with bacteria, enabling them to them take in nitrogen from the air. For most plants, nitrogen comes from the soil but some soils, particularly those in newly reforested or disturbed tropical forests, can be low on nitrogen - and this limits tree growth. Nitrogen is a key nutrient-needed for-photosynthesis. Using a process known as nitrogen fixation, some plants have adapted to take-up nitrogen from the air using the services of friendly bacteria. This enables trees to grow in habitats where nitrogen levels are low. Higher levels of nitrogen can result in higher levels of photosynthesis and removal of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere, helping to offset some of the carbon emissions from human activity.