Natural symbiosis: How plants and microbes share vital nutrients in fragile ecosystems

Nitrogen is essential for all living organisms, but in many ecosystems it is in short supply. Plants and soil microbes both rely on nitrogen to grow, leading to intense competition below ground. Researchers at The University of Manchester have uncovered how plants and soil microbes divide up nitrogen in alpine ecosystems, helping explain how these communities coexist in nutrient limited environments. Their new study is published in Soil Biology and Biochemistry.