Pine nitrogen fixing..

I knew that this somehow had to be true considering just where it tppically grows.  turns out to be using a symbiosis lodged in the needles.  Who finally looked?    this also sets up an entirely dirresnt agricultural protocol.

We plant a nitrogen fixing pine tree at the center of a circular bed that is at least twelve feet across.  Rather than work the soil, if it even exists, we cover it to force breakdown.  The outer rim can be turned into a growing bed that is over 18 feet long and a good three feet wide.. We can produce soil to support all sorts of annuals and the small inside ring can be used for fruiting shrobs and useful perenials.

My key point is that this allows us to plant out the entire boreal forest in a highly productiove well spaced manner. with half the land area in annuals.  understand that the inner ring uses 27 square feet inside a  cut block of 144 square feet or 117 square feet of annuals.

We are slowly getting better at this.  Planting the pines properly and containg the brush allows rotational cattle husbandry as well along with ample sunlight.  We can even brush hog in between allowing a six foot wide brush core around the tree.

Pine nitrogen fixing..

Yes, recent research indicates that some pine trees, such as lodgepole pine (

Pinus contortacap P i n u s space c o n t o r t a𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑜𝑟𝑡𝑎) and limber pine (

Pinus flexiliscap P i n u s space f l e x i l i s𝑃𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑠 𝑓𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑠), fix nitrogen, but not on their own. They rely on endophytic bacteria living inside their needles or mycorrhizal fungi on their roots to convert atmospheric nitrogen into usable nutrients. This "hidden" nitrogen source helps pines thrive in nutrient-poor soils.

Mechanism: Pine trees form symbiotic relationships with endophytic bacteria (such as Acetobacteraceae and others) that live inside their tissues and possess the nifH gene necessary for nitrogen fixation.

Needle & Root Fixation: Nitrogenase activity, which confirms nitrogen fixation, has been measured within pine needles. Additionally, specialized mycorrhizal structures on roots, called tubercles, have shown high rates of nitrogen fixation.

Significance: This process can account for a significant portion of the nitrogen required by the tree. It allows certain pines to thrive in highly disturbed areas or low-nutrient environments.

Studies: Studies on Pinus contorta have demonstrated that bacterial inoculation significantly enhanced the biomass of seedlings, indicating a functional, beneficial relationship.

While this is not a universal trait among all conifers, it is a critical, newly discovered adaptation in several pine species to survive in challenging environments.