A global dataset of terrestrial biological nitrogen fixation
Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) is the main natural source of new nitrogen inputs in terrestrial ecosystems, supporting terrestrial productivity, carbon uptake, and other Earth system processes. We assembled a comprehensive global dataset of field measurements of BNF in all major N-fixing niches across natural terrestrial biomes derived from the analysis of 376 BNF studies. The dataset comprises 32 variables, including site location, biome type, N-fixing niche, sampling year, quantification method, BNF rate (kg N ha<sup>-1</sup> y<sup>-1</sup>), the percentage of nitrogen derived from the atmosphere (%N<sub>dfa</sub>), N fixer or N-fixing substrate abundance, BNF rate per unit of N fixer abundance, and species identity. Overall, the dataset combines 1,207 BNF rates for trees, shrubs, herbs, soil, leaf litter, woody litter, dead wood, mosses, lichens, and biocrusts, 152 herb %N<sub>dfa</sub> values, 1,005 measurements of N fixer or N-fixing substrate abundance, and 762 BNF rates per unit of N fixer abundance for a total of 424 species across 66 countries. This dataset facilitates synthesis, meta-analysis, upscaling, and model benchmarking of BNF fluxes at multiple spatial scales.
Authors
- Cory C. Cleveland (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8804-4248)
- Verity Salmon (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2188-551X)
- Steven S. Perakis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0703-9314)
- Maga Gei
- Michael J. Gundale (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2447-609X)
- Mark B. Peoples (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6060-3290)
- Bettina Weber (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5453-3967)
- Sasha C. Reed (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8597-8619)
- Sarah Jovan (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7860-4005)
- Katherine A. Dynarski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5101-9666)
- Benton N. Taylor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9834-9192)
- Nina Wurzburger (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6143-0317)
- Anika P. Staccone (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2558-8715)
- Sarah A. Batterman (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7703-9873)
- Carla Roberta Gonçalves Reis (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9657-8071)
- Sian Kou‐Giesbrecht (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4086-0561)
- Fiona M. Soper (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9910-9377)
- Emilio Rodríguez‐Caballero (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5934-3214)
- Timothy E. Crews (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4764-341X)
- Duncan N. L. Menge
Institutions
- Oak Ridge Associated Universities (US)
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (PA)
- United States Geological Survey (US)
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory (US)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (AU)
- Dalhousie University (CA)
- University of Leeds (GB)
- Oregon State University (US)
- US Forest Service (US)
- University of Graz (AT)
- University of Georgia (US)
- Minnesota Medical Association (US)
- Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE)
- Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies (US)
- The Land Institute (US)
- Evolutionary Genomics (United States) (US)
- Max Planck Institute for Chemistry (DE)
- Agriculture and Food (AU)
- Núcleo de Pesquisas Aplicadas (Brazil) (BR)
- McGill University (CA)
- University of Almería (ES)
- University of Montana (US)
- Columbia University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Scientific Data
- Published
- 2025-08-05
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597-025-05131-4
- Citations
- 10
- Primary Topic
- Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 11.86
Funders
- Leverhulme Trust