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It's curious that plants haven't evolved to fix their own nitrogen, given their need for it and its abundance in the atmosphere
by SturgeonsLaw 6y ago
It's curious that plants haven't evolved to fix their own nitrogen, given their need for it and its abundance in the atmosphere
- thaumasiotes 6y agoThey have. Legumes are an important way to fix nitrogen (while simultaneously growing food!). Why haven't ALL plants evolved to fix nitrogen? It's abundant in the air... and also in the ground. You don't manufacture your own vitamin C, but you could. But there's no need. Humans specifically evolved the inability to do so, where almost all animals can and do.
- maxerickson 6y agoSymbiotic microorganisms fix nitrogen. Plants don't.
- thaumasiotes 6y agoSymbiotic microorganisms digest food. Animals don't. Wait, that makes no sense. Symbiotic microorganisms are part of the macroorganism they live in.
- maxerickson 6y agoHuman teeth, saliva and stomach acid do a whole lot more to digest food than beans do to fix nitrogen. Or do legumes chew the nitrogen before it gets to their roots?