Surviving the Dinosaur Extinction: Plants' Nitrogen-Pulling Survival Strategy Revealed
A study has found that cycad plants, which survived the dinosaur extinction event, relied on symbiotic bacteria in their roots to obtain nitrogen from the atmosphere. These palm-like plants traded sugars with the bacteria in exchange for nitrogen, similar to modern legumes. By analyzing ancient plant fossils, researchers discovered that the surviving cycads were nitrogen-fixers, while the extinct lineages were not. This finding sheds light on the ecological changes that occurred in these plants over time and provides insights into Earth's climate history.
