Nitrogen and Carbon?

Question

Is nitrogen cycling or carbon cycling more important to a pioneer species during primary succession? Please explain!

Answer 1

I think you could argue that nitrogen cycling is more critical. Pioneer species are producers, they're naturally going to cycle carbon through photosynthesis. However, they won't be able to make their proteins without nitrogen, so the nitrogen is really going to make the difference in how they progress. The carbon is readily available in the air, but the nitrogen in the air is not available to them until it has been fixed and taken up into the producer.

You could also argue that carbon cycling is more important because of the need for photosynthesis, but I would choose nitrogen.