The process that makes atmospheric nitrogen available to plants by mutualistic and free-living bacteria is called

Nitrogen fixation is the process that makes atmospheric nitrogen available to plants by mutualistic and free-living bacteria. The process is undertaken by the rhizobium bacteria that live in root roots of plants such as legumes. The mutualistic relationship is that the plant supplies the bacteria with a habitat in which to live, water, and nutrients, and the bacteria supply nitrogen for making plant proteins.