Background and aims : Di-nitrogen (N2)-fixing plants are absent in the pioneer stages of glacial forefields in the European Alps despite low amounts of nitrogen (N) in the soil. We aimed to evaluate whether symbiotic N2-fixation is needed to meet the N demand of plants during the early stages of soil formation, and how phosphorus (P) availability affects plant establishment. ; Methods : We measured total and available N and P in soil and N and P in the vegetation along the 137 year chronosequence in front of the Damma glacier (Switzerland). ; Results : Available N as determined by in situ resin N decreased from the pioneer stage (