I think the bonding could kind of work. Remember when the tree tried to bring back Grace and the little whisp things connected to the back of her neck?

I don’t remember the movie very well (it seems that it’s time to update my memory) but if I’m not mistaken, only tree had such ability. It was like a huge database about everything alive on Pandora. The tree could read and transmit information, and this is why Jake was able to transfer his consciousness to an avatar.  I think there is a different type of connection here and Na’Vi can’t use it the same way.