The Nitrogen Cycle

The Nitrogen Cycle

• There is 78% Nitrogen gas in the atmosphere.
• Animals and plants need it to produce proteins and DNA base.
• It is useless in gas form because it is so inert.
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Nitrogen-Fixation

• This when nitrogen-fixing bacteria turn atmospheric Nitrogen into ammonia and then ammonium ions.
• Rhizobium is a type of this bacteria.
• They are found in root nodules

Ammonification

• This is when saprobionts turn nitrogen compounds from dead matter into ammonia.
• These are microorganisms found in the soil.
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Nitrification

• This is When ammonium ions are turned into nitrites by nitrosomonas bacteria.
• Nitrites are turned into nitrates by nitrobacter.
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Denitrification

• This is when denitrifying bacteria turn nitrates into atmospheric Nitrogen gas.
• This process is useless to animals and plants.
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How plants take up Nitrogen?

• They take up nitrates by their roots.
• Some fungi form a mycorrhizae with roots.
• For example, there are lots of hyphae, increasing the surface area.
• This means more nutrients and water are absorbed in.
• The hyphae get carbs in return.

Feeding

• This is when animals eat plants to get the nitrogen compounds.
• When they die or excrete, saprobionts turns these nitrogen compounds back to ammona.
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