Download Nature`s Quick Fix

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Funded by the soybean checkoff.
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Discoveries from U.S. soybean
farmers and their checkoff.
Earth Science
Discoveries from U.S. soybean
farmers and their checkoff.
GRADES
Nature’s Quick Fix
GRADES
Funded by the soybean checkoff.
Everything needs nitrogen to live. Find out the role soybeans play in the
Nitrogen Cycle, helping put nitrogen back into the soil that other crops
Earth Science
need to grow.
Nature’s Quick Fix
What’s the Word?
atmosphere,
nitrogen
compounds,
denitrification,
bacteria play in the
Everything
needs
nitrogen
to live. Findnitrogen
out thefixation,
role soybeans
Cycle, helping put nitrogen back into the soil that other crops
What’Nitrogen
s the Mystery?
need
to
grow.
All living things require nitrogen to produce proteins that are necessary for life. The earth’s
atmosphere
abundance of nitrogen (about 78 percent of our atmosphere is composed of
What’shas
thean
Word?
nitrogen).
However,
the
nitrogen
found
in
atmosphere, nitrogen
compounds,
denitrification,
nitrogen fixation, bacteria
the atmosphere cannot be used by plants
What’s the Mystery?
and animals to produce the proteins
N2The earth’s
All living things require nitrogen to produce proteins that are necessary for life.
that are vital to growth. The atmospheric
atmosphere has an abundance of nitrogen (about 78 percent of our atmosphere is composed of
nitrogen
is converted
nitrogen).
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the usable
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found in
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as
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the atmosphere cannot be used
by plants
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animals to produce the proteins
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that are vital to growth. The atmospheric
What’nitrogen
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To better understand
the concept
Nitrogen
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back into
atmospheric
nitrogen. nitrogen (N ) into nitrogen oxides (NO )
1. Lightning
converts small
amounts
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2
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convert to nitrates
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1. Lightning converts
small
amounts
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nitrogen (N2(NH
) into) nitrogen
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2. Decomposition
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matter
and dead organisms
return usable
forms
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).
that
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nitrogen (NO3 + NH4) to the soil.3
2. Decomposition of animal fecal matter and dead organisms (NH ) return usable forms of
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3. Nitrogen
fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into
ammonia (NH4).
nitrogen (NO + NH ) to the soil.
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Nitrogen
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otherwise
known
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atmosphere
Nitrogen can be removed from nitrates in the soil by denitrifying bacteria. During this process,
O) and known
the Nitrogen
Cycle is complete.
(N2 or Notherwise
as denitrification,
the released nitrogen is returned to the atmosphere
2
(N2 or N2O) and the Nitrogen Cycle is complete.
The Farmer’
s Need for Nitrogen
The Farmer’s Need for Nitrogen
Plants require large quantities of usable nitrogen to grow. There are several ways
Plants require
large quantities
of usable
to grow. There are several ways
that farmers
can provide
this nitrogen
to nitrogen
their plants.
that farmers can provide this nitrogen to their plants.
Adapted from materials developed by the United Soybean Board
Funded by the soybean checkoff.
www.ilsoy.org
Discoveries from U.S. soybean
Funded by the soybean checkoff. farmers
www.ilsoy.org
and their checkoff.
On a conventional farm, the farmer purchases a man-made fertilizer that contains the needed
amount of nitrogen for a given crop. He then spreads this over the soil for delivery to the
Discoveries
U.S. soybean
plants. The problem with man-made fertilizer is that it requires
a largefrom
quantity
of energy and
farmers and their checkoff.
results in a large quantity of pollution.
GRADES
Discoveries from U.S. soybean
farmers and their checkoff.
Organic farmers must provide this needed nitrogen without using a man-made fertilizer. As a
result, organic farmers often use either manure or leguminous plants, such as soybeans, as
cover crops.
Nodes
on the roots
of legumes
containfertilizer
a bacteria
known
as rhizobium.
This bacteria
On a conventional
farm,
the farmer
purchases
a man-made
that
contains
the needed
takes
the
atmospheric
nitrogen
and
converts
that
nitrogen
to
ammonia,
which
can
be used by the
amount of nitrogen for a given crop. He then spreads this over the soil for delivery to the
plants.
Excess
is also
released
intoitthe
soil replenishing
the soil’s
supplyand
of
plants. The
problem
withammonia
man-made
fertilizer
is that
requires
a large quantity
of energy
usable
nitrogen.
Everything
needs
nitrogen
to
live.
Find
out
the
role
soybeans
play in the
results in a large quantity of pollution.
Earth Science
Nature’s Quick Fix
Nitrogen
Cycle,
put nitrogen
back
into thefertilizer.
soil that
Organic farmers
must provide
this helping
needed nitrogen
without using
a man-made
As a other crops
Activities
result, organicneed
farmers
use either manure or leguminous plants, such as soybeans, as
tooften
grow.
Contact
a
local
extension
information
on local
soilas
tests.
Or have
them
come out, take
cover crops. Nodes on the roots of agency
legumesfor
contain
a bacteria
known
rhizobium.
This
bacteria
soil
samples
for
testing
and
come
back
with
the
results.
Find
out
if
the
soil
has
enough
nitrogen
What’s the
Word?
takes the atmospheric
nitrogen
and converts that nitrogen to ammonia, which can be used by the
or
if
it
needs
a
boost
of
nitrogen
from
a
soybean
rotation.
nitrogen
compounds,
fixation,
plants. Excessatmosphere,
ammonia is also
released
into thedenitrification,
soil replenishingnitrogen
the soil’s
supplybacteria
of
Ask
a
local
farmer
to
come
in
and
discuss
his
experiences
with
soil.
Or
visit
his or her farm and
usable nitrogen.
What’s the Mystery?
discuss with the owner the benefits of the nitrogen cycle.
Activities All living things require nitrogen to produce proteins that are necessary for life. The earth’s
atmosphere has an abundance of nitrogen (about 78 percent of our atmosphere is composed of
Contact a localnitrogen).
extensionHowever,
agency the
for information
on local
nitrogen found
in soil tests. Or have them come out, take
soil samples for
testing
and come
backbewith
thebyresults.
the
atmosphere
cannot
used
plants Find out if the soil has enough nitrogen
or if it needs aand
boost
of
nitrogen
from
a
soybean
rotation.
animals to produce the proteins
N2
Ask a local farmer
discuss
experiences with soil. Or visit his or her farm and
thatto
arecome
vitalintoand
growth.
Thehis
atmospheric
nitrogen
converted
usable
forms
discuss with the
owner is
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benefits into
of the
nitrogen
cycle.
N2
of nitrogen compounds as part of the
Nitrogen Cycle.
What’s the Nitrogen Cycle?
N2
N2
To better understand the concept of
nitrogen fixation, it is first necessary to
understand the Nitrogen Cycle. In the
NO3 NO2
NH4
simplest of terms, the Nitrogen Cycle is
NH4
NO3
the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen
into usable forms of nitrogen compounds (nitrogen fixation) and the breakdown (denitrification) of
these compounds back into atmospheric nitrogen.
Atmospheric nitrogen can be fixed in the following three ways:
1. Lightning converts small amounts of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into nitrogen oxides (NO2)
that convert to nitrates (NO3).
2. Decomposition of animal fecal matter and dead organisms (NH3) return usable forms of
nitrogen (NO3 + NH4) to the soil.
3. Nitrogen fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH4).
Nitrogen can be removed from nitrates in the soil by denitrifying bacteria. During this process,
otherwise known as denitrification, the released nitrogen is returned to the atmosphere
(N2 or N2O) and the Nitrogen Cycle is complete.
The Farmer’s Need for Nitrogen
Plants require large quantities of usable nitrogen to grow. There are several ways
that farmers can provide this nitrogen to their plants.
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Adapted from materials developed by the United Soybean Board