Download NITROGEN CYCLE

NITROGEN CYCLE
 Explains
how NITROGEN moves
through an ecosystem.
 Atm. Is 78% Nitrogen
 NOT in an immediately usable
form.
 Must be CONVERTED into
usable compounds for use by
plants and animals.
4 PART Nitrogen CYCLE
 1.
NITROGEN FIXATION=
The
process of converting
N gas to Ammonium ions.
Accomplished
by “Nitrogen
Fixing Bacteria”
WHERE ARE THE
BACTERIA?
IN
SOIL
IN NODULES (LEGUMES)
OF ROOTS
EX. OF LEGUMES:
ALFALFA, PEANUTS,
CLOVER,,PEAS
N2 gas
converted to
+
NH4 (ammonium ions)
IONS released into SOIL
IONS released into roots
of bacteria’s host plant
IONS
then used to
make organic
compounds
Which helps the
PLANT GROW
2. NITRIFICATION
 NH4+(AMMONIUM
IONS) are
changed into NITRITES (NO2-)
or NITRATE (NO3-)
 Again this is used in the plant
to MAKE ORGANIC
PRODUCTS
3. AMMONIFICATION
 BREAKING
DOWN
NITROGEN CoMPounDS IN
THE REMAINS OF
ORGANISMS INTO
AMMONIA (NH3)
 PERFORMED BY
DECOMPOSERS (bacteria
and fungi)
4. DE-NITRIFICATION
Conversion
of NH3, NO2
or NO3 into free N2
GAS and released back
into the atmosphere.
Performed by
BACTERIA in the SOIL
-,