Nitrogen Cycle
NITROGEN CYCLE IN SURFACE WATER BODIES by: yusra shamsudin
1.0 Nitrogen
Nitrogen is very essential to all living matters especially to plant, animal and human. The source of nitrogen is from the atmosphere and it is exists as a molecule composed of two atom of nitrogen that is bonded together by triple bond.
Figure 1: Nitrogen
Source: anyone4science.blogspot.com
2.0 Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen cycle is the transformation of nitrogen from one form to another. For living organism such as plant cannot directly use this form of nitrogen, thus bacteria found in soils convert organic forms of nitrogen to inorganic forms that the plant can use. Basically there are several of processes and reactions that happened in order to convert nitrogen into the form that can be consumed by plant. The nitrogen that is consumed by plant roots uses the nitrogen to produce other compound. Animal like vole, eat the plant to get nitrogen they can use. As organic matter decomposes, the nitrogen compounds return to soil. Other bacteria in the soil break apart the nitrogen compounds, allowing nitrogen gas to form and return to air. And the cycle is continues. (See figure 2)
Figure 2: Nitrogen cycle works this way.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_cycle
Types of Reactions | Description | Nitrogen Fixation | Process of making available nitrogen compounds in the air (mainly molecular nitrogen N2) to plants. | Nitrification | Conversion of ammonia to nitrites and nitrates by aerobic bacteria | Ammonification | When plants and animals die, bacteria convert nitrogen nutrients back into ammonium salts and ammonia. | Denitrification | Conversion of ammonia into nitrogen gas by anaerobic bacteria |
Table1: Reactions during Nitrogen Cycle
3.0 Nitrogen Fixation
There are two main methods how nitrogen is 'fixed ': * Fixation by Lightning
The energy from lightning causes nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O) to combine to form ammonia (NH3) and nitrates
1.0 Nitrogen
Nitrogen is very essential to all living matters especially to plant, animal and human. The source of nitrogen is from the atmosphere and it is exists as a molecule composed of two atom of nitrogen that is bonded together by triple bond.
Figure 1: Nitrogen
Source: anyone4science.blogspot.com
2.0 Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen cycle is the transformation of nitrogen from one form to another. For living organism such as plant cannot directly use this form of nitrogen, thus bacteria found in soils convert organic forms of nitrogen to inorganic forms that the plant can use. Basically there are several of processes and reactions that happened in order to convert nitrogen into the form that can be consumed by plant. The nitrogen that is consumed by plant roots uses the nitrogen to produce other compound. Animal like vole, eat the plant to get nitrogen they can use. As organic matter decomposes, the nitrogen compounds return to soil. Other bacteria in the soil break apart the nitrogen compounds, allowing nitrogen gas to form and return to air. And the cycle is continues. (See figure 2)
Figure 2: Nitrogen cycle works this way.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_cycle
Types of Reactions | Description | Nitrogen Fixation | Process of making available nitrogen compounds in the air (mainly molecular nitrogen N2) to plants. | Nitrification | Conversion of ammonia to nitrites and nitrates by aerobic bacteria | Ammonification | When plants and animals die, bacteria convert nitrogen nutrients back into ammonium salts and ammonia. | Denitrification | Conversion of ammonia into nitrogen gas by anaerobic bacteria |
Table1: Reactions during Nitrogen Cycle
3.0 Nitrogen Fixation
There are two main methods how nitrogen is 'fixed ': * Fixation by Lightning
The energy from lightning causes nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O) to combine to form ammonia (NH3) and nitrates
References: 1. "Nitrogen Cycle." N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <1. http://extension.missouri.edu>.http://www.atmosphere.mpg.de/enid/Nr_8_April_2__6_Ozone___N2_cycle/C__The_nitrogen_cycle_5lp.html 2. "Nitrogen Fixation." N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. <2. http://www.biology.ed.ac.uk/archive/jdeacon/microbes/nitrogen.htm>.http://chemistry.about.com/od/geochemistry/ss/nitrogencycle.htm 3. "Nitrogen Cycle." N.p., n.d. Web. <3. http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/N/NitrogenCycle.html>. 4. "Nitrogen Cycle." N.p., n.d. Web. <http://tolweb.org/notes/?note_id=3920>.