The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen
• Nitrogen (N) is an
essential component of
DNA, RNA, and proteins,
the building blocks of life.

• All organisms require

nitrogen to live and grow.

• The majority (78%) of the

Earth’s atmosphere is N2.
Nitrogen’s triple bond
• Although the majority of the air
we breathe is N2, most of the
nitrogen in the atmosphere is
unavailable for use by
organisms.

• This is because the strong

triple bond between the N
atoms in N2 molecules makes it
relatively inert (like a noble
gas).
 How can we use N2 gas?
• In order for plants and animals to be able to
use nitrogen, N2 gas must first be converted
to more a chemically available form such as
ammonium (NH4+) or nitrate (NO3-).

• This is called FIXATION

 Nitrogen Fixation
Nitrogen Fixation (N
(N2 -->
--> NO or NH
NH3 or NH 4+))
2 3
-
4
+

HOW?
THREE WAYS TO
Biological or FIX N2:
Biological or
Environmental ororHumans
Environmental Humans

1.BIOLOGICAL:
BIOLOGICAL:
Bacteria (called
Bacterial fixation:Nitrogen-
Bacteria
fixing bacteria)
form symbiotic relationships
with host plants.
These bacteria form
symbiotic
The bacteriarelationships
live in noduleswith
host plants.
found in the roots of the
legume family of plants (e.g.
The bacteria
beans, peas, andlive clover)
in nodules
found in the roots of the
legume family of plants
Legumes
(e.g. therefore
beans, peas, increase
and the
amount
clover) of N in the soil
 Nitrogen Fixation (N2 --> NO3- or NH4+)

BIOLOGICAL
• In aquatic environments
(like lakes and the
ocean), blue-green
algae (cyanobacteria) is
an important free-living
nitrogen fixer.
• Symbiotic Bacteria:
Rhizobium sp, Bradyrhizobium sp,
Frankia sp.

Free Living bacteria:

Azotobacter sp., Cynaobacteria
 Nitrogen Fixation (N2 --> NO3- or NH4+)

2. ENVIRONMENTAL

High-energy natural events which

break the bond N2

Examples:
lightning
hot lava flows

Accounts for about 10% of

All N entering the N cycle
 Nitrification
• In this process, the ammonia is converted into nitrate
by the presence of bacteria in the soil. Nitrites are
formed by the oxidation of Ammonia with the help of
Nitrosomonas bacterium species. Later, the produced
nitrites are converted into nitrates by Nitrobacter. This
conversion is very important as ammonia gas is toxic
for plants.

• The reaction involved in the process of Nitrification is

as follows:

• 2NH4+ + 3O2 → 2NO2– + 4H+ + 2H2O

• 2NO2– + O2 → 2NO3–
 Nitrification
NH3 or NH4+ --> NO2- --> NO3-
(Nitrifying) Bacteria add oxygen to nitrogen in two
steps to convert ammonia to nitrates, the most
abundant type in the soil.
 Names of the bacteria
• Nitrosomonas • Nitrobacter
– Works first – Works next
– Converts – Converts nitrite to
ammonia to nitrite nitrate
– Nitrites are
poisonous
 Assimilation

• Primary producers – plants take in the

nitrogen compounds from the soil with the
help of their roots, which are available in the
form of ammonia, nitrite ions, nitrate ions or
ammonium ions and are used in the
formation of the plant and animal proteins.
This way, it enters the food web when the
primary consumers eat the plants.
 Nitrogen Mineralization
also called Ammonification
Organic N --> NH4+
• Plants and animals return nitrogen to the environment
when they Decay or excrete waste

• decomposers (bacteria, fungi, etc.) break down proteins to

ammonia, a simpler compound

• During this process, a significant amount of the nitrogen

contained within the dead organism is converted to ammonium
(NH4+).
 Nitrogen assimilation

• The ammonia (NH3) and nitrates are

usually quickly incorporated into
protein and other organic nitrogen
compounds (during photosynthesis)

• It’s either absorbed by a plant, by the

bacteria itself, or by another soil
organism.

• Organisms at the top of the food chain

(like us!) eat and grow, using nitrogen
to build our cells, enzymes and DNA
 Denitrification
• Denitrification is the process in which
the nitrogen compounds makes its way back
into the atmosphere by converting nitrate
(NO3-)  into gaseous nitrogen (N). This process
of the nitrogen cycle is the final stage and
occurs in the absence of oxygen. Denitrification
is carried out by the denitrifying bacterial
species- Clostridium and Pseudomonas, which
will process nitrate to gain oxygen and gives
out free nitrogen gas as a byproduct.
 Denitrification
NO3- --> N2
(Denitrifying) Bacteria in waterlogged soils or
wetlands do it)

Denitrification removes nitrogen as nitrates

from ecosystems, and converts it back to
atmospheric N2 or nitrous oxide gas (N2O).
 Nitrogen Cycle Pictures
Good descriptions of the nitrogen cycle have these 3
processes:
– Nitrogen fixation (N2 bonds are broken)
– Nitrification (oxygen is added to form nitrogen oxides)
– Denitrification (N2 is put back into the air)

It is also helpful to have these 2

– Ammonification (waste conversion by decomposers)
– Assimilation (intake by producers to be used to make
proteins)
• Explain why bacteria are the most important part of the nitrogen cycle.
 

• If nearly 79% of the atmosphere is made of nitrogen, how could there be a

shortage of nitrogen in soil?

• How do animals obtain usable nitrogen? Why is it important?

 

• Give the two ways nitrogen can be fixated so plants can use it to grow.
 

• Explain the problem if too much nitrogen enters an aquatic ecosystem.

 
• Explain the statement “Nutrients do not flow in one direction in the ecosystem,
they recycle through the ecosystem.”
• https://byjus.com/biology/nitrogen-cycle/