ORGANIC

PHOTOTROPHIC COMPOUNDS ANAEROBIC

BACTERIA RESPIRATION
FERMENTATION

METHANOGENIC
PROKARYOTES

ANAEROBIC

CO2 CH4 CO2

AEROBIC

METHANE OXIDIZING
PROKARYOTES
RESPIRATION
ORGANIC
COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
CYANOBACTERIA
 CO2
PRODUCING
METHANOGENS METHANE

CH4
METHANOTROPHS PRODUCING
CO2
METHANE EATERS
 Methanotrophs

Methylococcus capsulatus

Methylobacterium

Under aerobic conditions,

methanotrophs combine oxygen and methane
 to form formaldehyde, which is then incorporated
into organic compounds
via the serine pathway or
the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP) pathway
and Carbon dioxide, which is released.
 NITROGEN FIXING
BACTERIA
ATMOSPHERIC
AMMONIA
NITROGEN
NITROGENASE
 Ammonification is the process by which microorganisms
 present in soil, sediment, or water mineralize 
low molecular weight,
dissolved, organic molecules presenting
amine or amide groups (of general formula R-NH2) and
produce ammonium (NH4+).
Ammonification is the last step of the nitrogen cycle involving
an organic compound, and is the intermediary step
between the depolymerization of large organic molecules
and the nitrification step
 UREASE
CO(NH2)2 + 2H2O (NH4)CO3

(NH4)CO3 + H2O 2NH4 + + 2OH + CO2

NITROGEN
FIXATION
S
 ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS IN
PLANTS AND ANIMALS

MINERELIZATION BY
BACTERIA AND FUNGI

Desulfovibrio
Desulfotomacculum
SULPHATE H2S
SO4 ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION
REDUCTION

SULFUR OXIDIZING BACTERIA

Thiobacillus thiooxidans