The Nitrogen Cycle

Definition

• ·       Nitrogen: is a natural occurring element that is for growth and reproduction in plants and organisms. It is most likely found in amino acids which make up proteins, in the term nucleic acids, that comprise the hereditary material and a general outlook for all cells and in other organic and inorganic compounds.

Why is nitrogen important to living things?

• ·       Nitrogen is very important to all living things because it is a major component of chlorophyll, which is used by plants because of the process of photosynthesis to produce sugars, water, and carbon dioxide. It is also an essential component of amino acids, which makes up the protein for the plants. Some of the proteins act as a structural unit in the plant while others act as enzymes, catalyzing biological reactions. Nitrogen is another component of ATP, which provides us energy reactions such as respiration. Another important thing to why we have to have Nitrogen is because it is a significant component of DNA, the genetic material that allows cells to grow and replicate.

How is it recycled into the environment?

• ·       The plants and animals use nitrogen which starts out into the air and once the organisms die the become part of the soil. Nitrogen is mainly found in the air as a gas. Plants obtain nitrogen as inorganic nitrate from the soil solution. Animals obtain nitrogen by consuming living or dead organic matter. Decomposition turns the nitrogen back into an inorganic form; decomposers in the upper layer of soil, such as bacteria and fungi, chemically modify the nitrogen found in the organic matter, and returning to the soil.

What are some reservoirs of nitrogen?

• ·       Some reservoirs for nitrogen are the atmosphere, surface water, fertilizer, dead plants and animals, animal waste, live plants, an ocean, some rainwater, groundwater, live animals, and most importantly soil.

Human influences on the nitrogen cycle

• ·       Prehistoric people lived so they modified the environment with the use of fire. This lead to people physically removing the land’s cover of vegetation, fire enhanced the transfer of nitrogen from the land by wind and water erosion and by leaching of dissolved nitrogen. It reduced the shade and a blackened surface made the land wetter. This then stimulated biological nitrification and denitrification, which further enhanced the loss of the nitrogen from the land to the hydrosphere and atmosphere. Fire itself chemically converted much of the nitrogen contained in the burnt vegetation to nitrogen2 gas in a process called pyrodentitrification. The fire seemed to stimulate the growth of plants that supported the symbiotic and mutualistic nitrogen fixation. With the nitrogen cycle changing the land, fire was still being used. The wetlands and the grasslands supported the domesticated animals; therefore fire is a huge human influence on the nitrogen cycle.

Nitrogen Facts

• ·       Plants absorb nitrogen directly from the soil.
• ·       Animals get their nitrogen needs met by eating plants or eating animals that eat plants.
• ·       There are many steps in the nitrogen cycle including fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, and denitrification.
• ·       Fixation is a process in the cycle where bacteria turn nitrogen into ammonium.
• ·       After fixation, bacteria use nitrification to turn ammonium into nitrates that is usable by plants.
• ·       Once nitrogen has been fixed, plants can absorb nitrogen through their roots from the soil in a process that is known as assimilation.
• ·       After a plant dies, it decomposes where bacteria turn the nitrogen back into ammonium into ammonium through a process called ammonification.
• ·       During denitrification, special bacteria return extra nitrogen from the soil into the air.
• ·       Plants need nitrogen to make chlorophyll that is photosynthesis.
• ·       Nitrogen is very important for animals and humans because of DNA.
• ·       78% of the atmosphere is made of non-usable form of nitrogen gas.
• ·       Humans alter the nitrogen cycle by using synthetic fertilizers on lawns that adds too much extra nitrogen to the soil.
• ·       Nitrous oxide is a greenhouse gas that can be used as acid rain.
• ·       Too much nitrous oxide in the atmosphere can cause acid rain.
• ·       Many farmers use nitrogen as a fertilizer that helps plants grow.

Pictures and description

    

In these pictures it shows the process of the nitrogen cycle. The nitrogen cycle is already in the air which heads down to the plants, and then the animals consume the nitrogen (proteins). The animals then have their waste become nitrogen decaying matter and waste which leads to a bacterium “fix” nitrogen for the plants use. The protein made with nitrates and ammonium.

Video of Nitrogen Cycle!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=372K0jyO0hQ

Hello my name is Bailey. I am a senior this year who is very excited. I am planning on attending collge to become a Pediatric Nurse. Taking care of kids has always been something that I love. I am taking an AP Biology class because it is one of my stronger subjects. Wanting to go into the medical field… biology is very important. I feel as if taking this AP biology class it could give me jump start to twice as much information that I may need in the future. I hope to get a lot more information from taking the regular class of biology. Possibly more understandings of this subject. This picture is of my cousin and I representing my love for babies/kids! :)