Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen
Earths atmosphere is about 78% nitrogen making it the largest
pool of nitrogen

Mostly present in the form of N2 which is a compound that

plants and animals cannot use

Nitrogen is essential for many biological processes

- an essential component of Nucleic acids (DNA & RNA)

(Building blocks of life)

- amino acids

- incorporated into proteins

What happens to Nitrogen in
N2 cycle atmosphere?

Atmospheric N2

Ammonia Nitrates
N2 combines with Nitrogen combines
hydrogen to form with oxygen to make
ammonia nitrates
 What is the N2 Cycle?
The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle that describes the
transformations of nitrogen and nitrogen-containing
compounds in nature.

The process of converting nitrogen into compounds that can be

used by plants and animals

involves such a diversity of specialized microbes to maintain the

flow of the cycle.
 Steps involved in N2 Cycle?

Cycle includes four basic types of reactions:

1. Nitrogen fixation

2. Ammonification

3. Nitrification

4. Denitrification
 Nitrogen fixation
The process of converting N2 into biologically available nitrogen is called
nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixation is the process that causes the strong two-atom nitrogen
molecules found in the atmosphere to break apart so they can combine with
other atoms
Nitrogen gets fixed when its combined with oxygen or hydrogen.

3 different ways
Atmospheric fixation
Industrial fixation
Biological fixation
 Atmospheric Fixation (5 % - 8 %)
Lightning breaks nitrogen molecules apart and
combines with oxygen forming nitrogen
oxides (NO).
Nitrogen oxides dissolve in rain, forming
nitrates.
Nitrates (NO) are carried to the ground with
the rain.
 Industrial Fixation
Under great pressure, at a temperature
of 600 C, and with the use of catalyst,
atmospheric nitrogen (N) and
hydrogen are combined to form
ammonia (NH). Ammonia can be
used as fertilizers.
 Biological Fixation
Most of the nitrogen fixed
Two types of N2 fixing bacteria
Free living bacteria (fixes 30% of N2)
Symbiotic realtionship bacteria (fixes 70% of N2)
 Biological Nitrogen fixation
Nitrogen fixers have developed a unique enzyme system capable of breaking
the triple bonds of the N2 molecule and reducing the N atoms (requires ATP)
Primary product of nitrogen fixation is the ammonium ion, NH4.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria live free or in a symbiotic relationship with plants.
Among the common free-living nitrogen fixers are the aerobic Azotobacter
and Azospirillum and certain members of the anaerobic genus Clostridium.
Other free-living nitrogen fixers are the cyanobacteria Anabaena and
Nostoc.
 Ammonification
Process involves decomposition by bacteria and fungi

Break down amino acids from dead animals and wastes into

nitrogen ammonium.
 Why Ammonification?
Because plants cannot use the organic forms of nitrogen that
are in the soil as a result of:
wastes ( manure and sewage)
compost and decomposing roots and leaves
Microorganisms convert the organic nitrogen to ammonium.
The ammonium is either taken up by the plants or is absorbed
into the soil particles.
What happens to the ammonia stored in
the soil?
 NITRIFICATION

Nitrifying bacteria in the ground first combine ammonia with oxygen to

form nitrites. Then another group of nitrifying bacteria convert nitrites to
nitrates which green plants can absorb and use.
 NITRIFICATION
Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia with oxygen into nitrite followed
by the oxidation of these nitrites into nitrates
Performed by two different bacteria (nitrifying bacteria).
The first step is done by bacteria of (amongst others) the genus
Nitrosomonas and Nitrosococcus
The second step (oxidation of nitrite into nitrate) is (mainly) done by bacteria of the
genus Nitrobacter
All organisms are autotrophs, (use carbon dioxide as their carbon source).
Together with ammonification, nitrification form a mineralization process which
refers to the complete decomposition of organic material, with the release of
available nitrogen compounds.
This replenishes the nitrogen cycle.
How nitrogen reenters into atompshpere in
N2 cycle?
 DENITRIFICATION

Converts nitrates (NO) in the soil to atmospheric nitrogen (N)

replenishing atmosphere.

Denitrifying bacteria live deep in soil (difficult to get oxygen)

Uses nitrates as an alternative to oxygen, leaving free nitrogen gas as a

byproduct

This closes the N2 cycle.

 DENITRIFICATION

Other ways that nitrogen returns to the atmosphere:

 Human Impact on N2 Cycle?

Combustion
releases toxic nitrogen compounds into the atmosphere

Commercial Fertilizers
release nitrous oxide into the atmosphere and introduce excess
nitrogen into the environment

mineral deposits
Remove nitrogen from the soil when we mine it for nitrogen rich

municipal sewage
Discharge releases excess nitrogen into the water ecosystems which
disrupts the aquatic balance and kills fish
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