Biology 20

3.3 Nitrogen Cycle

Unit A: Cycling of Matter in Biosphere
Nitrogen Cycle
• Nitrogen is the most abundant element in the
atmosphere. Nitrogen (N2(g)) makes up about 78% of
the atmosphere by volume, yet nitrogen deficiency
sometimes limits plant growth.

• Plants cannot incorporate N2(g) into organic compounds;

therefore, they depend on various types of bacteria to
make nitrogen available to them in the nitrogen cycle.
 Nitrogen Cycle

• The movement of nitrogen through ecosystems, the soil,

and the atmosphere is called the nitrogen cycle.
 Nitrogen Cycle - components
1. Nitrogen fixation
2. Nitrogen assimilation
3. Ammonification
4. Nitrification
5. Denitrification
 Nitrogen Cycle

Nodules on a legume

• Nitrogen-fixation occurs when N2(g) is converted to a form that

plants can use.
• Some nitrogen-fixing bacteria live in nodules on the roots of
legumes (e.g. alfalfa, lentils, peas, beans).
• They make nitrogen containing organic compounds available to a
host plant.
 Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen fixation by lightning

• Atmospheric nitrogen can be converted into nitrates, in a

process called nitrogen fixation.

• Lightning is capable of converting Nitrogen gas into

nitrates in the soil.
 Nitrogen Cycle

Cyanobacteria

• Cyanobacteria in aquatic ecosystems and free-living bacteria in soil

are able to fix N2(g) as ammonium (NH4+).
 Nitrogen Cycle

• Ammonium (NH4+) in the soil is converted to nitrate by

chemoautotrophic soil bacteria in a 2-step process:
• Step 1: nitrite-producing bacteria converts ammonium to
nitrite (NO2-), Step 2: nitrate-producing bacteria convert
nitrite to nitrate.
 Nitrogen Cycle

Cyanobacteria

• Plants can use (assimilate) NH4+ and nitrates (NO3) from the soil.
After NH3- is taken up, it is enzymatically reduced to NH4+, which is
used to produce amino acids and nucleic acids.
 Nitrogen Cycle

• Notice the sub cycle in the N2 cycle that involves dead

organisms and animal wastes, ammonium, nitrites,
nitrates, and plants. This sub cycle does not necessarily
depend on N2 gas at all.
 Nitrogen Cycle

• Denitrification – Acts to balance nitrates, nitrites, and

atmospheric nitrogen in the soil and completes the
nitrogen cycle.
• Denitrifying bacteria convert them into excess nitrates
into N2(g) which returns to the atmosphere.