Bio geochemical Cycles
Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
All life is made up of important compounds. They consist of Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur, also known as CHONPS. Nitrogen is one of the most important elements to establish genetic coding. It is used in DNA to produce proteins so the organism is replenished with necessary materials. The organism that would use nitrogen the most would be plants because they are able to take nitrogen up and implement it into their system until it is consumed.
3 Steps to change nitrogen
Nitrification- The process of oxidizing ammonia to nitrites and nitrites to nitrates
Nitrogen fixation- The process of bacteria being able to turn nitrogen into ammonia so that plants are able to take it up.
Dentrification- Process that reduces nitrates to nitrites and ammonia to free nitrogen back into the atmosphere.
Special Bacteria and factors to break down nitrogen.
There are special organisms called "Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria". They allow the nitrogen to be "fixed" in order for the plants to retrieve it. Since nitrogen compounds are very hard to break apart, these bacteria aren't always enough. Lightning is another factor that could also split the compound. With forces like these that help break apart nitrogen, the cycle is able to continue and keep the living sustained.