How does cycling of nutrients takes place in the atmosphere ?
The cycling of chemical elements in an ecosystem is known as nutrient cycle. An organism grows and reproduces by the intake of nutrients from the surroundings. After death, the organism decomposes and by the presence of decomposers that break down the dead body and make the nutrients available once again in the surrounding for other new organisms. Nitrogen cycle is one such cycle where the nutrients are rotating in a cycle from organisms to the atmosphere and vise versa.
Nitrogen Cycle:
Nitrogen cycle is the process by which nitrogen is converted into its various chemical forms and becomes available to living organisms. The nitrogen compounds like protein, nucleic acids are required to all living organisms. Most organisms cannot intake nitrogen in a form it is present in nature.
The processes that participate in this cycle to change the form of nitrogen are
Nitrogen fixation – During lightening or action of some microbes the inert nitrogen breaks down and combines with oxygen in air to form nitrous oxide. This process is called nitrogen fixation.
Nitrification: Some nitrifying bacteria are present in the soil which absorb the atmospheric nitrogen and make it available for the plants to uptake. This is called nitrification.
Decay: By the process of decaying as an action of decomposing microbes, the proteins (compound of nitrogen) present in decaying plant or animal bodies return to the environment.
Denitrification: Some bacteria are present inside the deep layer of soil that break down the nitrate and release nitrogen to the atmosphere. They are denitrifying microorganisms. They release back the nitrogen absorbed by the above processes and end the nitrogen cycle.
Nitrogen Cycle:
Nitrogen cycle is the process by which nitrogen is converted into its various chemical forms and becomes available to living organisms. The nitrogen compounds like protein, nucleic acids are required to all living organisms. Most organisms cannot intake nitrogen in a form it is present in nature.
The processes that participate in this cycle to change the form of nitrogen are
Nitrogen fixation – During lightening or action of some microbes the inert nitrogen breaks down and combines with oxygen in air to form nitrous oxide. This process is called nitrogen fixation.
Nitrification: Some nitrifying bacteria are present in the soil which absorb the atmospheric nitrogen and make it available for the plants to uptake. This is called nitrification.
Decay: By the process of decaying as an action of decomposing microbes, the proteins (compound of nitrogen) present in decaying plant or animal bodies return to the environment.
Denitrification: Some bacteria are present inside the deep layer of soil that break down the nitrate and release nitrogen to the atmosphere. They are denitrifying microorganisms. They release back the nitrogen absorbed by the above processes and end the nitrogen cycle.