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Approximately 78% of Earth's atmosphere is N gas (N 2), which is an inert compound and biologically unavailable to most organisms.In order to be utilized in most biological processes, N 2 must be converted to reactive nitrogen (Nr), which includes inorganic reduced forms (NH 3 and NH 4 +), inorganic oxidized forms (NO, NO 2, HNO 3, N 2 O, and NO 3 −), and organic compounds (urea, amines, and ...
The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biological and physical processes.
Even though nitrogen is a necessary element for life, too much of it in water can have negative effects on aquatic ecosystems and endanger human health. Agricultural runoff, where fertilizers containing nitrogen compounds can seep into rivers, lakes, and groundwater, is one of the main sources of nitrogen in water.
About 40% of human-caused emissions are from agriculture, [11] [12] as nitrogen fertilisers are digested into nitrous oxide by soil micro-organisms. [13] As the third most important greenhouse gas, nitrous oxide substantially contributes to global warming. [14] [15] Reduction of emissions is an important goal in the politics of climate change. [16]
Anammox, an abbreviation for "anaerobic ammonium oxidation", is a globally important microbial process of the nitrogen cycle [1] that takes place in many natural environments. The bacteria mediating this process were identified in 1999, and were a great surprise for the scientific community. [ 2 ]
The lighter isotope of nitrogen, 14 N, is preferred during denitrification, leaving the heavier nitrogen isotope, 15 N, in the residual matter. This selectivity leads to the enrichment of 14 N in the biomass compared to 15 N. [ 27 ] Moreover, the relative abundance of 14 N can be analyzed to distinguish denitrification apart from other ...
A large fraction of the chemical elements that occur naturally on the Earth's surface are essential to the structure and metabolism of living things. Four of these elements (hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen) are essential to every living thing and collectively make up 99% of the mass of protoplasm. [1]
Nitrogen enters the ocean through precipitation, runoff, or as N 2 from the atmosphere. Nitrogen cannot be utilized by phytoplankton as N 2 so it must undergo nitrogen fixation which is performed predominantly by cyanobacteria. [82] Without supplies of fixed nitrogen entering the marine cycle, the fixed nitrogen would be used up in about 2000 ...