Nitrogen Cylce Flashcards
(11 cards)
What is Nitrogen Fixation?
Bacteria in the soil convert nitrogen gas from the air into a usable form (like nitrate).
What is Nitrification?
Other bacteria in the soil change ammonia (from decomposing organisms) into nitrate, which is readily available to plants.
What is Assimilation?
Plants absorb the nitrate from the soil and use it to build proteins.
What is Ammonification?
When plants and animals die, decomposers break down their bodies, releasing nitrogen back into the soil as ammonia.
What is Denitrification?
Some bacteria in the soil can convert nitrate back into nitrogen gas, which returns to the atmosphere.
What is the Nitrogen Cycle?
It is the process where nitrogen gas from the air is changed into a form that plants can use, then travels through the food chain to animals, and eventually returns to the air again through decomposing organisms, all thanks to special bacteria in the soil. (Basically, it’s a way for nitrogen to be recycled through the environment so plants and animals can use it to grow.)
What is Nitrogen Gas?
Most of the nitrogen which in the air and is not usable by plants and animals directly.
What is Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria?
Special bacteria in the soil, like those in the roots of certain plants (like peas and beans), which can “fix” nitrogen by turning it into a usable form called nitrate.
How do Plants absorb nitrogen?
Once nitrogen is fixed, plants can absorb it from the soil through their roots and use it to grow.
How do Animals get nitrogen?
When animals eat plants, they get the nitrogen they need from the plant tissues.
How is Decomposition important to the nitrogen cycle?
When plants and animals die, decomposers (like bacteria and fungi) break down their bodies, releasing nitrogen back into the soil as ammonia.
