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Nitrogen Cycle

The document discusses the nitrogen cycle, including the key processes of nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, and denitrification. It covers the major forms and sources of nitrogen as well as the microbes involved in transforming nitrogen in nature.

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Afaq Ahmad
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39 views21 pages

Nitrogen Cycle

The document discusses the nitrogen cycle, including the key processes of nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, and denitrification. It covers the major forms and sources of nitrogen as well as the microbes involved in transforming nitrogen in nature.

Uploaded by

Afaq Ahmad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Nitrogen cycle

Dr Mohsin
Nitrogen Cycle
 The nitrogen cycleis the biogeochemical cycle that describes the

transformations of nitrogen and nitrogen-containing compounds in


nature.
 Animal can not fix N2.

 They get their nitrogen by eating plants or by eating something

that eats plants.


 In the biosphere, the nitrogen cycle is a vast collection of

metabolic processes of different species function interdependently


to recover and reuse biologically available nitrogen.
Sources of Nitrogen

Lightning

Inorganic fertilizers

Nitrogen Fixation

Animal Residues

Crop residues

Organic fertilizers
Forms of Nitrogen

Urea  CO(NH2)2

Ammonia  NH3 (gaseous)

Ammonium  NH4

Nitrate  NO3

Nitrite  NO2

Atmospheric Dinitrogen N2

Organic Nitrogen
Microbiology of soil with particular
reference to nitrogen cycle
Processes in the Nitrogen Cycle
 Fixation - Fixation is the first step in the process of making
nitrogen usable by plants. Here bacteria change nitrogen into
ammonium.
 Conversion of N2 to ammonia (NH3)
 By any bacteria in soil/water having the nitrogenase complex,
e.g. Rhizobiumin root nodules of legumes.

 Nitrification - this is the process by which ammonium gets


changed into nitrates by bacteria. Nitrates are what the plants can
then absorb.
 Conversion of ammonia to nitrite (NO2-) and then nitrate
(NO3-).
 Both reactions carried out by bacteria
Processes in the Nitrogen Cycle
Assimilation - This is how plants get nitrogen. They absorb
nitrates from the soil into their roots. Then the nitrogen gets used in
amino acids, nucleic acids, and chlorophyll.
 Conversion of NH3, NO2-,, NO3-(inorganic) into organic
compounds (proteins, DNA, & other forms)
 All living cells (plants, animals, & bacteria).
Ammonification - This is part of the decaying process. When a
plant or animal dies, decomposers like fungi and bacteria turn the
nitrogen back in ammonium so it can reenter the nitrogen cycle.
 Conversion of the amine groups of organic compounds into
simpler compounds (often, ammonia NH3).
 Mostly via decay processes carried out by decomposer bacteria
Processes in the Nitrogen Cycle

 Denitrification - Extra nitrogen in the soil gets put back out into

the air. There are special bacteria that perform this task as well.
 Conversion of NH3, NO2-, NO3- to N2

 Mostly by anaerobic bacteria in water logged soil, bottom

sediments of lakes, swamps, bogs and oceans


Overview of the N-cycle

 The first product of biological fixation is ammonia (NH3 or


+NH4).

 In principle: this ammonia can be used by most living organisms,


However, soil bacteria and plant are in angry competition for NH3

 Bacteria are more abundant and active, but plants have their ways.

 In either case, Nitrification proceeds:


 NH3 -NO2 -NO3
Plants and many bacteria can also reduce nitrate and nitrite
ammonia (reductases).
-NO3 NO2 NH3
The new ammonia is incorporated into organic molecules by
plants& bacteria. (Assimilation).

When organisms die, microbial degradation of their proteins


returns ammonia to restart the cycle.

Some bacteria can convert nitrate to N2 under anaerobic


conditions (denitrification)
Nitrification

Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia

with oxygen into nitrite followed by the oxidation of


these nitrites into nitrates.
Degradation of ammonia to nitrite is usually the rate

limiting step of nitrification.


Nitrification is an important step in the nitrogen cycle

in soil.
Nitrifying bacteria

Nitrifiers: (heterotrophs & autotroph)

are delicate organisms and extremely susceptible to


a variety of inhibitors.
They are extremely slow growing

Nitrifying bacteria need a relatively clean

environment with a continuous supply of ammonia


and oxygen.
Two Bacterial Species are Required for
Nitrification:
1) Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria: Nitrosomonas Present
in large numbers.
They require ammonia and CO2 and found in a great
variety of soils, oceans, rivers, lakes, and sewage disposal
systems
2) Nitrite Oxidation Microorganism: Nitrobacter
Aerobic, but occasionally also anaerobic
They are widely distributed in soils, fresh water, seawater,
mud layers, sewage disposal systems, and inside stones of
buildings, rocks, and inside concrete surfaces.
Nitrate Assimilation

 NO3 NO2 NH4+ amino acids


 Requires large input of energy

 Forms toxic intermediates

 Mediated by enzymes (Reductases) that are closely regulated

 Nitrate levels, light intensity, and concentration of carbohydrates all

influence the activity of nitrate reductases at the transcription and


translation levels
 These factors stimulate a protein, phosphatase, that dephosphorylates

several serine residues on the nitrate reductase protein thereby


activating the enzyme
Ammonium Assimilation
Ammonium is highly toxic, yet essential to both
animals and plants.

Animal & Plant cells rapidly assimilate into amino


acids.

In plants: this requires the action of two enzymes:


Glutamine synthetase and Glutamate synthase
Denitrification
Denitrification converts nitrates (NO3)in the soil to atmospheric

nitrogen (N2)
Denitrifying bacteria live deep in soil and in aquatic sediments

where conditions make it difficult for them to get oxygen.


The denitrifying bacteria use Nitrates as an alternative to oxygen,

leaving free nitrogen gas as a byproduct. They close the nitrogen


cycle!
Thank you

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