Nitrogen Cycle

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Nitrogen Cycle
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• Geochemical cycles are beautiful and wonderfully
  complex. One of the most dynamic of these is the
  Nitrogen cycle. Describe the cycle and how
  Nitrogen is stored in the ecosystem. Be sure to
  include in your description how Nitrogen changes
  form to become available for plant usage and its
  importance in biological systems.

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• Geochemical cycles are beautiful and wonderfully
  complex. One of the most dynamic of these is the
  Nitrogen cycle. Describe the cycle and how
  Nitrogen is stored in the ecosystem. Be sure to
  include in your description how Nitrogen changes
  form to become available for plant usage and its
  importance in biological systems.

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Some Uses

• Production of organic molecules by plants and
  animals. Ex amino acids, proteins, nucleic
  acids
• Plant nutrient- major one for vegetative growth.

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Amino acids
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Storage Sites

• Major area is the atmosphere
• Organic matter in the soil and in the oceans

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The Forms of Nitrogen in Storage
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The Cycle

• Abundance is tricky because it is the most
  limiting nutrient for plant growth
• Plants take up in the form (s)
• NH4 ammonium (to much is toxic)
• NO3- nitrate (soil solutions that are prone to
  leach)

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The CycleTransformations to Usable Forms

• Mineralization
• Organic matter --- decomposers---
• (bacteria, actinomycetes, and fungi)
• ---ammonia(NH4) and (NH4) ammonium salts

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Transformations cont.

• Micelle fixation
• NH4 absorbed onto clay particles released from
  colloids by cat-ion exchange
• Nitrification
• Nitrosomonas autotropic bacteria converts ammonia
  to nitrite NH3 --- NO2-
• Nitrobactor autotropic bacteria convert Nitrite
  to Nitrate
• NO2- --- NO3-

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The Cycle

• Nitrogen returns to environment
• Leaching through soil profile and the into bodies
  of water
• Nitrogen in Soil and Water goes through
  denitrification -
• Anaerobic (without oxygen) process
• NO3- N2(g) reduction
• N2O(g)

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The Nitrogen Cycle
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Bibliography

• http//www.science.duq.edu/esm/Course_Material/ESM
  552/Notes/Chapter2/GIFS/fig2_8.GIF
• www.lloydminsterheavyoil.com/ buildheavy.htm
• bouman.chem.georgetown.edu/.../ nitrogen.4.jpeg

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• www.edunet.tn/.../la20liaison/ la20liaison.htm
• www.cmbi.kun.nl/.../infopages/ amino-acids.shtml