The Nitrogen Cycle Group 2: Alexander Crawford Ajani Nelson Jishnu Panchada Jonathan Shaw Cody Williamson Alano Wheatley Index Nitrogen Cycle Overview Nitrogen Fixation Nitrification Ammonification Denitrification Conclusion Nitrogen Cycle Overview Nitrogen is an essential element for life on Earth. It cycles through the atmosphere, land, and oceans in various forms. Nitrogen is a major component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other compounds essential for life. The nitrogen cycle is the process by which nitrogen moves between different parts of the environment. The nitrogen cycle has four main processes: nitrogen fixation, nitrification, ammonification, and denitrification. Nitrogen fixation is the process by which nitrogen from the atmosphere is converted into a form that can be used by living organisms. Nitrification is the process by which nitrogen is converted into nitrates and nitrites, which can then be used by plants. Ammonification is the process by which organic nitrogen is converted into ammonium, which can be used by plants. Denitrification is the process by which nitrates and nitrites are converted into nitrogen gas, which is released back into the atmosphere. Nitrogen Fixation Nitrogen fixation is the process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into a form that can be used by living organisms. This process is carried out by bacteria, which convert nitrogen gas into ammonia, nitrates, and nitrites. These compounds can then be used by plants and other organisms. Nitrogen fixation is an important part of the nitrogen cycle, as it is the only way for atmospheric nitrogen to be converted into a form that can be used by living organisms. Without this process, nitrogen would remain in the atmosphere and would not be available for use by plants and other organisms. Nitrification Nitrification is the process by which nitrogen is converted into nitrates and nitrites, which can then be used by plants. This process is carried out by bacteria, which convert ammonia into nitrites and then nitrates. These compounds can then be used by plants for growth and development. Nitrification is an important part of the nitrogen cycle, as it is the only way for nitrogen to be converted into a form that can be used by plants. Without this process, nitrogen would remain in the atmosphere and would not be available for use by plants. Ammonification Ammonification is the process by which organic nitrogen is converted into ammonium, which can be used by plants. This process is carried out by bacteria, which convert organic nitrogen into ammonium. This ammonium can then be used by plants for growth and development. Ammonification is an important part of the nitrogen cycle, as it is the only way for organic nitrogen to be converted into a form that can be used by plants. Without this process, organic nitrogen would remain in the environment and would not be available for use by plants. Denitrification Denitrification is the process by which nitrates and nitrites are converted into nitrogen gas, which is released back into the atmosphere. This process is carried out by bacteria, which convert nitrates and nitrites into nitrogen gas. This nitrogen gas can then be used by other organisms in the environment. Denitrification is an important part of the nitrogen cycle, as it is the only way for nitrogen to be released back into the atmosphere. Without this process, nitrogen would remain in the environment and would not be available for use by other organisms. Conclusion The nitrogen cycle is an essential process for life on Earth. It is the process by which nitrogen moves between different parts of the environment. The nitrogen cycle has four main processes: nitrogen fixation, nitrification, ammonification, and denitrification. These processes are essential for life on Earth, as they are the only way for nitrogen to be converted into a form that can be used by living organisms, and for nitrogen to be released back into the atmosphere. Without these processes, nitrogen would remain in the environment and would not be available for use by living organisms.