The nitrogen cycle

Ammonification

•  Saprobiotic organisms break down urea and the compounds in faeces and dead organisms , they feed on these material and release ammonia to form ammonium ions in the soil

Nitrification

Nitrifying bacteria oxidises ammonium ions in to nitrate ions through two stages :

•  oxidation of ammonium ions to nitrate ions
• oxidation of nitrite ions to nitrate ions

Oxygen is required for this reaction to take place so farmers can…