Nitrogen Cycle

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What is ammonification?
Production of ammonia from organic ammonium-containing compounds (e.g. proteins, nucleic acids found in dead organisms and faeces)
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What kind of organisms feed on dead material and release ammonia?
Saprobiotic microorganisms
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When ammonia is released from saprobiotic microorganisms, what does it form?
Ammonium ions in the soil
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What type of reaction is the conversion of ammonium ions to nitrate ions and who carries it out?
Oxidation (releases energy) + nitrifying bacteria
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2 stages of the conversion of ammonium ions
Oxidation of ammonium ions to nitrite ions then oxidation of nitrite ions to nitrate ions
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How do farmers raise productivity for nitrification?
Keep soil structure light and well aerated and good drainage (as nitrifying bacteria require O2)
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What are free-living nitrogen fixing bacteria?
Reduce gaseous nitrogen to ammonia which they then use to manufacture amino acids. Nitrogen rich compounds released when they die.
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What are mutualistic nitrogen fixing bacteria?
Live in nodules and obtain carbs from the plant and the plant obtains AAs from the bacteria.
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When is there an increase in anaerobic denitrifying bacteria?
When soils become waterlogged and short of O2.
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What do anaerobic denitrifying bacteria do?
Convert nitrates into gaseous nitrogen, reducing the availability of nitrogen-containing compounds for plants. Therefore, these bacteria must be prevented for land to be productive.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What kind of organisms feed on dead material and release ammonia?

Back

Saprobiotic microorganisms

Card 3

Front

When ammonia is released from saprobiotic microorganisms, what does it form?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What type of reaction is the conversion of ammonium ions to nitrate ions and who carries it out?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

2 stages of the conversion of ammonium ions

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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