Nitrogen Cycle

Exam 1 Review

Major reservoir of carbon

• Atmosphere; Sink

Nitrification

• Converts ammonium into nitrites and THEN nitrates

Nitrogen-fixing bacteria

• convert nitrogen gas (N2) so it can become available to
  plants & then animals in the form of ammonium

Nitrates and Ammonium are taken up by plants

• Assimilation

Denitrification

• Decomposers obtain and release nitrogen (ammonium)
  from dead and decaying matter.

Denitrifying bacteria

• convert nitrates to gaseous nitrogen N2 that re-enters the atmosphere

Industrial Fixation

• synthetic nitrogen fertilizers have boosted
  agricultural production.

eutrophication is caused by

• Run-off causes excess fixed nitrogen to enter waterways

What is eutrophication

• general term describing a process in
  which nutrients accumulate in a body of water, resulting in an
  increased growth of organisms that may deplete the oxygen in
  the water

Burning Fossil Fuels does what

• releases excess Nitrogen into atmosphere