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In the nitrogen cycle, atmospheric nitrogen gas is converted by plants into usable forms such as ammonia and nitrates through the process of nitrogen fixation. These compounds can be used by other organisms, and nitrogen is returned to the atmosphere through denitrification and other processes.
In fact, due to long-term impacts on food webs, Nr inputs are widely considered the most critical pollution problem in marine systems. [8] In both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, responses to N enrichment vary; however, a general re-occurring theme is the importance of thresholds (e.g., nitrogen saturation) in system nutrient retention ...
The nitrogen cycle is an important process in the ocean as well. While the overall cycle is similar, there are different players [40] and modes of transfer for nitrogen in the ocean. Nitrogen enters the water through the precipitation, runoff, or as N 2 from the atmosphere. Nitrogen cannot be utilized by phytoplankton as N
Here, the water is chilled by Arctic temperatures. It also gets saltier because when sea ice forms, the salt does not freeze and is left behind in the surrounding water. The cold water is now more dense, due to the added salts, and sinks toward the ocean bottom. Surface water moves in to replace the sinking water, thus creating a current.
Nitrogen is a fundamental chemical component of amino acids, the molecular building blocks of protein. As such, nitrogen balance may be used as an index of protein metabolism. [1] When more nitrogen is gained than lost by an individual, they are considered to have a positive nitrogen balance and be in a state of overall protein anabolism.
Soil pH and texture are both factors that can moderate denitrification, with higher pH levels driving the reaction more to completion. [22] Nutrient composition, particularly the ratio of carbon to nitrogen, is a strong contributor to complete denitrification, [ 23 ] with a 2:1 ratio of C:N being able to facilitate full nitrate reduction ...
The term nutrient recycling appears in a 1964 paper on the food ecology of the wood stork: "While the periodic drying up and reflooding of the marshes creates special survival problems for organisms in the community, the fluctuating water levels favor rapid nutrient recycling and subsequent high rates of primary and secondary production" [47]: 97
Nitrogen can be fixed by lightning converting nitrogen gas (N 2) and oxygen gas (O 2) in the atmosphere into NO x (nitrogen oxides). The N 2 molecule is highly stable and nonreactive due to the triple bond between the nitrogen atoms. [75] Lightning produces enough energy and heat to break this bond [75] allowing nitrogen atoms to react with ...