Nitrogen fixing bacteria
- free living nitrogen bacteria reduce nitrogen to ammonia this is used for the production of amino acids
- Mutualistic nitrogen fixing bacteria use carbohydrates from legumes to produce amino acids
-Lightning can also produce nitrogen fixing bacteria in the soil through the rain
Nitrification
Free living chemosynthetic bacteria produce food by using energy from inorganic chemical reactions
oxidation of Ammonia to nitrate ions NO2
oxidation of NO2 to NO3
bacteria respire aerobically so farmers plough there fields to aerate there fields to create pockets of air
Ammonification
Production of ammonia from organic nitrogen containing compounds (mannure, rotting plants)
saprobionts digest/hydrolyse protiens, DNA and nitrogen containing compounds using extra cellular digestive enzymes
Denitrification
-occurs under anerobic conditions by denitrifying bacteria
-nitrates convertded to nitrogen gas
-soil conditions which encourage dentrification: flooding, clay soil, lack of ploughing
farmers should add grit to improve conditions
