Nitrogen Cycle

• Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria - Turn Atmospheric Nitrogen into Nitrogen compounds that plants can use
• Nitrifying Bacteria - Turn Ammonium Ions into Nitrates (Nutrification)
• Denitrifying Bacteria - Turn Nitrates back into Nitrogen Gas
• Decomposers - Break down Proteins and Urea and turn them into Ammonia (this forms ammonium ions)
• 4 Bacteria involved in Nitrogen Cycle:

  1. Decomposers
  2. Nitrifying Bacteria
  3. Nitrogen-Fixation Bacteria
  4. Denitrifying Bacteria
• Nitrogen Fixation - Process of turning Nitrogen gas into Nitrogen Compounds that can be used by plants
• Nitrogen is needed for making Proteins for growth