Nutrient Cycling

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What is nutrient cycling?

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Nutrient cycling is the process by which nutrients are transferred between the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) components of an ecosystem.

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What is the nitrogen cycle?

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The nitrogen cycle is the series of processes by which nitrogen and its compounds are interconverted in the environment and in living organisms.

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What role do bacteria play in the nitrogen cycle?

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Bacteria are responsible for nitrogen fixation, converting atmospheric nitrogen into forms usable by plants, and denitrification, returning nitrogen to the atmosphere.

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What is denitrification?

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Denitrification is the process by which bacteria convert nitrates in the soil back into nitrogen gas, releasing it into the atmosphere.

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What is respiration in the context of nutrient cycling?

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Respiration is the chemical process by which animals and plants obtain energy from food and release carbon dioxide as a byproduct.

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What is photosynthesis?

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Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll, converting carbon dioxide and water into glucose and oxygen.

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What is combustion?

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Combustion is the chemical process of burning fossil fuels, which releases carbon dioxide and other gases into the atmosphere.

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How does excess fertilizer affect the nitrogen cycle?

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Using too much fertilizer can lead to nutrient runoff, which disrupts the nitrogen cycle by causing algal blooms and depleting oxygen in water bodies.

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What are decomposers?

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Decomposers are organisms, such as bacteria and fungi, that break down dead organic material, returning nutrients to the soil.

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What is the role of plants in the nitrogen cycle?

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Plants absorb nitrogen from the soil in the form of nitrates and use it to synthesize proteins and nucleic acids.