Question

Can you describe the nitrogen cycle, including its reservoir, functions in living systems, and how overloading affects the ecosystem?

Answer 1

The atmosphere contains very large amount of nitrogen gas.

Explanation:

In the atmosphere, total stored nitrogen is `4times10^18 kg`. In land plants, stored nitrogen is `3.5times10^12 kg` and in soil it is `9.5times10^12 kg`.

The nitrogen cycle is one of the most complex and most important of the global cycles. The process of converting inorganic, molecular nitrogen in the atmosphere to ammonia or nitrate is called nitrogen fixation. By ligthning, biological fixation, sea spray, and industrial (human) fixation, this process is done.

The process of releasing fixed nitrogen back to molecular nitrogen is called denitrification. A simplified nitrogen cycle is below: