Question

What are the roles of bacteria in the nitrogen cycle?

Answer 1

Bacteria helps the nitrogen cycle along throughout many of the processes.

Explanation:

In the nitrogen fixation process, nitrogen fixing bacteria converts the `N_2` in the atmosphere into `NH_3` (ammonia). This bacteria binds hydrogen molecules with the gaseous nitrogen to form ammonia in the soil.

During assimilation, or when plants take up nitrates from the soil, bacteria aid in the process with the plants in making ammonia. Animal wastes is also a major place where bacteria thrives and produces ammonia. The process in which assimilation occurs in plants, and then bacteria converts the nitrates to ammonia is called ammonification.

From the conversion of ammonia to nitrites, bacteria also aids in this process called nitrification. The nitrifying bacteria mostly present in soils, oxidize ammonia into nitrites, and from nitrites to nitrates.

Finally, the process of denitrification also has bacteria present to aid in converting nitrates back into a gaseous form of nitrogen in the atmosphere.

In a nutshell, bacteria aids in the nitrogen process through nitrogen fixation, assimilation, nitrification, and finally denitrification.