energy transfer & nutrient cycles

Question 1

describe each process of the nitrogen cycle

Answer 1

1. Nitrogen fixation: nitrogen gas reduced into ammonia
2. nitrification: ammonia oxidised into nitrite ions and the nitrite ions oxidised into nitrate ions.
   3.Decomposition: nitrogen containing compounds decomposes into ammonia
   4.dentrification: nitratesback into nitrogen gas. aslo nitrates back into nitrites

Question 2

describe how the action of microorgansims in the soil produces a source of nitrates for crop plants.

Answer 2

-protein is converted into ammonia by saprobionts.
-ammonium ions are converted into nitrite ions then nitrite ions into nitrate ions by nitrifying the microorganism
-nitrogen gas to ammonia by nitrogen-fixing microorganisms in the soil

Question 3

explain the phoshporus cycle

Answer 3

-phospholipids, RNA, DNA from dead organisms turn into phosphate ions
-decomposed by saprobionts
-phosphate ions are also found in waste and remains such as guano, shells and bones
-phosphate ions transported by streams, rivers etc
-then they form sedimentary rock and then weathering and erosion help phosphat eions to dissolve in streams, oceans etc
-now phosphate ions in the stream, oceans etc can be absorbed by plants to be incorporated into biomass