A few plants, especially, legumes (or pulses: pod bearers), of which there is a wide variety; are able to convert nitrogen gas (N2) from the atmosphere to produce Ammonia NH3, a fertilizer. They do this with the symbiotic help of a bacteria (Rhizobium).
Lichens, Blue-green algae, and some soil bacteriaalso produce and contribute ammonia to natural ecosystems.
Other organisms, chemoautotrophic bacteria, Nitrosomonas, and Nitrobacter, convert ammonia to compounds of nitrous oxides culminating in mineral Nitrates (compounds of the form (M)NO3), fertilizers. Examples are Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3) and Potassium Nitrate (KNO3).
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria are the only organisms that convert nitrogen gas into a form usable.
Decomposers (eg. Bacteria)
bacteria
Bacteria
Ammonification is the decomposition of nitrogen containing molecules into ammonia.
proteins
Bacteria Ammonia, nitrates, nitrites
Amino acids ... which are the building blocks for proteins.
Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites.
The special compound containing both nitrogen and oxygen is known as 'nitrates'.
Ammonification is the decomposition of nitrogen containing molecules into ammonia.
nitrates
Bacteria Ammonia, nitrates, nitrites
we know that animal consume plants for food. These plants contain not only sugars and starches, but also other molecules containing nitrogen. These molecules are broken down into smaller molecules that can be absorbed by organisms. The molecules containing nitrogen combine together and form protein_a large molecule needed by animals to grow. Protein molecules essentially become part of the organism itself.
Living things that need nitrogen to make complex nitrogen compounds are called nitrogen-fixing organisms. These organisms have the ability to convert atmospheric nitrogen gas (N2) into usable forms such as ammonia or nitrates, which can be incorporated into various biological molecules. Examples of nitrogen-fixing organisms include certain bacteria and some plants, such as legumes.
Bacteria Certain bacteria can use nitrogen from the air to make nitrogen-containing substances called nitrites. Other bacteria can turn nitrites into nitrates-another group of nitrogen-containing substances.
The energy of the lightening causes nitrogen molecules and water molecules to combine. This creates ammonia and nitrates. These forms can be absorbed by plants.
proteins
Bacteria Ammonia, nitrates, nitrites
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
Your body is not capable of directly using the nitrogen in air. It is ultimately the source of the nitrogen in the proteins and other nitrogen-containing compounds in your body, but the precursors for these are (mostly) made by nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil and then incorporated into molecules by plants. (The "mostly" is because some of the nitrogen used by plants comes from nitrates or ammonia applied as fertilizer.)