The nitrogen cycle in natural ecosystems involves several key processes. Nitrogen gas in the atmosphere is converted into a form that plants can absorb, mainly through nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in the soil or in symbiosis with certain plants. Plants take up nitrogen compounds from the soil and incorporate them into their tissues.
When plants and animals die, decomposers break down their organic matter, releasing nitrogen back into the soil in the form of ammonium. This ammonium can then be converted into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria, which can be taken up by plants again.
Additionally, denitrifying bacteria can convert nitrates back into nitrogen gas, completing the cycle. This continuous process ensures that nitrogen is available for various organisms in the ecosystem to grow and thrive.
