The Nitrogen Cycle (WJEC GCSE Biology)

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Naomi H

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Naomi H

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The Nitrogen Cycle

Higher Tier Only

  • Nitrogen is present as N2 gas in the atmosphere and within biological molecules, e.g. proteins, in the tissues of living organisms
  • Nitrogen is cycled through ecosystems by the processes of the nitrogen cycle

Uptake of nitrogen by living organisms

  • N2 in the atmosphere is made available to living organisms by the process of nitrogen fixation
  • Nitrogen fixation is carried out by nitrogen-fixing bacteria which convert N2 gas into ammonium compounds; these compounds are converted into nitrates in the soil
    • Nitrogen-fixing bacteria can be free-living in the soil or they can live within root nodules of legume plants, e.g. peas, beans and clover
  • Nitrogen gas can also be fixed by lightning when it strikes the earth, or during the production of chemical fertilisers
  • After nitrogen fixation has occurred plants absorb the nitrates in the soil and use the nitrogen to build plant proteins

Transfer of nitrogen between living organisms

  • Animals feed on plants and digest the proteins in the plant tissues, providing nitrogen to build animal proteins
  • Nitrogen may then be passed from one consumer to another up the food chain in the same way

Release of nitrogen from living tissues

  • Nitrogen from living organisms is returned to the soil in the form of ammonia by the action of decomposers such as bacteria and fungi
    • When animals and plants die the proteins inside their tissues are broken down by the action of decomposers and returned to the soil in the form of ammonia
    • Waste, i.e. urine and faeces, from animals contains urea, which is converted into ammonia by the action of the bacterial enzyme urease
  • The plants can’t absorb ammonia so nitrifying bacteria convert the ammonia to nitrates which can then be taken up again by plants
    • The conversion of ammonium compounds to nitrates is known as nitrification

Returning nitrogen to the atmosphere

  • Nitrates in the soil can be converted back into nitrogen gas (N2) by the action of denitrifying bacteria
    • This process is known as denitrification
  • Denitrifying bacteria are active in anaerobic conditions, e.g. in waterlogged or compacted soil
    • Farmers can decrease the activity of denitrifying bacteria by ploughing the soil to increase aeration

Nitrogen cycle diagramnitrogen-cycle-gcse

 The nitrogen cycle involves nitrogen fixation, decomposition, nitrification and denitrification

Factors affecting the nitrogen cycle

  • Because so many processes within the nitrogen cycle are carried out by microorganisms the cycle can be affected by factors that affect microorganism activity, e.g.
    • Temperature
      • This affects the rate at which enzyme-controlled reactions can occur
    • Oxygen availability
      • Aerobic bacteria rely on oxygen for respiration
      • Low oxygen availability may lead to an increase in the activity of anaerobic bacteria, e.g. denitrifying bacteria
    • pH
      • This affects the rate of enzyme-controlled reactions as extreme pH levels can cause denaturation
    • Water
      • Water is needed by living organisms, so the rate of microbial activity increases in soil where moisture is present
    • The presence of heavy metals in the soil
      • Heavy metals, e.g. mercury and lead, can be toxic to the metabolism of microorganisms
  • These factors are known to influence the rate at which decomposition occurs in compost heaps and landfill sites

Practical: demonstrating urease activity

  • Urease enzymes break down urea to release ammonia and carbon dioxide:

Urea + water → ammonia + carbon dioxide

  • It is possible to demonstrate the activity of urease enzymes in the classroom by testing for the presence of ammonia
    • Ammonia has a high pH so a pH indicator can be used
    • Soya beans contain urease enzymes

Apparatus

  • Fertiliser containing urea
  • Acidic solution, e.g. citric acid
  • Alkaline solution, e.g. sodium bicarbonate
  • Red cabbage indicator solution
  • Soya bean extract
  • Distilled water
  • Dropping pipettes
  • 6 test tubes
  • Test tube rack

Method

  1. Add 2 ml indicator solution into 3 test tubes
  2. Add a few drops of each of 3 solutions of different known pH levels into each of the 3 test tubes as follows: 
      • Acidic solution
      • Alkaline solution
      • Distilled water
    • These 3 test tubes will act as a visual reference so that any pH changes taking place during the investigation can be seen clearly
  3. Add 2 ml indicator solution into the 3 remaining test tubes
  4. Add the following combinations of solutions into each of the 3 test tubes
      • Urea fertiliser solution and soya bean extract
      • Urea fertiliser solution alone
      • Soya bean extract alone
    • The first of these three tubes will demonstrate urease activity while test tubes 5 and 6 are experimental controls that demonstrate the need for both the urea solution and the urease enzyme to be present
  5. Observe any colour change in the three test tubes
    • We would expect the tube containing urease and soya bean extract to change colour from blue to green, indicating a change from a neutral to an alkaline pH
    • This is because soya beans contain urease enzymes which convert urea in the fertiliser solution into ammonia
    • Ammonia causes the solution to become alkaline

Safety

  • Be aware of any soya bean allergies
  • Wear eye protection to avoid contact between eyes and solutions of high and low pH
  • Rinse skin after any contact with test solutions

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Naomi H

Author: Naomi H

Expertise: Biology

Naomi graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in Biological Sciences. She has 8 years of classroom experience teaching Key Stage 3 up to A-Level biology, and is currently a tutor and A-Level examiner. Naomi especially enjoys creating resources that enable students to build a solid understanding of subject content, while also connecting their knowledge with biology’s exciting, real-world applications.