What is meant by denitrification?
Denitrification is the chemical reduction of soil nitrates or nitrites by denitrifying bacteria leading to gaseous N losses.
What is denitrification in agriculture?
Denitrification is an important source of N loss from agricultural soils. This loss of plant-available N can lead to yield depression and decline of quality (e.g. the protein content) of the harvested products. Therefore, farmers fertilize more N than the minimal level to plants, taking into account these losses.
What do Denitrifiers do?
Denitrifiers are heterotrophic bacteria (most of them facultative anaerobic) that couple the oxidation of organic substrates to the reduction of NO3− to either N2O or N2.
What is denitrification short answer?
: the loss or removal of nitrogen or nitrogen compounds specifically : reduction of nitrates or nitrites commonly by bacteria (as in soil) that usually results in the escape of nitrogen into the air.
What are products of denitrification?
Denitrification produces several gases: nitric oxide (NO), nitrous oxide (N2O), then di-nitrogen (N2). Di-nitrogen is the main form of N gas that is lost, but the proportion of the different gases produced depends on soil pH and water content.
Why is denitrification bad for farmers?
denitrifying bacteria, microorganisms whose action results in the conversion of nitrates in soil to free atmospheric nitrogen, thus depleting soil fertility and reducing agricultural productivity.
What is the end product of denitrification?
Denitrification is the process that converts nitrate to nitrogen gas, thus removing bioavailable nitrogen and returning it to the atmosphere. Dinitrogen gas (N2) is the ultimate end product of denitrification, but other intermediate gaseous forms of nitrogen exist (Figure 7).
Why is Ammonification important?
Through the process of ammonification, organic nitrogen is converted into inorganic ammonia or ammonium ions. This is where ammonification plays an important role, as they provide nitrogen to the soil in a manner that lets plants use nitrogen and pass it through the food chain.
Which is the correct definition of the word denitrification?
verb (used with object), de·ni·tri·fied, de·ni·tri·fy·ing. Chemistry. to remove nitrogen or nitrogen compounds from. to reduce (nitrates) to nitrites, ammonia, and free nitrogen, as in soil by microorganisms.
What does denitrifying bacteria do to the soil?
The process to remove nitrates or nitrites from the soil, water, and air by chemical reduction. Denitrifying bacteria are the microorganisms whose action results in the conversion of nitrates in the soil to free atmospheric nitrogen.
How are denitrifying bacteria used for iron reduction?
The iron reduction can be kept by using denitrifying bacteria when nitrate levels are depleted to a specific critical level. Nitrates enhance denitrifying bacterial activities and cause the release of iron.
Where are denitrifiers found in the natural environment?
Denitrifiers are commonly found in many natural environments such as soil, marine and freshwater sediment, as well as in wastewater treatment systems. Studies of the ecology of denitrifiers started with their cultivation from diverse environments.
