Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen Cycle Close Read
Earth’s atmosphere is approximately 70% nitrogen (N 2).

Unfortunately, consumers and producers cannot
generally make use of this gas directly. Some
organisms have adapted to transforming nitrogen into
more usable forms that producers and consumers can
use directly.
1. According to the diagram, which terrestrial organisms are

able to obtain atmospheric nitrogen?
The terrestrial organism that can obtain atmospheric

nitrogen are nitrogen-fixing bacteria in root nodules of
legumes, and nitrogen-fixing soil bacteria.
2. This atmospheric nitrogen must be converted to what

molecule?
It must be converted into ammonium.
3. What other organism(s) add this molecule to the soil?
Consumers, Plants, and decomposers
4. What transformations must occur before plants can use

the nitrogen?
Nitrification to NO2 and NO3 and after that assimilation.

5. What organism carries out the transformations
addressed above?
Nitrifying bacteria and Denitrifying bacteria
6. How does nitrogen enter into plants?
Through the soil where the roots are, and the nitrogen
enters the plants through the roots.
7. How does nitrogen enter into animals?
The nitrogen enters into plants by animals eating the

plants
8. How does nitrogen get back into the atmosphere?
The nitrogen goes through the entire cycle than goes

through denitrifying bacteria which sends it back into the
atmosphere.
9. How must carnivores obtain their nitrogen?
Carnivores obtain their nitrogen by eating animals that eat

plants that have nitrogen inside of them.
1. How do terrestrial and aquatic organisms obtain nitrogen?
Animals obtain nitrogen by eating plants and other animals
2. What part of the plant/algae contains nitrogen?
The whole plant contains nitrogen
3. According to the diagram, which terrestrial organisms obtain and

convert atmospheric nitrogen?
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria
4. According to the diagram, which aquatic organisms obtain and

convert atmospheric nitrogen?
Bacteria
5. In what two ways do animals return nitrogen to the soil?
Death, and excretion
6. How do plants return nitrogen to the soil?
By getting eaten by animals and then the animals return it
7. Refer to the previous figure if necessary. What organisms
process dead organic matter?
Decomposers, such as bateria and mushrooms
8. What type of bacteria puts nitrogen back into the atmosphere?
Denitrfying Bateria
9. Use the internet to discover the role of lightning in this cycle?
Lightning breaks down the nitrogen in the atmosphere
Answer the following questions by applying what you
have already learned about the nitrogen cycle from the
previous 2 figures.
1. What is item 1 showing in relation to the fish? Algae

that gets eaten by the fish
2. What is item 2 showing in relation to the fish? The fish

decaying and giving it's nitrogen to bacteria.
3. What organisms are represented in items 3, 4 and 7?

Bacteria
4. A step is missing in the diagram above. Before NH3 can

be processed it must be converted into which
molecule? (Carefully review figure 1 to find the answer).
Ammonia
5. What specific organism carries out this process?

(Using Figure 1). Nitrosomonas bacteria
6. What happens to the NO3 once it has been formed? It

gets consumed by plants.
7. What is the purpose of the organisms at number 7?

How do they fit in to this cycle? To decompose material
and give back to plants.
8. What is item 6 representing and how is it tied to

images 8 and 9? Solar energy
Answer the following questions after reading the infographic
above.
1. Provide 2 reasons that support a balance, or homeostasis, of

nitrogen compounds in an ecosystem. Nitrification is a metabolic
process that changes nitrogen compounds which supports
homeostasis as it keeps the nitrogen controlled. When plants
decompose, the nutrients can get processed into nutrients that the
plant can use to grow.
2. What two nitrogen sources are cited above?
Waste products and decaying plant matter
3. What is the third nitrogen source that is missing from the
infographic?
The atmosphere
4. What specific nitrogen source is toxic? Ammonia
What is it converted into? Nitrate-NO2
What organism does this? Nitrosomonas bacteria
What is the process called? Nitrification
5. What is this new chemical changed into? Nitrate-NO3
What organism does this? Nitrobacter bacteria
Why is this a necessary step of the cycle? This is a key nutrient
necessary for green growth.
6. What allows the cycle to continue? Through a combination of
decay and excretions from fish that eat the plants, waster matter
generates ammonia to continue the cycle.
How do burrowing animals aid in the Nitrogen Cycle?
Write your response below, using
evidence from the image.
Burrowing animals aid in the

Nitrogen cycle by increasing
heterogeneity in soil nitrogen and
light penetration which helps with
getting nitrogen in the soil as it
shows in the image that there is a
lot of high nitrogen in the soil, but at
the top that there isn't a lot.
How do termites aid in the Nitrogen Cycle?
Write your response below,
using evidence from the
image.
Termites aid in the nitrogen

cycle by creating "Nitrogen
Islands." When termites make
their mounds, "fungi process it
[plant matter] into soil-
enriching nitrogen."
How do whales aid in the Nitrogen Cycle?

Whales aid in the Nitrogen Cycle

as it eats everything that floats to
the bottom and with the whale
pump such as feces and urea the
bacteria and stuff it ate goes back
up so it can start the nitrogen
cycle all over again.
How do fish aid in the Nitrogen Cycle?

Fish eat plants and other fish. As a

part of waste disposal and
decomposing they turn into
ammonium which then gets
processes by bacteria to be
nutrients for plants letting them
grow.

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Nitrogen Cycle Close Read

Earth’s atmosphere is approximately 70% nitrogen (N 2).

1. According to the diagram, which terrestrial organisms are

The terrestrial organism that can obtain atmospheric

2. This atmospheric nitrogen must be converted to what

It must be converted into ammonium.

3. What other organism(s) add this molecule to the soil?

Consumers, Plants, and decomposers

4. What transformations must occur before plants can use

Nitrification to NO2 and NO3 and after that assimilation.

Nitrifying bacteria and Denitrifying bacteria

6. How does nitrogen enter into plants?

7. How does nitrogen enter into animals?

The nitrogen enters into plants by animals eating the

8. How does nitrogen get back into the atmosphere?

The nitrogen goes through the entire cycle than goes

9. How must carnivores obtain their nitrogen?

Carnivores obtain their nitrogen by eating animals that eat

2. What part of the plant/algae contains nitrogen?

The whole plant contains nitrogen

3. According to the diagram, which terrestrial organisms obtain and

4. According to the diagram, which aquatic organisms obtain and

1. What is item 1 showing in relation to the fish? Algae

2. What is item 2 showing in relation to the fish? The fish

3. What organisms are represented in items 3, 4 and 7?

4. A step is missing in the diagram above. Before NH3 can

5. What specific organism carries out this process?

6. What happens to the NO3 once it has been formed? It

7. What is the purpose of the organisms at number 7?

8. What is item 6 representing and how is it tied to

1. Provide 2 reasons that support a balance, or homeostasis, of

Burrowing animals aid in the

Termites aid in the nitrogen

Write your response below, using

Whales aid in the Nitrogen Cycle

Write your response below, using

Fish eat plants and other fish. As a

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