Skip to main content

The Nitrogen Cycle

  • Chapter
Environmental Microbiology

Part of the book series: Tertiary Level Biology ((TLB))

  • 300 Accesses

Abstract

Nitrogen has a crucial role to play in primary productivity, and indeed is the plant nutrient required in greatest quantity. In the biosphere it undergoes what is essentially a cyclical eight-electron shuttle between the most oxidized form at valence +5 (NO -3 ) and the most reduced form at valence -3 (NH3). The main features of this cycle are outlined in figure 6.1.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

Books

  • Fenchel, T. and Blackburn, T. H. (1979) Bacterial and Mineral Cycling, Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Quispell, A. (1974) The Biology of Nitrogen Fixation, North Holland Publishing Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, W. D. P. (1975) Nitrogen Fixation by Free-living Microorganisms, CambridgeUniversity Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Subba Rao, N. S. (1980) Recent Advances in Biological Nitrogen Fixation, Edward Arnold.

    Google Scholar 

Articles

  • Bazin, M. J., Saunders, P. T. and Prosser, J. I. (1976) Models of microbial interactions in soil.CRC Critical Reviews in Microbiology, 4, 463–498.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Belser, L. W. (1979) Population ecology of nitrifying bacteria. Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 33,309–333.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, C. M., McDonald-Brown, D. S. and Meers, J. L. (1974) Physiological aspects of inorganic nitrogen metabolism. Adv. Microbial Physiol, 11, 1–52.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, M. E. (1974) Seed and root bacterization. Ann. Rev. Phytopathol., 12, 181–197.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Delwiche, C. C. and Bryan, B. A. (1976). Denitrification. Ann. Rev. Microbiol., 30, 241–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fochte, D. D. and Chang, A. C. (1975) Nitrification and denitrification processes related to waste water treatment. Adv. Appl. Microbiol, 19, 153–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fochte, D. D. and Verstraete, W. (1977) Biochemical ecology of nitrification and denitrification. Adv. Microbial Ecol., 1, 135–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Postgate, J. R. and Hill, S. (1979) Nitrogen fixation, in Microbial Ecology: a Conceptual Approach, editors J. M. Lynch and N. J. Poole, Blackwell Scientific, 191–213.

    Google Scholar 

  • Robson, R. L. and Postgate, J. R. (1980) Oxygen and hydrogen in biological nitrogen fixation. Ann. Rev. Microbiol, 34, 183–208.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soderlund, R. and Svennson, B. H. (1976) The global nitrogen cycle, in Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Sulphur-Global Cycles, Scope Report 7, Ecological Bulletins (Stockholm), 23–74.

    Google Scholar 

  • Stouthamer, A. H. (1976) Biochemistry and genetics of nitrate reductase in bacteria. Adv. Microbial Physiol, 14, 315–375.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, E. (1974) Mechanisms of inorganic oxidation and energy coupling. Ann. Rev. Microbiol, 28, 85–102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yoch, D. C. and Carruthers, R. P. (1979) Bacterial iron sulphur proteins. Microbiological Rev., 43, 384–421.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 1981 W. D. Grant and P. E. Long

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Grant, W.D., Long, P.E. (1981). The Nitrogen Cycle. In: Environmental Microbiology. Tertiary Level Biology. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8537-4_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-8537-4_7

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-216-91152-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-8537-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics