What is the role of nitrogen bacteria in the nitrogen cycle and what microorganisms are useful in the nitrogen cycle?
Microorganisms are responsible for nitrogen fixation (conversion of atmospheric nitrogen to plant-available forms such as ammonium). Useful bacteria in nitrogen cycling include Rhizobium, Nitrosomonas, Nitrobacter, and many more. Please follow the link to read more: Chapter Role of Microorganisms in Nitrogen Cycling in Soils.
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the soil and within the root nodules of some plants convert nitrogen gas in the atmosphere to ammonia. Nitrifying bacteria convert ammonia to nitrites or nitrates. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are all fixed nitrogen and can be absorbed by plants. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria, microorganisms capable of transforming atmospheric nitrogen into fixed nitrogen. More than 90 percent of all nitrogen fixation is affected by these organisms, which thus play an important role in the nitrogen cycle. The majority of nitrogen fixation is performed by bacteria, either free-living or symbiotic. These bacteria live in the root nodules of legumes, including beans and peas. Microorganisms drive the N cycle starting with N2 fixation to ammonia, through nitrification in which ammonia is oxidized to nitrate and denitrification where nitrate is reduced to N2 to complete the cycle, or partially reduced to generate the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide. Microorganisms are responsible for the degradation of organic matter, which controls the release of plant nutrients, but is also important for the maintenance of soil structure and sustainability of soil quality for plant growth.
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