Question

Nitrogen is an essential componant of all living things. However, atmospheric nitrogen is unavaibable for organisms to use. Through various processes and chemical changes, nitrogen moves through the biosphere, atmosphere, and geosphere in different forms, making it available for all organisms. Atmospheric nitrogen is deposited in the soil and surface waters primarily through percipitation. Once in the soil, microorganisms break the nitrogen down into different forms, which is then taken up by plants. Nitrogen eventually makes its way back into the atmosphere.

What would happen within the nitrogen cycle if a bacteriod, a substance that kills bactera, was added to the soil?

Answer 1

Adding a bacteria-killing substance to soil would severely disrupt the nitrogen cycle, reducing the availability of usable nitrogen for plants. This is because bacteria are essential for many stages of the cycle, including nitrogen fixation, ammonification, and denitrification.