# 3.1.2 Nitrogen

Nearly 80% of the atmosphere is nitrogen. Despite the huge supply potentially available, nitrogen gas is directly available as a nutrient to only a few organisms.

- Why cannot the majority of organisms utilize gaseous nitrogen?

- Nitrogen gas is very unreactive and only a limited number of bacterial species have evolved an enzyme capable of cleaving the molecule.

Once ‘fixed’ by these bacteria into an organic form, the nitrogen enters the active part of the nitrogen cycle. As the bacteria or the tissues of their mutualistic hosts die, the nitrogen is released in an available form such as nitrate or ammonium ions - a result of the decay process. Alternatively, the high temperatures generated during electrical storms can ‘fix’ atmospheric nitrogen as nitric oxide (NO). Further oxidation to nitric acid within the atmosphere, and scavenging by rainfall, provides an additional natural source of nitrate to terrestrial ecosystems. Nitrates and ammonium compounds are very soluble and are hence readily transported into waterways.

Nitrogen is only likely to become the main growth-limiting nutrient in aquatic systems where rocks are particularly phosphate-rich or where artificial phosphate enrichment has occurred. However, nitrogen is more likely to be the limiting nutrient in terrestrial ecosystems, where soils can typically retain phosphorus while nitrogen is leached away.

OpenLearn - Eutrophication
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