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Related Concept Videos

Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation01:22

Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation

Nitrogen is an essential element in biological systems, forming a crucial component of proteins, nucleic acids, and other cellular constituents. Many bacteria and archaea acquire nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO₃⁻) or ammonia (NH₃), which are then assimilated into biomolecules through specific enzymatic pathways.Assimilatory Nitrate ReductionWhen nitrate enters the cell, it undergoes a two-step reduction process known as assimilatory nitrate reduction. Initially, the enzyme nitrate reductase...
Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism01:20

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

Nitrogen is a very important element for life because it is a major constituent of proteins and nucleic acids. It is a macronutrient, and in nature, it is recycled from organic compounds and stored in the form of  ammonia, ammonium ions, nitrate, nitrite, or  nitrogen gas by many metabolic processes. Many of these metabolic processes are carried out only by prokaryotes.
The largest pool of nitrogen available in the terrestrial ecosystem is gaseous nitrogen (N2) from the air, but this nitrogen...
Carbon-dioxide Fixation01:28

Carbon-dioxide Fixation

Carbon dioxide fixation in prokaryotes enables the assimilation of inorganic carbon into organic molecules, supporting biosynthetic pathways, sustaining ecosystems, and contributing to the global carbon cycle. It also has industrial applications in carbon capture and bioproduct synthesis. Autotrophic organisms rely on this process to utilize CO₂ as a carbon source in diverse environments.The Calvin CycleThe Calvin cycle is the most widespread carbon fixation mechanism, primarily used by...
Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle01:26

Microbes and the Nitrogen Cycle

The nitrogen cycle is a complex biogeochemical process critical to maintaining the balance of nitrogenous compounds in ecosystems. This cycle involves multiple microbial-mediated transformations through which nitrogen changes oxidation states, supporting essential ecological functions and contributing to plant and microbial growth.Nitrogen Fixation and AmmonificationNitrogen fixation initiates the cycle by converting inert atmospheric nitrogen (N₂) into bioavailable ammonia (NH₃), a process...
The Nitrogen Cycle01:49

The Nitrogen Cycle

Nitrogen atoms, present in all proteins and DNA, are recycled between abiotic and biotic components of the ecosystem. However, the primary form of nitrogen on Earth is nitrogen gas, which cannot be used by most animals and plants. Thus, nitrogen gas must first be converted into a usable form by nitrogen-fixing bacteria before it can be cycled through other living organisms. The use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers and animal waste products in human agriculture has greatly influenced the...
The Calvin Benson Cycle01:46

The Calvin Benson Cycle

Ribulose 1,5- bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo) is a critical enzyme that catalyzes carbon dioxide assimilation during photosynthesis. However, it is an inefficient enzyme, having an extremely slow catalytic rate. A typical enzyme can process about a thousand molecules per second; however, RuBisCo fixes only around three-carbon dioxides per second. Photosynthetic cells compensate for this slow rate by synthesizing very high amounts of RuBisCo, making it the most abundant single...

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Measurement of the Potential Rates of Dissimilatory Nitrate Reduction to Ammonium Based on 14NH4+/15NH4+ Analyses via Sequential Conversion to N2O
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A unifying framework for dinitrogen fixation in the terrestrial biosphere.

Benjamin Z Houlton1, Ying-Ping Wang, Peter M Vitousek

  • 1Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, USA. bzhoulton@ucdavis.edu

Nature
|June 20, 2008
PubMed
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Symbiotic dinitrogen (N(2)) fixation is favored in phosphorus-limited tropical regions due to plants investing nitrogen for phosphorus acquisition. High latitude temperatures limit N(2) fixation in mature forests.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Plant Science

Background:

  • Dinitrogen (N(2)) fixation is crucial for ecosystem responses to global environmental change.
  • Discrepancies exist between N(2) fixation theory and observations across terrestrial biomes.
  • The abundance of N(2)-fixing plants varies geographically, with higher prevalence in the tropics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present a unifying framework explaining the global distribution of terrestrial N(2) fixers.
  • To elucidate the factors driving symbiotic N(2) fixation across diverse biomes.
  • To provide a basis for predicting ecosystem responses to climate change and elevated CO(2).

Main Methods:

  • Examined trade-offs in plant carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus acquisition.
  • Integrated biogeochemical cycling with biophysical mechanisms.
  • Analyzed factors influencing N(2) fixation rates and species distribution.

Main Results:

  • Symbiotic N(2) fixers have an advantage in phosphorus-limited tropical savannas and forests.
  • Nitrogen investment for phosphorus acquisition is vital for sustained N(2) fixation in the tropics.
  • Temperature constrains N(2) fixation rates and species in high-latitude mature forests.

Conclusions:

  • A framework coupling biogeochemical and biophysical factors explains terrestrial N(2) fixation patterns.
  • Understanding these patterns is key to predicting nutrient-limited ecosystem responses to global change.
  • The study offers insights into the role of N(2) fixation in terrestrial ecosystems under changing environmental conditions.