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Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
The Equilibrium Constant03:10

The Equilibrium Constant

Consider the oxidation of sulfur dioxide:
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...
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition02:33

Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition

Some solids can transition directly into the gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state, via a process known as sublimation. At room temperature and standard pressure, a piece of dry ice (solid CO2) sublimes, appearing to gradually disappear without ever forming any liquid. Snow and ice sublimate at temperatures below the melting point of water, a slow process that may be accelerated by winds and the reduced atmospheric pressures at high altitudes. When solid iodine is warmed, the solid sublimes...
Frost Action on Concrete01:27

Frost Action on Concrete

Concrete structures in cold climates, such as those along roadsides, can retain moisture. This moisture makes them susceptible to frost-related damage when temperatures fall below freezing. Adding moisture worsens the damage during temperature fluctuations, leading to repeated freezing and thawing. De-icing salts, spread over these structures to melt ice, add to the freeze-thaw cycle, and draw even more moisture into the concrete.
This freeze-thaw cycle primarily causes surface scaling, where...

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Laser-Induced Fluorescence Emission (L.I.F.E.) as Novel Non-Invasive Tool for In-Situ Measurements of Biomarkers in Cryospheric Habitats
13:38

Laser-Induced Fluorescence Emission (L.I.F.E.) as Novel Non-Invasive Tool for In-Situ Measurements of Biomarkers in Cryospheric Habitats

Published on: October 26, 2019

Ice sheets and nitrogen.

Eric W Wolff1

  • 1British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0ET, UK. ewwo@bas.ac.uk

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences
|May 29, 2013
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Polar ice sheets act as barriers in the nitrogen cycle. Ice core analysis reveals rising nitrous oxide and nitrate levels, indicating significant atmospheric changes and human impact on the nitrogen cycle.

Keywords:
ammoniumiceice coresnitratenitrous oxidetrends

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Determining the Ice-binding Planes of Antifreeze Proteins by Fluorescence-based Ice Plane Affinity

Published on: January 15, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Atmospheric Chemistry
  • Glaciology

Background:

  • Snow and ice are critical regulators of the nitrogen cycle, limiting land-atmosphere and ocean-atmosphere exchanges.
  • Polar ice sheets store approximately 260 Tg N, primarily as nitrate in Antarctica.
  • Ice cores provide invaluable historical data on nitrogen cycle variability and anthropogenic disturbances.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze historical nitrogen deposition and atmospheric concentrations using ice core records.
  • To assess the impact of human activities on the global nitrogen cycle.
  • To understand the role of snowpack photolysis in nitrogen emissions.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of nitrogen compounds (nitrate, ammonium) in ice cores from polar and mid-latitude regions.
  • Interpretation of ice core data to reconstruct past atmospheric concentrations of nitrogen species.
  • Investigation of nitrate photolysis in snowpack and its impact on regional NOx emissions.

Main Results:

  • Nitrous oxide concentrations have increased by 20% in the last 200 years, reaching unprecedented levels.
  • Greenland ice cores show a 2-3 fold increase in nitrate concentrations, particularly from the 1950s to 1980s, linked to NOx emissions.
  • Antarctic ice shows no significant recent trends in nitrate or ammonium, but natural variations are noteworthy.
  • Snowpack nitrate photolysis contributes significantly to regional NOx re-emissions.

Conclusions:

  • Ice core data demonstrate significant anthropogenic influence on the global nitrogen cycle, evidenced by rising greenhouse gases and nitrogen deposition.
  • Regional emission inventories can be validated and constrained using ice core records from various latitudes.
  • Snowpack processes, such as nitrate photolysis, play a crucial role in the atmospheric chemistry of snow-covered regions.