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Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism01:20

Overview of Nitrogen Metabolism

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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...
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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...
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Inorganic Nitrogen Assimilation01:22

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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...
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Carbon-dioxide Fixation01:28

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Updated: Mar 6, 2026

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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Denitrification in a semi-arid grazing ecosystem.

Douglas A Frank1, Peter M Groffman2

  • 1Biological Research Laboratories, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY 13244-1220, USA e-mail: dafrank@mailbox.syr.edu, Fax: +1-315-4432012, , , , , , US.

Oecologia
|March 18, 2017
PubMed
Summary

Large herbivores significantly impact grassland nitrogen loss through denitrification in mesic Yellowstone sites. Ungulates enhance denitrification, a crucial process in semi-arid ecosystems, by increasing labile soil carbon.

Keywords:
GrasslandHerbivoryKey words DenitrificationNitrogenYellowstone National Park

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Soil Science

Background:

  • Gaseous nitrogen (N) loss from grasslands, particularly denitrification, is poorly understood in relation to large herbivore activity.
  • Native migratory ungulates play a role in grassland ecosystems, but their specific influence on N cycling requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of native migratory ungulates on denitrification rates in Yellowstone National Park grasslands.
  • To determine if artificial urine application or long-term exclosures reveal herbivore impacts on denitrification.

Main Methods:

  • Assessed denitrification following artificial urine application at various topographic locations.
  • Compared denitrification rates inside and outside long-term ungulate exclosures across diverse grassland sites.
  • Measured denitrification enzyme activity (DEA) and soil properties, including moisture and carbon availability.

Main Results:

  • Artificial urine application did not significantly affect denitrification rates.
  • Ungulates had no discernible effect on denitrification in dry grassland sites.
  • At mesic sites, ungulates doubled atmospheric N inputs by enhancing denitrification by up to 4 kg N ha⁻¹ year⁻¹.
  • Denitrification enzyme activity was positively linked to soil moisture, and herbivores stimulated this activity.

Conclusions:

  • Denitrification is an ecologically significant nitrogen flux in semi-arid grassland landscapes.
  • Large herbivores, specifically ungulates, exert a previously unrecognized regulatory influence on grassland denitrification, primarily by increasing labile soil carbon in mesic environments.