NITROGEN

Nitrogen is the most abundant element in the

Earth’s atmosphere. All organisms need N.
Nitrogen gas (N2) makes up 78.1% of the
Earth’s air, by volume.
Nitrogen is found in all living systems as part of
the make up of biological compounds. Available
(fixed) nitrogen is the limiting factor in plant
growth.
SOURCES OF NITROGEN OXIDES AND AMMONIA

Fluxes in
TgN/year

NOx: ~32 TgN anthropogenic

~11 TgN natural
 NITROGEN AND THE BIOSPHERE
Complex organisms can’t use nitrogen in its elemental form, so it must be converted
to another form, or ‘fixed’.
• In nature, gas phase nitrogen is converted by microbes. Plants absorb nitrogen in
its -3 (ammonium) state and convert it to amines, amides, amino acids and protein,
transferring the nitrogen to the biosphere(assimilation).
• Plants are also capable of absorbing nitrogen in its +5 (nitrate) state and internally
converting it to -3 (assimilatory reduction), although this is less efficient.
• There are huge transfers of nitrogen within the biosphere: Animals get their
protein from eating other organisms, Urea (the main ingredient in urine) is waste
produced from metabolised protein and is an important route for nitrogen to transfer
back between animals and plants, Nitrogen is transferred when a plant or animal
dies, but normally stays within the biosphere through the action of fungi or bacteria.
Because of these linkages, the majority of global nitrogen transfers are between
organisms and reservoirs within the biosphere.
NITROGEN CYCLE
NITROGEN THE POLLUTANT
Human activity produces nitric oxide (NO) from combustion, which quickly
equilibrates with other oxides of nitrogen, collectively known as NOx.
Extra biogenic ammonia (NH3), NOx and nitrous oxide (N2O) are
released to the atmosphere as by-products of farming practices.
Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is toxic and has an unsightly brown colour.
Cyclic NOx reactions in the presence of sunlight and volatile organic
carbon species (VOCs) produce large quantities of ozone (O3).
– Tropospheric ozone is highly toxic, damaging to plants, promotes
particulate production and is a greenhouse gas.
NITROGEN THE POLLUTANT
The main sink of NOx is conversion to nitric acid
NOx and ammonia create particulates through the formation of ammonium salts
and (indirectly) particulate organic matter.
– Harmful to human health, reduces visibility and can perturb cloud properties.
Excess nitric acid and ammonia can cause problems when they are returned to the
biosphere/hydrosphere system, through either acidification or eutrophication.
Nitrous oxide is a long-lived greenhouse gas that can also affect high altitude
ozone chemistry if it gets into the stratosphere.
EFFECTS OF INCREASED NITROGEN
1. Loss of soil nutrients (calcium, potassium)
2. Acidification of rivers and lakes (fertilizers and combustion of coal).
3. Increases nitrogen oxides in the atmosphere (greenhouse gas—
global warming, reduce ozone—increasing UV penetration).
4. Aids in spreading weeds into nitrogen poor areas (+Eutrophication
of lakes, ponds, streams).
5. Increasing nitrogen increases carbon fixation (linked to carbon
cycle).
6. Increasing acidification increases weathering (increases rate of
phosphorous cycle).
FRESHWATER TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEMS
 OCEANIC SYSTEM
Stratification doesn’t break down in winter.
Exchange of P between layers is too slow. Anyway, supplies some P to the surface
ocean.
Upwelling is the major constituent for P in surface ocean. Wind in the western costs
transports water offshore, which is replaced by nutrient-rich water.
High biological productivity in upwelling regions.
Photosynthesis causes some P to sink.
Decomposition occurs in the surface layer & shallow sediments.
Therefore P is recycled to the photic zone.
P that escapes below the thermocline is integrated into the sediments.
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
Phosphorus moves in a cycle through rocks, water, soil and sediments and organisms.
Key steps of the phosphorus cycle:
Over time, rain and weathering cause rocks to release phosphate ions and other
minerals. This inorganic phosphate is then distributed in soils and water.
Plants take up inorganic phosphate from the soil. The plants may then be consumed by
animals. Once in the plant or animal, the phosphate is incorporated into organic
molecules such as DNA. When the plant or animal dies, it decays, and the organic
phosphate is returned to the soil.
Within the soil, organic forms of phosphate can be made available to plants by bacteria
that break down organic matter to inorganic forms of phosphorus. This process is
known as mineralisation.
Phosphorus in soil can end up in waterways and eventually oceans. Once there, it can
be incorporated into sediments over time.
 PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
Many plant crops need more
phosphorus than is dissolved in the
soil to grow optimally.
In addition, crops are usually
harvested and removed – leaving no
decaying vegetation to replace
phosphorus.
Therefore, farmers replenish the
phosphorus ‘pool’ by adding
fertilisers or effluent to replace the
phosphorus taken up by plants.
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
Phosphate fertilisers replenish soil phosphorus:
Many farmers replenish phosphorus through the use of phosphate fertilisers. The
phosphorus is obtained by mining deposits of rock phosphate. Locally produced
sulfuric acid is used to convert the insoluble rock phosphate into a more soluble
and usable form – a fertiliser product called superphosphate.
Adjusting the pH of the soil for efficient plant uptake of phosphate should be
done prior to fertilisation. For example, adding lime reduces soil acidity, which
provides an environment where phosphate becomes more available to plants.
WATER POLLUTION BY FERTILISERS

When fields are over fertilised (through commercial fertilisers or manure),

phosphate not utilised by plants can be lost from the soil through
leaching and water run-off. This phosphate ends up in waterways, lakes
and estuaries.
Excess phosphate causes excessive growth of plants in waterways, lakes
and estuaries leading to eutrophication.

Steps are being taken in agriculture to reduce phosphate losses in order to

maximise the efficiency of fertiliser and effluent applications.
 EFFECTS OF NUTRIENT POLLUTION ON WATER POLLUTION
1-Eutrophication
Eutrophication occurs when nutrients
accumulate in ponds or lakes
Lead to algal blooms
Oxygen depletion
Mass fish death
Substantial impacts

The effects of Eutrophication - Home

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NUTRIENT POLLUTION - EUTROPHICATION
Nitrates and phosphates are nutrients that plants need to grow. In small
amounts they are beneficial to many ecosystems. In excessive amounts,
however, nutrients cause a type of pollution called eutrophication.
Eutrophication stimulates an explosive growth of algae (algal blooms) that
depletes the water of oxygen when the algae die and are eaten by bacteria.
Estuarine waters may become hypoxic (oxygen poor) or anoxic (completely
depleted of oxygen) from algal blooms. While hypoxia may cause animals
in estuaries to become physically stressed, anoxic conditions can kill them.
 2-ACID RAIN
Acid precipitation, or acid rain, can causes
significant impacts on freshwater, coastal,
and forested ecosystems.
Both NO3- from NOx emissions, and SO42-
from SO2 emissions contribute to acid rain.
In developed countries, uncontrolled
combustion of coal and high-sulphur fuel oil
led to significant emissions of SO2, relative
to NOx.
 3. LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY
Some species are lost due to changes in the nutrient balance.
Due to wet and dry deposition of anthropogenic NO3-
This is having a serious impact on ecosystems around the world.
These additions can pollute ecosystems and alter ecological
functioning and the living communities that they support.

Marine Biodiversity - MarineBio.org