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Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting atmospheric nitrogen into usable compounds for plants, contributing to the nitrogen cycle and plant growth. Bacteria and other microorganisms in soil and water perform this process naturally, while some plants engage in symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Nitrogen fixation is also performed industrially for fertilizer and other products.
Nitrogen fixation, also known as nitrogen fixation, is a process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into compounds usable by plants. It is an important part of the nitrogen cycle, contributing to plant growth worldwide, and therefore to the success of organisms such as animals and people. Besides occurring in nature, nitrogen fixation can also be done chemically for industrial purposes.
Atmospheric nitrogen cannot be used by plants, although they need nitrogen to thrive. Bacteria, however, can harvest nitrogen and convert it into useful compounds, producing ammonia compounds that are converted into nitrates by other microorganisms in a process known as ammonification and nitrification. These organisms are found in soil and water, constantly contributing to the nitrogen cycle around the world.
When plants take in nitrates, they use them for energy, growing so they can mature and produce seeds to grow into new plants. Other organisms can eat the plants, thus benefiting from the nitrogen fixing done by the bacteria, and when the plants die, they decompose in the soil, releasing compounds that contain nitrogen and can be used by other plants. Once plants start functioning, in other words, they can create a system that will perpetuate itself as older plants die off to make room for younger ones, sharing fertilizer as they break down.
Some plants engage in what is known as symbiotic nitrogen fixation. This occurs when a plant has a symbiotic relationship with a bacterium that lives on or in the plant. Certain types of legumes, such as beans and peas, are famous for their symbiotic nitrogen fixing, and these plants are often called “nitrogen fixers” in reference to this. They can be planted on land that is recovering from overuse to help the soil rebuild its supply of nitrates and other beneficial compounds. Gardeners can also apply compounds designed to stimulate nitrogen attachment to poor soil to help plants establish themselves.
Industrially, nitrogen fixation is usually performed at elevated temperatures and pressures to produce compounds used in fertilizers, explosives, and other products. The ability to produce nitrogen products industrially is critical to the success of many human activities, from agriculture to mining. Nitrogen fixation also occurs as a result of natural processes such as lightning and combustion, although the vast majority of nitrogen fixation in nature is the result of microorganisms such as cyanobacteria, which live in, with or near a variety of plants and organisms such as fungi.
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