1. ROLE OF MICROBES IN ECOSYSTEMS

2. DECOMPOSERS BREAKDOWN DEAD ORGANISMS RELEASES NUTRIENTS TO RE-ENTER ENVIRONMENT Nitrogen & carbon cycles

3. NITROGEN GAS FIXERS CONVERT GASEOUS NITROGEN INTO NITRATE & NITRITE IONS AS PART OF THEIR METABOLISM RESULTING PRODUCTS GO INTO ENVIRONMENT

4. PRODUCERS CONVERT RAW ENERGY TO ORGANIC MOLECULES & NUTRIENTS FOR THEMSELVES & OTHERS INCLUDES PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA; i.e. CYANOBACTERIA & CHEMOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA

5. PLANTS & ANIMALS PLANTS GET NITROGEN IN THE FORM OF NITRATES AND THE AMMONIUM ION ANIMALS REQUIRE ORGANIC FORM OF NITROGEN IN AMINO ACIDS

6. LIGHTENING FIXES NITROGEN GAS HIGH TEMPS CAUSE NO IONS TO FORM NO IS OXIDIZED OF OXYGEN GAS TO FORM NO2 WHICH REACTS WITH H2O TO FORM NO3 IONS

7. ROOT NODULES BACTERIA IN NODULES OF LEGUMES FORM MUTUALIATIC RELATIONSHIPS WITH RHIZOBIUM BACTERIA N2(g) + O2(g) 2NO(g) 2NO (g) + O2(g) 2NO2(g) 3NO2(g) + H2O(l)2H+(aq) + 2NO3(aq) + NO(g)

8. Haber process Commercial production of fertilizers Fertilizers use NH4NO3 + (NH4)SO4 CAUSES THE AMMONIUM ION TO BE PUT INTO THE SOIL

9. NITRIFICATION PROCESS INVOLVES OXIDATION OF NITROGEN COMPOUNDS TO PRODUCE NITRATE IONS IN SOIL RETURN NITROGEN TO SOIL FROM FECES & DEAD ORGANISMS DECOMPOSERS CALLED NITROSOMONAS BREAKDOWN NITRATES IN RPOCESS OF DEAMINATION & RELEASE NH3

10. NITROBACTER ARE NITRIFYING BACTERIA USE NH3 FOR ENERGY BY OXIDIZING NH3 TO NITRITE IONS NITROBACTER & NITRSOMONAS FUNCTION IN SOIL & WATER

11. DENITRIFICATION BACTERIA IN OXYGEN POOR SOIL USE NITRATE IONS AS AN OXYGEN SOURCE NITROGEN AGS IS RELEASED AS WASTE PSEUDOMONAS DENITRIFICANS DO THIS 2NO3¯+ 10e¯+ 12H+ N2 + 6H2O