Question

What is biological nitrogen fixation?

Answer 1

Biological Nitrogen Fixation:

1. It is carried out by some specific prokaryotes.
2. They have nitrogenase enzymes that catalyze the conversion of nitrogen in the air to ammonia form.
3. In this process, the atmospheric nitrogen gets incorporated into the tissues of some plants.
4. Several bacteria or prokaryotes can convert atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia leading to biological nitrogen fixation.
5. The enzyme nitrogenase causes the conversion of dinitrogen into ammonia.
6. These nitrogen-fixing bacteria could be found as free-living or symbiotic.
7. Some examples of free-living nitrogen fixers are Azotobacter, Beijernickia, Rhodospirillum, cyanobacteria, etc.