Question

Why are ammonification and nitrification carried out in soil always?

Answer 1

Nitrogen fixation:

1. Nitrogen fixation is the process by which atmospheric nitrogen is converted into ammonia.
2. Naturally, nitrogen can be fixed by lightning and ultraviolet rays.
3. Ammonification is the process by which the organic nitrogen, released by the decomposition of dead animals and plants, gets converted into ammonia.
4. After, this ammonia gets oxidizes to form nitrite.
5. This nitrite further gets oxidized to form nitrates. This step is known as nitrification.
6. Prokaryotes are the only species that are capable of fixing nitrogen. Fixing nitrogen by organisms is called biological nitrogen fixation.
7. Organisms are either found in free such as Azotobacter and Beijernickia or in symbiotic relationships such as rhizobium.
8. These organisms are found in soil or root nodules. Thus, the process of ammonification and nitrification takes place in the soil.