Final answer:
The correct answer to the provided question is (d) a biogeochemical cycle. The nitrogen cycle is an example of a biogeochemical cycle wherein nitrogen is continuously recycled through the biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems, involving various processes that nitrogen-fixing bacteria facilitate.
Step-by-step explanation:
When tracing the path of nitrogen as it travels through living things and nonliving things, we are exploring a fundamental concept known as a biogeochemical cycle. By definition, a biogeochemical cycle is the process through which water or a chemical element, such as nitrogen, is continuously recycled through the biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) components of ecosystems. The nitrogen cycle, specifically, involves various processes like nitrogen fixation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification, which collectively recycle nitrogen through the biosphere.
Nitrogen is essential for living organisms as it is crucial for the creation of proteins and nucleic acids, including DNA. Plants often require nitrogen in a form they can assimilate and tend to suffer in environments where it is scarce, even though nitrogen gas (N₂) is the most abundant component in the Earth's atmosphere.
However, due to its strong triple bond, atmospheric nitrogen cannot be utilized directly by most plants and animals. Through the nitrogen cycle, nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into compounds that plants can use, such as ammonium (NH₄+) or nitrate (NO₃−). After being assimilated by plants, nitrogen then travels through food webs via consumers and is eventually returned to the soil in organic forms. Soil bacteria then process this nitrogen back to gaseous nitrogen, renewing the cycle.
In the context of the provided options, the correct answer to the question, 'Tracing the path of nitrogen as it travels through living things and nonliving things would be considered' is (d) a biogeochemical cycle. Biogeochemical cycles are integral for maintaining the balance of nutrients and elements in our environment, and understanding them is crucial for ecosystem management and the welfare of our planet.