Question

When nitrate is reduced to dinitrogen gas (N2), nitrogen is removed from the ecosystem and returned to the atmosphere through a series of reactions collectively known as ______.

1) nitrogen fixation
2) denitrification
3) anammox reaction
4) All of the choices are correct.

Answer 1

Denitrification is the process that removes nitrogen from the ecosystem and returns it to the atmosphere as dinitrogen gas (N2). It involves the reduction of nitrates and nitrites to nitrogen gas by soil bacteria. Denitrification is one of the important steps in the nitrogen cycle.

Step-by-step explanation:

Denitrification is the series of reactions that remove nitrogen from the ecosystem and return it to the atmosphere as dinitrogen gas (N2). It involves the reduction of nitrates and nitrites to nitrogen gas by soil bacteria such as Pseudomonas and Clostridium. This process is an important part of the nitrogen cycle, along with nitrogen fixation and nitrification.