Question

Plant growth is limited by available nitrogen. Why is nitrogen fixation a limiting factor? (5 points)

There is very little nitrogen available after fossil fuel combustion utilizes the available nitrogen.
Nitrogen must be produced by bacteria due to the inability of recycling by decomposers.
Atmospheric nitrogen is unavailable for converting for use vegetation.
The stability of nitrogen gas makes it difficult to turn into nitrogen for living things.

Answer 1

Here are 5 reasons why nitrogen fixation is a limiting factor for plant growth:

Atmospheric nitrogen is unavailable for converting for use by vegetation. Nitrogen gas makes up 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, but it is in a form that plants cannot use. Nitrogen gas is a diatomic molecule, meaning that it is made up of two nitrogen atoms. The nitrogen atoms are held together by a very strong triple bond. This triple bond makes it difficult for plants to break down nitrogen gas and use it for their own growth.
Nitrogen must be produced by bacteria. There are a few different types of bacteria that can fix nitrogen. These bacteria are able to break down nitrogen gas and convert it into a form that plants can use. However, these bacteria are not always present in the soil. In some cases, it may be necessary to add nitrogen-fixing bacteria to the soil in order to improve plant growth.
Nitrogen fixation is a slow process. It can take several years for nitrogen-fixing bacteria to add significant amounts of nitrogen to the soil. This means that it may not be possible to quickly increase the amount of nitrogen available to plants.
Nitrogen is lost from the soil through a variety of processes. Nitrogen can be lost from the soil through a variety of processes, including leaching, denitrification, and volatilization. Leaching occurs when nitrogen-rich water moves through the soil and into the groundwater. Denitrification occurs when bacteria in the soil convert nitrate into nitrogen gas. Volatilization occurs when nitrogen-rich compounds are released into the atmosphere as a gas.
Human activities can increase the loss of nitrogen from the soil. Human activities, such as agriculture and deforestation, can increase the loss of nitrogen from the soil. This is because these activities can disrupt the natural nitrogen cycle and make it more difficult for nitrogen to be retained in the soil.
In conclusion, there are a number of reasons why nitrogen fixation is a limiting factor for plant growth. These reasons include the fact that atmospheric nitrogen is unavailable for plants, nitrogen must be produced by bacteria, nitrogen fixation is a slow process, nitrogen is lost from the soil through a variety of processes, and human activities can increase the loss of nitrogen from the soil.