| dc.description | Nitrogen gas composes approximately 79% of our Earthly atmosphere. Every acre of soil in North Dakota has a column of nitrogen in it weighing roughly 32,000 tons. However, this form of nitrogen is unusable by plants and animals. the authorgoes into the usage of various natural soil bacteria regarding their ability, via nitrogen fixation, to best break soil nitrogen into usable form of nitrogen. Blue green algae is discussed as well. Once nitrogen is 'fixed' and incorporated into organic matter in plants, animals and bacteria, it must eventually be 'recycled', which makes it available yet again for uptake by both plants and animals. Anhydrrous ammonia, ammonium nitrate, nitrates, leaching and runoff are discussed, also. The article attempts to display how all facets of organic matter aid in the conversion of nitrogen in the soil into an usable form of nitrogen, for plants, animals and bacteria. | |
