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Nitrogen Fixation
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| nitrogen fixation | the process through which atmospheric nitrogen is transformed into ammonium. |
| nitrogen | the most abundant gas in the atmosphere |
| N | the symbol for nitrogen |
| NH 3 | the symbol for ammonia |
| Nitrogen, Phosphorus and potassium | The three primary soil nutrients |
| legumes | plants whose root systems contain nodules of symbiotic bacteria called rhizobia. |
| rhizobia | bacteria convert atmospheric nitrogen into nitrates |
| examples of legumes | soybeans, peas, clover, peanuts, and alfalfa. |
| ammonification | the process through which bacteria or fungi convert organic nitrogen from a decaying plant or animal into ammonium. |
| nitrifying bacteria | bacteria in the soil convert ammonia into nitrates |
| NO 3 | the symbol for nitrate |
| nitrification | the process that converts ammonia into nitrates |
| nitrates | the plant-usable forms of nitrogen. |
| denitrification | the conversion of nitrates into inert atmospheric nitrogen. |
| denitrifying bacteria | bacteria in the soil that convert nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen |
| 7 | the position of nitrogen on the Periodic Table of Elements. |
| water-soluble | substances that can easily dissolved in water. |
| algae bloom | excessive algae growth. |
| weathering | changing rocks to soil |
| soil erosion | the wearing away of the top layer of soil by wind or water. |
| wind-breaks | rows of trees planted on the western edge of a field that create a natural barrier to slow the flow of wind and minimize wind erosion |
| leaching | water dissolves minerals and moves them deeper within the soil profile. |
| acidic soil | type of soil that has a pH less than 7 |
| alkaline soil | type of soil hat has a pH that is more than 7. |