Answer to Question #253313 in Ecology for Child

Question

Observations of the nitrogen cycle in a pond

Answer 1

The nitrogen cycle in the pond is summarised as the conversion of ammonia to nitrite (which is less hazardous) and subsequently to nitrate. This cycle can begin at any time and can go forward or backward at any point during the cycle. The nitrogen cycle is critical for the health of aquatic life and the purity of water.

The overall nitrogen cycle process in the pond is given as

• Source of nitrogen and ammonia: The nitrogen fix from the atmosphere gets into the pond water by rainfall and is released into the atmosphere via evaporation. Ammonia is formed when nitrogen reacts with the hydrogen in the water molecule. Ammonia is also produced in the pond by decaying aquatic plants and aquatic animal detritus.
• Nitrate production: The process of nitrification converts the source of ammonia into nitrite, which is then transformed into nitrite by the nitrifying bacteria present in the pond's rocks or stones. The procedure for turning ammonia into nitrite is known as nitrification. The generated nitrite is transformed to nitrate, which is a useful form.
• De-nitrification: The formed nitrate in the pond can be utilized by the aquatic plants or it is denitrified into the molecular nitrogen which is released into the atmosphere by evaporation.

Conclusion:

The nitrogen cycle in the pond starts with the many sources of nitrogen such as atmospheric fix nitrogen, and ammonia from the decayed aquatic plants, and aquatic animal detritus, etc., The various source of nitrogen is converted into ammonia which nitrified by the bacteria and convert it into nitrate and later into nitrate which can be utilized by the plants or released into the atmosphere as molecular nitrogen.