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How do Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter bacteria change nitrogen compounds in soil?
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Bacteria
A scanning electron micrograph of gram-positive Mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria, the cause of tuberculosis and scrofula.
Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are types of nitrifying bacteria that play a vital role in the nitrogen cycle by converting ammonia into forms that plants can use.1
The process occurs in two distinct stages:
- Ammonia to Nitrites: Bacteria such as Nitrosomonas oxidize ammonia found in the soil, converting it into nitrites.12
- Nitrites to Nitrates: Bacteria such as Nitrobacter then convert these nitritesāwhich are toxic to plantsāinto nitrates.1
Through this sequential action, these microorganisms transform soil nitrogen into nitrates, which are essential nutrients for plant growth.1