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denitrification
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Diagram illustrating the nitrogen cycle, showing how nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, biosphere, and soil through natural processes like nitrogen fixation, assimilation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification, as well as through human activities such as fertilizer use and industrial emissions. Blue arrows indicate natural activities, and red arrows indicate human activities.
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denitrification

chemical reaction
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Diagram illustrating the nitrogen cycle, showing how nitrogen moves between the atmosphere, biosphere, and soil through natural processes like nitrogen fixation, assimilation, ammonification, nitrification, and denitrification, as well as through human activities such as fertilizer use and industrial emissions. Blue arrows indicate natural activities, and red arrows indicate human activities.
nitrogen cycle The nitrogen cycle.

Denitrification is a microbial process within the nitrogen cycle where certain bacteria convert nitrates in soil back into atmospheric nitrogen gas. This process, carried out by denitrifying bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa, depletes soil fertility by reducing the amount of fixed nitrogen available for plants.12

While essential for preventing nitrogen accumulation in oceans, denitrification can reduce fertilizer effectiveness in agriculture. Without this natural cycle, the Earth's nitrogen supply would eventually be lost to the oceans due to nitrates' high solubility and leaching from soil.12

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  1. denitrifying bacteria
  2. nitrogen cycle

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