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nitrogen assimilation
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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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nitrogen assimilation

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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.

Nitrogen assimilation is a crucial step in the nitrogen cycle, which is the circulation of nitrogen in various forms through nature. Nitrogen is essential for life, forming components of proteins and nucleic acids. While Earth's atmosphere is rich in nitrogen gas, most organisms cannot use it directly. Nitrogen assimilation involves the conversion of inorganic nitrogen compounds, such as nitrates and ammonia, into the specific tissue compounds of algae and plants. Animals then obtain nitrogen by consuming these plants. This process is vital because it makes atmospheric nitrogen available to the food chain, ultimately sustaining all animal life.1

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. nitrogen cycle
  2. nitrogen
  3. How the Nitrogen Cycle Works
  4. nitrogen-fixing bacteria

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