Organize a discussion on how nitrogen cycle is helpful to plants and animals.

Nitrogen cycle can be defined as the circulation of nitrogen in various forms in different aspects of the nature.

Various processes are involved in this cycle. The important processes are mentioned here briefly.

•The atmospheric nitrogen is converted to nitrogen compounds (for e.g., nitrates) by nitrogen fixation caused by lightning, and rhizobium bacteria.

•The oxides of nitrogen as a result of combustion of fuels, combine with water to form acids, which seeps into the ground, later forming nitrates.

•These compounds (nitrates, nitrites etc) can be consumed by plants for their growth.

•These plants are later consumed by animals, and they excrete nitrogenous wastes, which are converted to useful nitrates by nitrifying bacteria.

•The dead animals/plants also decompose to produce nitrogen content in the soil.

•Again, these nitrates are in a usable form for plants for their intake.

•The cycle is completed when the nitrogen compounds are denitrified into nitrogen gas.

Here, animals get sufficient amount of nitrogen by eating plants, and plants get sufficient amount of nitrogen from the soil as a result of nitrification, or decomposition of dead organic matter. Hence both parties are benefitted by the nitrogen cycle.