(7) Next, the algae bloom dies and falls to the bottom of the water body. (6) Photosynthesis and growth of plants under the water will be weakened or potentially stopped. (5) Sunlight becomes blocked by the algae. (4) The extra nutrients cause algae to bloom. (3) Some nutrients run off from over the soils and ground directly into the water. Eventually, they get drained into a water body, such as a lake or pond. (2) Some nutrients become dissolved in water and leach or leak into deeper soil layers.
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These dead zones can happen in freshwater lakes and also in coastal environments where rivers full of nutrients from agricultural runoff (fertilizer overflow) flow into oceans. Organisms in the dead zone die from lack of oxygen. The process of decomposition reduces the amount of dissolved oxygen in the water, and can lead to a “dead zone” that does not have enough oxygen to support most life forms. Too much nitrogen can even cause a lake to turn bright green or other colors, with a “bloom” of smelly algae called phytoplankton (see Figure 1)! When the phytoplankton dies, microbes in the water decompose them. Eutrophication happens when too much nitrogen enriches the water, causing excessive growth of plants and algae. This excess nitrogen can build up, leading to a process called eutrophication. What Is Eutrophication and can It Be Prevented?Įxcess nitrogen can also leach-or drain-from the soil into underground water sources, or it can enter aquatic systems as above ground runoff. In extreme cases, plants with very high levels of nitrogen absorbed from soils can poison farm animals that eat them. With too much nitrogen, plants produce excess biomass, or organic matter, such as stalks and leaves, but not enough root structure. Without enough nitrogen, plant growth is affected negatively. Without amino acids, plants cannot make the special proteins that the plant cells need to grow. When plants do not get enough nitrogen, they are unable to produce amino acids (substances that contain nitrogen and hydrogen and make up many of living cells, muscles and tissue).
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DNA carries the genetic information, which means the instructions for how to make up a life form. Nitrogen is a key element in the nucleic acids DNA and RNA, which are the most important of all biological molecules and crucial for all living things. But we need to know how much nitrogen is necessary for plant growth, because too much can pollute waterways, hurting aquatic life. Without nitrogen fertilizers, scientists estimate that we would lose up to one third of the crops we rely on for food and other types of agriculture. Farmers may add fertilizers containing nitrogen to their crops, to increase crop growth.
When plants lack nitrogen, they become yellowed, with stunted growth, and produce smaller fruits and flowers. The delicate balance of substances that is important for maintaining life is an important area of research, and the balance of nitrogen in the environment is no exception. Nitrogen is necessary for our food supply, but excess nitrogen can harm the environment.
It plays a key role in plant growth: too little nitrogen and plants cannot thrive, leading to low crop yields but too much nitrogen can be toxic to plants. In fact, nitrogen is the most abundant element in Earth’s atmosphere: approximately 78% of the atmosphere is nitrogen! Nitrogen is important to all living things, including us. Nitrogen is in the soil under our feet, in the water we drink, and in the air we breathe. Nitrogen, or N, using its scientific abbreviation, is a colorless, odorless element. Understanding the Nitrogen Cycle-how nitrogen moves from the atmosphere to earth, through soils and back to the atmosphere in an endless Cycle-can help us grow healthy crops and protect our environment. Farmers can add nitrogen fertilizer to produce better crops, but too much can hurt plants and animals, and pollute our aquatic systems. Plants that do not have enough nitrogen become yellowish and do not grow well and can have smaller flowers and fruits. But as with everything, balance is key: too little nitrogen and plants cannot thrive, leading to low crop yields but too much nitrogen can be toxic to plants, and can also harm our environment. It is also essential to life: a key building block of DNA, which determines our genetics, is essential to plant growth, and therefore necessary for the food we grow. Nitrogen is found in soils and plants, in the water we drink, and in the air we breathe. Nitrogen, the most abundant element in our atmosphere, is crucial to life.
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