Search results for "Human impact on the nitrogen cycle"

Ecology of Denitrifying Prokaryotes in Agricultural Soil

2007

Denitrification is a microbial respiratory process during which soluble nitrogen oxides are used as an alternative electron acceptor when oxygen is limiting. It results in considerable loss of nitrogen, which is the most limiting nutrient for crop production in agriculture. Denitrification is also of environmental concern, since it is the main biological process responsible for emissions of nitrous oxide, one of the six greenhouse gases considered by the Kyoto protocol. In addition to natural variations, agroecosystems are characterized by the use of numerous practices, such as fertilization and pesticide application, which can influence denitrification rates. This has been widely documente…