These organisms convert nitrogen in the soil to ammonia, which can then be taken up by plants. This process also occurs in aquatic ecosystems, where cyanobacteria participate. After nitrogen has been fixed, other bacteria convert it into nitrate, in a process known as nitrification.

Nitrification by Nitrosomonas

Nitrification is the biological process by which ammonia is converted into nitrite and then into nitrate. This process is carried out by two types of bacteria- Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter.

Nitrosomonas is responsible for the first step of nitrification, where ammonia is oxidized to nitrite. This step is called ammonium oxidation.

The reaction is as follows:

NH3 + 1.5O2 -> NO2- + 2H+ + H2O

Nitrosomonas is an aerobic bacteria, which means it requires oxygen to carry out the reaction. The nitrite produced by Nitrosomonas is further oxidized by Nitrobacter to nitrate, which is the final product of nitrification.

The reaction is as follows:

NO2- + 0.5O2 -> NO3-

Significance of nitrification

Nitrification is an important process in the nitrogen cycle as it converts ammonia, which is toxic to most aquatic organisms, into nitrate, which is less toxic. Nitrate is an essential nutrient for plants and is often a limiting factor for plant growth.

Therefore, nitrification plays a crucial role in the ecosystem by increasing the availability of nitrogen for plants and other organisms.

Conclusion

Nitrification is the conversion of ammonia into nitrate through the activity of Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter. Nitrosomonas oxidizes ammonia to nitrite, which is further oxidized to nitrate by Nitrobacter. Nitrification is an important process in the nitrogen cycle as it increases the availability of nitrogen for plant growth.

Nitrosomonas convert ammonia into nitrates by a process callednitrification. It is performed in two steps – nitrite formation and nitrateformation.