Soil Science

Nitrogen

Mineralization of organic N is the main pathway by which nitrate and ammonium ions are released into the soil solution and become available for uptake by roots. Look in the Soil Organic Matter module for more on this.

Nitrate is usually the more abundant form of N in soil solution. It is only very weakly adsorbed on clay minerals and so is easily leached.

When soil becomes waterlogged and anaerobic, microorganisms reduce nitrate to nitrous oxide and dinitrogen gases, which are lost to the atmosphere. This is the process ofย dentrification. Nitrate is also very mobile in soil and is easily leached below the root zone.

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