The nitrogen cycle is a biogeochemical process encompassing the biologically mediated and abiotic transformations of nitrogen between atmospheric, terrestrial, and aquatic reservoirs, enabling its assimilation into and release from living organisms. Key microbial processes include nitrogen fixation (conversion of N₂ to bioavailable ammonia), nitrification (oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate), assimilatory and dissimilatory nitrate reduction, ammonification (mineralization of organic nitrogen to ammonium), and denitrification and anammox, which return nitrogen to gaseous forms (N₂, N₂O). This cycle regulates nitrogen availability, constrains primary productivity, and is tightly coupled to carbon and oxygen cycles in ecosystems.
The prices of mineral fertilizers are rising. The Fraunhofer Institute for Interfacial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB is working on alternative production methods: Researchers have developed various processes and demonstrated ...
Biotechnology
Apr 29, 2026
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Rice production is heavily dependent on nitrogen fertilizers, particularly in China, where application rates are two to three times the global average. At the same time, a large amount of nitrogen is lost to the environment—mainly ...
Ecology
Apr 28, 2026
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Ammonia has been feeding the world for decades as a fertilizer and is now rapidly emerging as a carbon-free fuel for shipping and industry. But if we focus only on CO₂ emissions, we risk creating new nitrogen problems, warns ...
Environment
Apr 26, 2026
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Climate warming can increase plant growth in permafrost regions by lengthening the growing season, speeding up plant metabolic processes, and allowing deeper root penetration as permafrost thaws. However, the capacity for ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 20, 2026
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When winter sets in and food becomes scarce, some mammals hibernate, entering a state of deep rest that slashes their energy needs and allows them to fast for months. However, fasting deprives them of essential nutrients, ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 12, 2026
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Deep-sea waters are warming due to heat waves and climate change, and it could spell trouble for the oceans' delicate chemical and biological balance. However, a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ...
Cell & Microbiology
Mar 9, 2026
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Despite decades of industrial deposition, nitrogen availability in the boreal forest is steadily declining. In a new study published in Nature, researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences using decades ...
Earth Sciences
Feb 19, 2026
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A research team from the Institute of Applied Ecology (IAE) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has clarified how deposited nitrogen is retained in forest ecosystems and how this process contributes to carbon sequestration ...
Environment
Feb 11, 2026
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A research team from the Hefei Institutes of Physical Science of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has introduced a soil amendment called humic acid-modified bentonite (HAMB). This amendment effectively enhances a soil's ability ...
Ecology
Feb 11, 2026
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When snow blankets the landscape, it may seem like life slows down. But beneath the surface, an entire world of activity is unfolding.
Earth Sciences
Feb 3, 2026
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