Which of the following pathways indicates how nitrogen is added to the largest nitrogen reservoir (the atmosphere)?
A
Assimilation of nitrate (\(\mathrm{NO_3^-}\)) by plants
B
Denitrification by bacteria converting nitrate (\(\mathrm{NO_3^-}\)) to nitrogen gas (\(\mathrm{N_2}\))
C
Ammonification of organic nitrogen to ammonia (\(\mathrm{NH_3}\))
D
Nitrogen fixation by bacteria converting atmospheric \(\mathrm{N_2}\) to ammonia (\(\mathrm{NH_3}\))
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검증된 단계별 안내
1
Step 1: Understand the nitrogen cycle, which describes how nitrogen moves through the environment, including its conversion between different chemical forms by biological and physical processes.
Step 2: Identify the largest nitrogen reservoir, which is the atmosphere, primarily composed of nitrogen gas (\(\mathrm{N_2}\)). This is key to understanding how nitrogen is added to this reservoir.
Step 3: Examine the process of denitrification. Denitrification is carried out by specific bacteria that convert nitrate (\(\mathrm{NO_3^-}\)) into nitrogen gas (\(\mathrm{N_2}\)), releasing it back into the atmosphere. This process directly adds nitrogen to the atmospheric reservoir.
Step 4: Compare denitrification with other processes mentioned in the problem. Assimilation of nitrate by plants, ammonification, and nitrogen fixation do not add nitrogen to the atmosphere; instead, they involve transformations of nitrogen within the biosphere or soil.
Step 5: Conclude that denitrification is the pathway responsible for adding nitrogen to the atmosphere, as it converts nitrate (\(\mathrm{NO_3^-}\)) into nitrogen gas (\(\mathrm{N_2}\)), replenishing the atmospheric nitrogen reservoir.