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Physiology and Distribution of Nitrogen in Soils

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Soil Nitrogen Ecology

Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 62))

Abstract

One of the important element for plant growth and which signifies soil health is Nitrogen. Soil is majorly bound with inorganic (NO2−, NO3−, non-exchangeable (mineral-fixed) NH4+, exchangeable NH4+, nitrous oxide (N2O) and dinitrogen gas (N2)) and organic forms (amino acids, amino sugars and nucleic acid bases) of Nitrogen. Soil N amount depends upon N2 fixation through microorganisms, losses from leaching and crop removal, volatilization and Emission of N2O and N2. Initially NH+ conversion is processed through ammonification followed by the conversion of nitrite to nitrate through nitrification process. Further, NH+ and NO3− are utilised by microorganisms and plants by process immobilization and assimilation, respectively. In the end, the N cycle is completed with denitrification process i.e. N releases back to atmosphere. Soil N is vast and not only related to transformation and distribution of inorganic and organic N but also its interaction with biosphere and atmosphere. The following chapter gives an overview of soil N by keeping in mind to keep a detailed view of its distribution and physiology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biotechnology Division, Central Pulp and Paper Research Institute, Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Mohiraa Shafreen & Nitin Kumar

  2. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Kanchan Vishwakarma & Neeraj Shrivastava

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  1. Mohiraa Shafreen
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  2. Kanchan Vishwakarma
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  3. Neeraj Shrivastava
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  4. Nitin Kumar
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (Ce3C), Faculty of Sciences, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal

    Cristina Cruz

  2. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Kanchan Vishwakarma

  3. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Devendra Kumar Choudhary

  4. Amity Institute of Microbial Technology, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India

    Ajit Varma

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Shafreen, M., Vishwakarma, K., Shrivastava, N., Kumar, N. (2021). Physiology and Distribution of Nitrogen in Soils. In: Cruz, C., Vishwakarma, K., Choudhary, D.K., Varma, A. (eds) Soil Nitrogen Ecology. Soil Biology, vol 62. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71206-8_1

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