BRAINCAKEAmmonification
Ammonification is the production of ammonia from organic nitrogen-containing compounds by saprobionts. The ammonia dissolves in soil water to form ammonium ions (NH4+).
Nitrogen in living organisms is locked up in organic molecules such as proteins, amino acids, nucleic acids and urea. When organisms die, or when animals produce faeces and urine, these compounds enter the soil. Plants cannot use most of them directly.
Saprobionts (bacteria and fungi) break them down by extracellular digestion:
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Key terms in this lesson
- saprobiont
- A microorganism, mainly bacteria or fungi, that obtains nutrients from dead organic matter or waste by extracellular digestion, returning mineral ions to the environment.
More in Nutrient Cycles
- Nutrient Cycles
- Role of Saprobionts
- The Nitrogen Cycle
- Nitrogen Fixation
- Nitrification
- Denitrification
- The Phosphorus Cycle
- Mycorrhizae
All 13 lessons in Nutrient Cycles · All AQA A-level Biology topics