Question

Nitrates are transformed into nitrogen by
(a) Ammonifying bacteria
(b) Nitrifying bacteria
(c) Denitrifying bacteria
(d) Both A and B

Answer 1

Hint: The Bacteria that is responsible for the reduction of nitrates into the atmospheric nitrogen cycle and transferring them back to the environment during the process of atmospheric nitrogen fixation in the plants. These bacterias also play a significant role in the oxidation of methane.

Complete answer:
The conversion of nitrates into nitrogen is known as denitrification. The bacteria that are responsible for the process of denitrification is known as denitrifying bacteria. This process involves various enzymes in the absence of oxygen.
- The denitrifying bacteria consists of various groups of bacteria that constitute a phylum.
- Few examples of few denitrifying bacterias are micrococcus, pseudomonas, etc.
- The denitrification of the process of the nitrogen cycle occurs in the presence of bacteria, archaea, and denitrifying fungi.
- The denitrifying bacteria occur in various environments including different soils and sediments.
- The denitrifying bacteria do not use oxygen instead use nitrates for the process of identification.
- The complete process of denitrification includes the use of nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, nitric oxide reductase, and nitrous oxide reductase.
- The process of denitrification gives energy to the form of ATP.
- The end products of this process are one molecule of nitrogen, and six molecules of water.
- The process of denitrification decreases soil fertility as the soil losses nitrates to the environment.
- The products of this process give ozone and greenhouse gas which leads to global warming.
So, the correct answer is, “Denitrifying bacteria.”

Note: The process of conversion of atmospheric nitrogen of the air into ammonia in the soil is known as nitrogen fixation. This process is done by diazotrophic microorganisms, especially bacteria (azotobacter) and archaea. It occurs in the leguminous plants which show a symbiotic relationship between the root nodules and bacteria. It was first described by the German agronomist Hermann Hellriegel, and Dutch microbiologist Martinus Beijerinck.