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The Nitrogen Cycle in Terrestrial Ecosystems

  • Chapter
Nutrient Cycling in Terrestrial Ecosystems

Part of the book series: Soil Biology ((SOILBIOL,volume 10))

Abstract

The terrestrial nitrogen (N) cycle comprises soil, plant and animal pools that contain relatively small quantities of biologically active N, in comparison to the large pools of relatively inert N in the lithosphere and atmosphere, but that nevertheless exert a substantial influence on the dynamics of the global biogeochemical N cycle. After carbon (ca. 400 g kg−1) and oxygen (ca. 450 g kg−1), N is the next most abundant element in plant dry matter, typically 10–30 g kg−1. It is a key component of plant amino and nucleic acids, and chlorophyll, and is usually acquired by plants in greater quantity from the soil than any other element. Plant N provides the basis for the dietary N (protein) of all animals, including humans.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Soil and Land Systems, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Ann McNeill & Murray Unkovich

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  1. Ann McNeill
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  2. Murray Unkovich
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Soil and Land Systems, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of Adelaide, DP 636, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia

    Petra Marschner

  2. Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, M087 School of Earth and Geographical Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA, 6009, Australia

    Zdenko Rengel

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McNeill, A., Unkovich, M. (2007). The Nitrogen Cycle in Terrestrial Ecosystems. In: Marschner, P., Rengel, Z. (eds) Nutrient Cycling in Terrestrial Ecosystems. Soil Biology, vol 10. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-68027-7_2

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