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words only definitions & notes
  1. primary
    of first rank or importance or value
    Nitrogen is one of the primary macronutrients, a substance required in large quantities, critical for the survival of all living organisms.
  2. component
    one of the individual parts making up a larger entity
    It is a necessary component of many biomolecules, including proteins and nucleic acids (DNA).
  3. abundant
    present in great quantity
    Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in our atmosphere; it makes up almost 80% of the atmosphere.
  4. inaccessible
    not capable of being obtained
    Although nitrogen is very abundant in the atmosphere as dinitrogen gas (N2), it is largely inaccessible in this form to most organisms, making nitrogen a scarce resource.
  5. scarce
    deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand
    Although nitrogen is very abundant in the atmosphere as dinitrogen gas (N2), it is largely inaccessible in this form to most organisms, making nitrogen a scarce resource.
  6. resource
    a new or reserve supply that can be drawn upon when needed
    Although nitrogen is very abundant in the atmosphere as dinitrogen gas (N2), it is largely inaccessible in this form to most organisms, making nitrogen a scarce resource.
  7. convert
    change the nature, purpose, or function of something
    Nitrogen found in the atmosphere must be converted from dinitrogen gas into a biologically usable form to enter food webs.
  8. extract
    obtain from a substance, as by mechanical action
    Then primary producers, such as plants, extract this nutrient from the soil.
  9. factor
    anything that contributes causally to a result
    Nitrogen’s scarcity means that it is often a limiting factor for plant growth in many ecosystems.
  10. compound
    a substance formed by chemical union of two or more elements
    Nitrogen gas (N2) is a very stable compound due to the strength of the triple bond between the nitrogen atoms, and it requires a large amount of energy to break this bond.
  11. bond
    an electrical force linking atoms
    Nitrogen gas (N2) is a very stable compound due to the strength of the triple bond between the nitrogen atoms, and it requires a large amount of energy to break this bond.
  12. decay
    undergo decomposition
    Free-living bacteria and fungi (decomposers) convert decaying organic matter from organisms into usable forms of nitrogen in the soil (ammonium and nitrates).
  13. matter
    that which has mass and occupies space
    Free-living bacteria and fungi (decomposers) convert decaying organic matter from organisms into usable forms of nitrogen in the soil (ammonium and nitrates).
  14. host
    an animal or plant that nourishes and supports a parasite
    Some bacteria found in the tissue of a host plant are called symbiotic nitrogen fixers.
  15. symbiosis
    the relation between two interdependent species of organisms
    Most symbiotic associations are very specific and have complex mechanisms that help maintain the symbiosis.
  16. excess
    more than is needed, desired, or required
    Excess fertilizers not taken up by plants can travel to oceans, lakes, and streams during precipitation events that produce surface runoff.
  17. precipitation
    the falling to earth of any form of water
    Excess fertilizers not taken up by plants can travel to oceans, lakes, and streams during precipitation events that produce surface runoff.
  18. runoff
    the occurrence of surplus liquid exceeding capacity
    Excess fertilizers not taken up by plants can travel to oceans, lakes, and streams during precipitation events that produce surface runoff.
  19. aquatic
    operating or living or growing in water
    These nutrients often spark unnatural growth of algae, called an algal bloom, which often disrupts natural processes in aquatic ecosystems.
  20. combustion
    the act of burning something
    Lightning produces nitrates, and certain industrial processes, including the combustion of fossil fuels, produce ammonium.
  21. acquire
    come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
    Herbivores and omnivores acquire nitrogen through consuming plants, and omnivores and carnivores get it by consuming other organisms.
  22. incorporate
    make into a whole or make part of a whole
    The process of incorporating nitrogen into an organism’s own body as building blocks to macromolecules is known as assimilation.
  23. assimilation
    the process of absorbing nutrients into the body
    The process of incorporating nitrogen into an organism’s own body as building blocks to macromolecules is known as assimilation.
  24. ultimate
    being the last or concluding element of a series
    Dinitrogen gas (N2) is the ultimate end product of denitrification, but other intermediate gaseous forms of nitrogen exist.
Created on Thu May 30 09:10:49 EDT 2019 (updated Fri Jun 14 14:17:48 EDT 2019)

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