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Bacteria which add atmospheric nitrogen to the soil are

A. putrefying bacteria

B. nitrifying bacteria

C. nitrogen fixing bacteria

D. denitrifying bacteria

QUICK ANSWER…

C

DETAILS…  

We are required to identify the type of bacteria responsible for converting atmospheric nitrogen into soil nitrates.

Now for the right answer to the above question:

1. Option A is incorrect; putrefying bacteria are anaerobic decomposers; that is, they cause disintegration of organic nitrogen compounds like proteins into inorganic nitrogen containing ammonium compounds in the absence of oxygen.
2. Option B is also incorrect; nitrifying bacteria convert soil ammonia to nitrates.
3. Option C is correct. Nitrogen fixing bacteria are microorganisms that convert atmospheric nitrogen into fixed nitrogen compounds, like ammonia, into the soil.
4. D is incorrect. Denitrifying bacteria converts nitrates in the soil to free atmospheric nitrogen.

KEY-POINTS…

You may please note that:

• Nitrifying bacteria converts soil ammonia to nitrates;
• Denitrifying bacteria converts these nitrates to atmospheric nitrogen; and
• Nitrogen fixing bacteria converts atmospheric nitrogen to soil ammonia.

Use the questions and answers session to raise further questions and deal more on this topic…

/ culled from 2016 JAMB-UTME biology past question 20 /