EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -However, fertilizers are often overused, and that can cause problems. Nitrogen from fertilizers sinks into soils, often creating conditions that favor the growth of weeds rather than native plants. Nitrogen then washes into waterways, causing a surplus of nutrients, a situation called eutrophication.

Detailed explanation-2: -The nitrogen cycle involves the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen by lightning, microbes (alone or in combination with leguminous plants) and the addition of synthetic fertilizers. The resulting nitrate, ammonia or ammonium, when included in a plant-growing system in the soil, then undergoes a variety of changes.

Detailed explanation-3: -Since the mid-1900s, humans have been exerting an ever-increasing impact on the global nitrogen cycle. Human activities, such as making fertilizers and burning fossil fuels, have significantly altered the amount of fixed nitrogen in the Earth’s ecosystems.

Detailed explanation-4: -To grow, plants require nitrogen compounds from the soil, which can be produced naturally or be provided by fertilizers. However, applying excessive amounts of fertilizer leads to the release of harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and the eutrophication of our waterways.

Detailed explanation-5: -Human activity affects cycling of nitrogen. In general, human activity releases nitrogen into the environment by two main means: combustion of fossil fuels and use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers in agriculture.