A deer in the woods has just released urine. Number the steps to follow the nitrogen molecules in the urine as they go through the nitrogen cycle.

Question

To get you started, Step 1 is "Nitrogen is found in urine, which gets broken down into ammonium through the process of ammonification."

1. Step 1
Plants absorb the ammonium and begin assimilation, the process to add the nitrogen to protein.
2. Step 2
Bacteria in the soil conduct nitrogen fixation to convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonium.
3. Step 3
Ammonium can be absorbed by plants, but some is converted into nitrates, which are better for plants to absorb. This is called nitrification.
4. Step 4
Nitrogen is found in the urine, which gets broken down into ammonium through the process of ammonification.
5. Step 5
Some of the nitrates are absorbed back into plants, but denitrification breaks down the nitrates into nitrogen gas released back into the atmosphere.
6. Step 6
The deer eats the plants and uses the nitrogen-containing proteins for cell growth.

Answer 1

To follow the nitrogen molecules in the urine as they go through the nitrogen cycle, the steps would be numbered as follows:

1. Step 1: Nitrogen is found in the urine, which gets broken down into ammonium through the process of ammonification.
2. Step 2: Ammonium can be absorbed by plants, but some is converted into nitrates, which are better for plants to absorb. This is called nitrification.
3. Step 3: Plants absorb the ammonium and begin assimilation, the process to add the nitrogen to protein.
4. Step 4: Bacteria in the soil conduct nitrogen fixation to convert nitrogen gas from the atmosphere into ammonium.
5. Step 5: Some of the nitrates are absorbed back into plants, but denitrification breaks down the nitrates into nitrogen gas released back into the atmosphere.
6. Step 6: The deer eats the plants and uses the nitrogen-containing proteins for cell growth.

Note: Step 4 should logically occur prior to Step 3, as nitrogen fixation involves converting atmospheric nitrogen to ammonium which can then be utilized by plants. However, if you're specifically following the nitrogen from the urine of the deer, Step 4 (nitrogen fixation) is not directly linked to the nitrogen in the urine itself.