N2 Molecule. Nitrogen in the air is in this form

Nitrogen in this form can not get into a food chain

Nitrogen “fixed” by becoming part of an Ammonia molecule

Plants love Nitrogen when it is in an ammonia molecule.

Nitrate group NO3

Nitrate fertilizer

Ammonium nitrate is explosive

Fertilizer bomb destroyed the Federal building in Oklahoma City. Killing many

Fertilizer plant explosion

Fertilizer plant explosion.. Texas. Many compounds with nitrogen in the molecule are unstable / dangerous.

• IN ORDER TO ENTER A FOOD CHAIN… NITROGEN MUST BE IN THE FORM OF NITRATES OR AMMONIA.

• In other words… N2 molecules must be FIXED so the nitrogen atoms are part of NO3 or NH3 molecules

NITROGEN being added to the food chain as part of NH3 and NO3 molecules

• PLANTS WILL USE THE NITROGEN IN NH3 and NO3 MOLECULES.

• Plants USE NITROGEN to make …

• protein molecules.

• Protein molecules have lots of Carbon atoms, Hydrogen atoms and oxygen atoms… but

protein molecules must always contain NITROGEN atoms too.

Nitrogen fixing bacteria cells in a root nodule.

BOG habitat. Water leaches nitrates and ammonia out of the soil.

Pitcher plants in bog habitat

You might be in a bog if….

Sundew plant: Sticky

Stuck. Fly proteins = source of nitrogen in a nitrogen poor environment

Digest. Absorb the nutrients

Many species of sundew

VENUS FLY TRAP

More than 1 way to get nitrogen if you are a plant.

Pitcher Plant. Big Bog, MN

Big species of pitcher plant