Disclosure+6+Discussion


 * Disclosure 6**
 * Nutrient cycles are an important factor in sustaining a managed agricultural ecosystem. Apply what you know about nutrient cycles; identify where gains and loses occur and what influences these.**
 * How do the different ecosystems compare? Based on what you have discovered throughout the case, your presentation should outline how you can incorporate ecological principles seen in natural ecosystems into a production system in efforts to increase sustainability in a managed agricultural ecosystem.**

__Nitrogen Cycle__

//Another way nitrogen enters the cycle is as inorganic nitrogen from the atmosphere and factories. The concern with these forms is that the incremental amount of nitrates they add to the nitrogen cycle may threaten groundwater.//


 * //Rain storms contribute atmospheric nitrogen through rain drops that reach the soil.//
 * //Legumes, such as soybeans, alfalfa and clovers, are plants that can convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-usable nitrogen.//
 * //Factories that produce nitrogen fertilizers add nitrogen to the soil when farmers and gardeners "feed" their crops.//
 * //Nitrogen in sewage sludge from municipal waste plants can be used to fertilize farm fields//

Ways nitrogen is lost to the cycle
For the most part, the nitrogen cycle is soil based. Nitrogen is lost from the cycle in four ways: >> Bacteria change nitrate in the soil to atmospheric nitrogen, which joins the atmosphere. >> Turns urea fertilizers and manures on the soil surface into gases that also join the atmosphere. Together, these first two processes account for most of the nitrogen lost to the cycle — a concern for soil fertility. >> Carries the nitrogen in fertilizers and manure and the nitrogen in the soil into our rivers and streams — a concern for water quality. >> Carries nitrates soo deep into the soil that plants can no longer use them, producing a dual concern — for lost fertility and for water quality, as nitrates enter the groundwater and the wells that provide our drinking water Nitrogen also can enter the cycle from other sources besides the air, manure and decaying plant materials. Nitrogen also can enter the cycle from the application of commercial nitrogen fertilizers. Nitrogen can be lost from the cycle. It can be lost to the atmosphere, removed by harvesting crops or lost to surface water or groundwater. However it is lost, nitrogen can enter the cycle again through one of the processes discussed above or through other processes
 * **Denitrification**
 * **Volatilization**
 * **Runoff**
 * **Leaching**

__Gains__
Ammonia

Nitrogen

 * Add info**

Add info

//Etc etc.//