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mfb- t1_iuhzs5w wrote

Nitrogen in the air is like a product packed in way too sturdy plastic (you probably know what I mean). It's technically there, but you can't use it without a tool. Some bacteria have scissors. They can open the packaging and make it useful - to them, and also to others afterwards.

Nitrogen usually forms three bonds. As gas, all three bonds are formed with another nitrogen atom. That's a very sturdy connection that is difficult to break apart. Plants don't have the tools for that. Some bacteria do, and they use the nitrogen to make other molecules where the nitrogen is bound to three different atoms. That's much more accessible, now you only need to break one bond at a time. Fertilizer has nitrogen in more accessible form, too.

Oxygen and CO2 are much easier to break apart.

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urzu_seven t1_iui65dg wrote

I love the image of scissor wielding bacteria!

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iveabiggen t1_iujuqwt wrote

> Fertilizer has nitrogen in more accessible form, too.

To expand on this, the research into biochar has shown some promise as a [soil amendment](https://www.nature.com/artic les/s41598-020-67528-y). On Figure 7 it shows how Biochar-based controlled release nitrogen fertilizers(BCRNFs) differ from the control(CK)

As a side bonus, creation of biochar is a considerably high on the carbon sequestration front

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