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  • From: Lawrence London <lfljvenaura@gmail.com>
  • To: permaculture <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [permaculture] The nitrogen cycle and aquaponics
  • Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2017 12:53:34 -0400

Nitrobacter - Wikipedia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter>
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter
*Nitrobacter* is a genus comprising rod-shaped, gram-negative, and
chemoautotrophic bacteria. ..... "Nitrospira marina gen. nov. *sp*. nov.: a
chemolithotrophic ...
*Genus*‎: ‎Nitrobacter; Winogradsky 1892
*Kingdom*‎: ‎Bacteria <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria>
*Phylum*‎: ‎Proteobacteria <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteobacteria>
*Family*‎: ‎Bradyrhizobiaceae
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bradyrhizobiaceae>

*Nitrobacter* is a genus <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genus> comprising
rod-shaped <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacillus_%28shape%29>,
gram-negative <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram-negative>, and
chemoautotrophic <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemoautotrophic> bacteria
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria>.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Nitrifying_Bacteria_Facts-1>
The name *Nitrobacter* derives from the Latin
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin> neuter gender
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grammatical_gender> noun
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noun> *nitrum, nitri*, alkalis; the Ancient
Greek <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Greek> noun
*βακτηρία, βακτηρίᾱς,* rod. They are non-motile
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motility> and reproduce via budding
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budding> or binary fission
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_fission>.[2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:1-2>[3]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Grundmann-3>
*Nitrobacter* cells are obligate aerobes
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerobic_organism> and have a doubling time
of about 13 hours.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Nitrifying_Bacteria_Facts-1>

*Nitrobacter* play an important role in the nitrogen cycle
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_cycle> by oxidizing nitrite
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrite> into nitrate
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrate> in soil and marine systems.[2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:1-2> Unlike plants
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plant>, where electron transfer in
photosynthesis <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis> provides the
energy for carbon fixation <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_fixation>,
*Nitrobacter* uses energy from the oxidation of nitrite ions, NO2−, into
nitrate ions, NO3−, to fulfill their energy needs. *Nitrobacter* fix carbon
dioxide via the Calvin cycle <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_cycle>
for their carbon requirements.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Nitrifying_Bacteria_Facts-1>
*Nitrobacter* belongs to the α-subclass
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alphaproteobacteria> of the Proteobacteria
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proteobacteria>.[3]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Grundmann-3>[4]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-4>

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-4>
Nitrification

Nitrification is a crucial component of the nitrogen cycle, especially in
the oceans. The production of nitrate (NO3−) by oxidation of nitrite (NO2−)
by nitrification the process that produces the inorganic nitrogen that
supplies much of the demand by marine oxygenic, photosynthetic organisms
such as phytoplankton <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phytoplankton>,
particularly in areas of upwelling <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upwelling>.
For this reason, nitrification supplies much of the nitrogen that fuels
planktonic primary production
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Primary_production> in the world's oceans.
Nitrification is estimated to be the source of half of the nitrate consumed
by phytoplankton globally.[10]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:6-10> Phytoplankton
are major contributors to oceanic production, and are therefore important
for the biological pump <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_pump>
which exports carbon and other particulate organic matter
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Particulate_organic_matter> from the surface
waters of the world's oceans. The process of nitrification is crucial for
separating recycled production from production leading to export.
Biologically metabolized nitrogen returns to the inorganic dissolved
nitrogen pool in the form of ammonia. Microbe-mediated nitrification
converts that ammonia into nitrate, which can subsequently be taken up by
phytoplankton and recycled.[10]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:6-10>

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:6-10>In the oceans,
nitrite-oxidizing bacteria such as *Nitrobacter* are usually found in close
proximity to ammonia-oxidizing bacteria.[11]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:7-11> These two
reactions together make up the process of nitrification. The
nitrite-oxidation reaction generally proceeds more quickly in ocean waters,
and therefore is not a rate-limiting step in nitrification. For this
reason, it is rare for nitrite to accumulate in ocean waters.

<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:6-10>
Ecology and Distribution
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Aquarium-NitrogenCycle.svg>
The Aquatic Nitrogen Cycle. The conversion of nitrite to nitrate is
facilitated by species in the genera *Nitrobacter* and [[*Nitrospira*]].[17]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-17>

The genus *Nitrobacter* is widely distributed in both aquatic and
terrestrial environments.[2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:1-2> Nitrifying
bacteria have an optimum growth between 25 and 30 °C, and cannot survive
past the upper limit of 49 °C or the lower limit of 0 °C. This limits their
distribution even though they can be found in a wide variety of habitats.
The primary ecological role of members of the genus *Nitrobacter* is to
oxidize nitrite to nitrate, a primary source on inorganic nitrogen for
plants. Members of the genus *Nitrospira
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrospira>* also play an important role as
nitrite oxidizers.[19]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-19> This role is also
essential in aquaponics <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics>.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Nitrifying_Bacteria_Facts-1>
[20] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-20> Since all
members in the genus *Nitrobacter* are obligate aerobes
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obligate_aerobe>, oxygen along with
phosphorous tend to be factors that limit their capability to perform
nitrogen fixation.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-Nitrifying_Bacteria_Facts-1>
One of the major impacts of *Nitrosomonas* and *Nitrobacter* in both
oceanic and terrestrial ecosystems is on the process of eutrophication
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication>.[21]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacter#cite_note-:2-21>

*Nitrosomonas*
>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

*Nitrosomonas* is a genus <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genus> of
rod-shaped chemoautotrophic <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemoautotrophic>
bacteria <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacteria>.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosomonas#cite_note-Microbewiki-1>

This organism oxidizes ammonia <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ammonia> into
nitrite <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrite> as a metabolic process.
*Nitrosomonas* are useful in bioremediation
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioremediation>. They are important in
the nitrogen
cycle <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_cycle> by increasing the
availability of nitrogen to plants while limiting carbon dioxide
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_dioxide> fixation.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosomonas#cite_note-Microbewiki-1> The
genus is found in soil, freshwater, and on building surfaces, especially in
areas that contains high levels of nitrogen compounds.

*Nitrosomonas* prefers an optimum pH of 6.0-9.0 and a temperature range of
20 to 30°C. Most species are motile <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motility>
with a flagellum located in the polar regions.

The organism has power generating membranes, which form long, thin tubes
inside the cell. These use electrons from the oxidation of ammonia to
produce energy.[1]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosomonas#cite_note-Microbewiki-1> It
obtains the carbon it requires from the atmosphere via carbon fixation
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_fixation>, which converts carbon in a
gaseous form into carbon bound in organic molecules.

Unlike plants, which fix carbon into sugar through energy gained through
the process of photosynthesis <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosynthesis>,
*Nitrosomonas* use energy gained through the oxidation of ammonia to fix
gaseous carbon dioxide into organic molecules. *Nitrosomonas* must consume
large amounts of ammonia before cell division can occur, and the process of
cell division may take up to several days. This microbe is photophobic
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photophobia_%28biology%29>, and will
generate a biofilm matrix or form clumps with other microbes to avoid light.
[1] <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosomonas#cite_note-Microbewiki-1>

The species *Nitrosomonas europaea* has been identified as also being able
to degrade a variety of halogenated compounds including trichloroethylene
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichloroethylene>, benzene
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benzene>, and vinyl chloride
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinyl_chloride>.[2]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosomonas#cite_note-genome-2> Some
*Nitrosomonas* species possess the enzyme urease[*citation needed
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed>*], which
catalyzes the conversion of the urea molecule to two ammonia molecules and
one carbon dioxide molecule. *Nitrosomonas europaea*, as well as
populations of soil-dwelling ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), have been
shown to assimilate the carbon dioxide released by the reaction to make
biomass via the Calvin Cycle <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calvin_Cycle>,
and harvest energy by oxidizing ammonia (the other product of urease) to
nitrite. This feature may explain enhanced growth of AOB in the presence of
urea in acidic environments.[3]
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrosomonas#cite_note-3>

Some sources regard Nitrobacteraceae
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrobacteraceae> to be the family of the
genus *Nicosomonas*.
Aquaponics
>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aquaponics

[PDF]Nitrogen and the Hydrologic Cycle - The Ohio State University
<https://agcrops.osu.edu/sites/agcrops/files/imce/fertility/Nitrogen%20and%20the%20Hydrologic%20Cycle%2C%20AEX-463-96.pdf>
https://agcrops.osu.edu/.../Nitrogen%20and%20the%20Hydrologic%20Cycle%2C%20.
..
by LC Brown - ‎Cited by 4
<https://scholar.google.com/scholar?oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&lr&cites=7234285628835939506>
- ‎Related articles
<https://scholar.google.com/scholar?oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&lr&q=related:ssR6VnNYZWTfrM:scholar.google.com/>
Dec 5, 2015 - nitrite and nitrate forms rather quickly by nitrifying
bacteria, such as *Nitrosomonas* .*sp* and Nitrobacter .sp, which add
oxygen to the ammonium ...

Nitrogen and the Hydrologic Cycle
https://agcrops.osu.edu/sites/agcrops/files/imce/fertility/Nitrogen%20and%20the%20Hydrologic%20Cycle%2C%20AEX-463-96.pdf


Aquaponics:

[image: Inline image 1]


--
Lawrence F. London, Jr.
lfljvenaura@gmail.com
https://sites.google.com/site/avantgeared

JPEG image



  • [permaculture] The nitrogen cycle and aquaponics, Lawrence London, 04/24/2017

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