AVIDArticleSummaryFormatPartI:IndividualAssignment

Name:GalileaPatricio DueDate:September28,2014
ArticleTitle:TheHumanPopulationandtheGlobalNitrogenCycle
Author/Source:ScientificAmerican
Whilereadingthearticle,highlightwordsorphrasesthatrequiredefinitionsor
clarifications

WhataretheAUTHORsmajorideas,conceptsorkeypoints?
A:Listthemajorideas,conceptsorkeypointspointbypointExample:
Nutrientrichfertilizersfoodproductionisincreased.
Importanceofnutrients?
minorconstituentoflivingmatter.
lockedintheatmosphereunlikecarbon,oxygen,andhydrogen
neededforDNAandRNastoreandtransfergeneticinfo.
requiredtomakeproteins.
nitrogengas78%oftheatmosphere,toostableforusage
nitrogenfixingbacteriaturnnitrogengasintoammonia.
mostimportantisRhizobium,liveonrootsoflegumes.
cyanobacteriafixatenitrogen,livefreely.
fixednitrogenislostbyplantconsumption
traditionalfarmersreplenishthesoilwithcropresiduesorhumanand
animalwastewhichyieldslowlevelsofnitrogen.
theycanalsoplantlegumessuchaspeas,beans,andlentils(symbiotic
relationshipwithbacteria).
combinationofhumanandanimalwasteareknownasgreenmanures,theyare
plowedintothesoil.
approximately200kgofnitrogenperhectareoflandsupports15people.
landscarcecountrieshavemoregreenmanurebecausetheyhavenograzing
lands.
legumesarelimitedbecausetheyarenoteasilydigestedorprocessed.
shortageofphosphorusandpotassiumareeasiertorectify.
acidisusedtomeltrockstoacquirephosphorusconcerngrewbylate1890s.
technologistsareattemptingtobreakthenitrogenbarriers.
solubleinorganicnitratesandorganicguanoserveastemporaryrelieffor
farmers.
toomuchnitrogenintothesoilandwaternegativeeffectsontheenvironment.

B:SummarizetheAUTHORsmainpointorideaatLEAST12paragraphs
Example:SummaryofAuthorsMainPoints:
Nitrogen is an essential component for living organisms, however it is unable to be
assimilated by organisms because of its stable state as gas in the atmosphere (N
2
).
Nitrogenfixing bacteria are able to convert nitrogen gas into a usable form by changing it
to ammonia a process called ammonification. This is then converted to nitrites and nitrates
which are easily used by plants for growth and sustenance. Elements for plant growth such
as phosphorus, potassium, and nitrogen are very limited, farmers resort to planting
legumes which hold symbiotic relationships with nitrogenfixing bacteria. Although legumes
are beneficial they are difficult to digest and process. Farmers also place green manures
in their fields which it involves plowing human and animal waste into the soil, this can yield
200 kg of nitrogen per hectare, enough to sustain 15 people. Technologist are attempting
tobreakthenitrogenbarriersinordertomakenitrogeneasierabsorbinitsusableforms.

C:Writeareactionparagraphtothearticlestatingyourownthoughtsonthetopic,
usingspecificcitationsfromthearticletosupportyourviewsExample:MyOwn
ThoughtsontheTopic
The article presented the issues with the availability of elements which are essential
for plant growth. I find it interesting that the most environmentally friendly ways to increase
the nutrients in the soil is not as sustainable and does not provided as much as the amount
of resources being placed into it. I think that breaking the nitrogen barriers could have both
negative and positive outcomes. The positive outcomes of doing so is the that it would
yield more crops as the soil becomes much more fertile than it used to be. On the other
sidetamperingwiththeprocessesofnitrogenfixingcancausemoredamagethangood.

SoWhat?
Makingnewwaystoincreasecropyields
inmoreenvironmentallyfriendlywayscan
decreasetheamountofpollutantsentering
thewater.
Processingnitrogenasbacteriadowill
maketheuseoffertilizersunnecessary.
SaysWho?
FritzHaberfromthetechnicaluniversityin
Karlsruhe,Germany
Whatif..?
Technologistsareabletobreakthe
nitrogenbarriers.
WhatDoesThisRemindMeOf?
Geneticallyenhancingplantsforcertain
uses.