Name the nitrifying bacteria of the soil. Why are they called chemoautotrophs ?
Open in App
Solution
Verified by Toppr
Nirifying bacteria:
These are the group of aerobic bacteria that convert ammonia into nitrates or nitrites in the nitrogen cycle.
These are generally found in the soil.
These are the chemolithotrophic organisms.
Bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrites are Nitrosomonas, Nitrosospira, Nitrosococcus, and Nitrosolobus and bacteria that convert nitritesto nitrates are Nitrobacter, Nitrospina, and Nitrococcus.
Chemoautotrophs:
Chemoautotrophs are the organisms that obtain their energy by the oxidation of inorganic compounds.
They use this energy to synthesise organic compounds from carbon dioxide.
Nitrifying bacteria are chemolithotrophs.
Chemolithotrophs are a group of phylogenetically diverse microbes that can obtain all the energy required for their growth from the oxidation of inorganic compounds such as hydrogen (H2), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and reduced metals.
Since, the nitrifying bacteria use either ammonia or nitrites to obtain energy (instead of water, like plants), hence, these are called chemoautotrophs or chrmolithotrophs.
Was this answer helpful?
0
Similar Questions
Q1
Name the nitrifying bacteria of the soil. Why are they called chemoautotrophs ?
View Solution
Q2
Read the following statements and select the correct ones.
(i) Rhizobium leguminosarum is also known as Bacillus radicicola. (ii) Nitrifying bacteria (Nitrosomonas, etc) are chemoautotrophs. (iii) Enzyme nitrogenase fixes N2 under aerobic conditions. (iv) Leghaemoglobin creates aerobic conditions for the enzyme nitrogenase.
View Solution
Q3
Assertion :Ammonia is converted into nitrate by soil bacteria like Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter Reason: These nitrifying bacteria are photoautotrophs.
View Solution
Q4
Which one of these add nitrogen in usable form to the soil−nitrifying bacteria or denitrifying bacteria?