Decomposition is related to the nitrogen cycle in many ways. Let's just say that a cow is hungry and goes and eats the nice crunchy grass. That grass has nitrogen in it so the nitrogen in now transferred into the cows body. Every animal has a waste product and will eventually die. So when the body or waste product is laying in the middle of the field, bacteria breaks it down. So now the nitrogen is back in the soil.

Decomposition and the Nitrogen Cycle

Living things need nitrogen for growth and reproduction. Nitrogen is a naturally occurring element that is found in amino acids which are necessary for proteins. Proteins are essential in every living thing!

Succession in north Texas: