Biological denitrification

Denitrification is fundamentally important in the global biogeochemical N cycle because it is the major route by which inorganic oxidized N compounds in the soil return to the atmospheric N pool. The literature addressing denitrification is legion, consequently, this review only briefly overviews the background of denitrification studies and the cellular biology of denitrification; its main focus is on the environmental factors controlling denitrification in the soil environment, and the detection of denitrification in the soil microbial community. It helps us re-evaluate what we understand about the biology and process of denitrification to better manage N resources in soil ecosystems. There is great uncertainty about the role denitrification plays in ameliorating or abetting NO and N₂O flux, and the role that human management of the soil environment has played through fertilization, wetland drainage and wetland creation, and soil amendment with organic and inorganic wastes.