What do producers do during assimilation in the nitrogen cycle?

During assimilation in the nitrogen cycle, producers, such as plants, utilize inorganic nitrogen sources—primarily in the form of ammonia or nitrates—to build more complex organic molecules. Specifically, they convert ammonia into amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins. This process is crucial as it allows plants to incorporate nitrogen into their biological structures, facilitating growth and functioning.

Producers take up nitrates from the soil, and through a series of metabolic processes, they convert these compounds into organic nitrogen forms, which are essential for forming proteins and nucleic acids. This step plays a fundamental role in the nitrogen cycle, as it links the inorganic nitrogen present in the soil or in the atmosphere to the organic nitrogen found in living organisms.

In contrast, the other processes listed involve different stages of the nitrogen cycle, such as the conversion of nitrogen gas into ammonia (nitrogen fixation), which occurs primarily through the work of specific bacteria, or the release of carbon dioxide as a byproduct of respiration, which is not directly related to nitrogen assimilation.