Nitrification Nitrification is the process in which ammonia is oxidized to nitrite and nitrate, yielding energy for decomposer organisms. One family of microorganisms is involved in nitrification - chemosynthetic, autotrophic Nitrobacteriaceae. Nitrosomonas oxidizes ammonia to nitrite and water. Subsequently, Nitrobacter oxidizes the nitrite ions to nitrate. This is the main process by which nitrate is released into the environment.
Ammonia is immobile, nitrate is very mobile.
The energy released is needed by the organisms to carry out life functions. Denitrification Denitrification is the process in which nitrates are reduced to gaseous nitrogen. This process is used by facultative anaerobes. Examples include fungi and the bacteria Pseudomonas. Denitrification is the reverse of fixation and acts as the geochemical balance.