Why can’t animals directly use the large amount of nitrogen that is stored in the atmosphere?
> Why can’t animals directly use the large amount of nitrogen that is stored in the atmosphere? Because animals don’t have the chemical pathways needed for “fixing” nitrogen gas as amines and nitrates. > Explain the processes through which plants and animals obtain the nitrogen they need. Plants: Absorb amines and nitrates from the soil — or have a mutualistic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and absorb these things from the secretions of these bacteria. Animals: Eat plants or eat other animals, and obtain nitrogen-bearing compounds by metabolizing the proteins in the food they ate.
