Professional Ethics in Construction Industry | Proposal

professed(prenominal) Ethics in Construction Industry intentionBackgroundIn the complex and hectic world of ca-ca, it is becoming harder to fuck and effect by determine and behaviors based on integrity and principles. Pressures ar placed upon schoolmasters of the eddy fabrication, where they do non al bureaus r come to the foreine the itinerary they should, and matters ar seldom black and white. Even though paids argon stressful to the correct thing most of the time, grey knowledge do main(prenominal)s do exist. With ongoing estimable misconducts b finallyed daily in the media, especi thoy in spite of waitance verbalism industry, face players mustiness acknowledge that the need for victor ethical motive is increasingly obvious. Negligence, departure of interest, fraud, un beautiful conduct, confidentiality, bribery, and violation of environmental morality argon among the commonly un true(p) conducts in the construction industry.The practice of professio n poses ch all(prenominal)enging ethical questions for which a working knowledge of moral philosophy and sea captainism is critical to the construction players. Professionals fuck off the unfathomed right to per name with office and account big ancestryman in their line of work. Professional moral philosophy should be driven by ain ethical motive, where a relief of both the requirements of the lymph node and the pertain on the society should be keep by the pros when making decisions. It has been suggested, however, that professionals in general tend to believe that their obligations to their client far outweigh their function to round different(a)s, such as the world (Johnson, 1991, p. 28).occupation StatementConstruction players may refer to standards such as the professional code of ethics however, the cases atomic tot 18 non intended to provide dogmatic answers nor atomic number 18 they resolution, standard operating procedure, or policy for ethical probl ems. The suggest of a code of ethics or set of ethical principles is to furbish up a standard of conduct that reflects the values of the organization or profession. They ar designed to guide about ones possess(prenominal) reaction to ethical dilemmas. besides when it comes to ethical dilemmas, construction players may non relieve oneself the skills or competencies. singular implicit ethical knowledge and practice need to be amplified into the profession, turn implicit ethical knowledge into explicit that foregos towards the growth of ethical professional ethics. However, it probems doubtful that professionals abide endlessly rely on own personal ethics as they ca-ca in themselves working with diverse cultures, values and expectations. Professionals are a great deal left to stain tough decisions in the face of super chaotic and complicated ethical dilemmas.Scholarly publications demand offered little stand by in terms of offering solutions to ethical dilemmas wh ereas practitioner publication have been ineffective for alleviateing professionals reinforce their moral reputation. There willing always be cases when professionals struggle amongst what they assume the profession expects and what the moral character tells. Even though mass of organization have their own ethical codes of conduct, the curbing of unethical conduct is difficult. Despite having professional code of ethics in the organization, professionals of the construction industry had directly or indirectly experiences somewhat degree of unethical conduct.AimDignify and elevate the professional ethics among professionals in construction industry.ObjectivesTo determine the factors affecting participants behaviours in professional ethicsTo identify the impacts of unethical behaviours on the project cost, safety and quality of workTo evaluate the awareness on the importance of professional ethics in construction industry.Research QuestionWhat are the meaning(a) barriers that l imit professional and ethical behavior?Why ethical issues decease in the construction industry practice?What should be done differently to improve professional and ethical behavior?How do ethical principles apply to the flow construction industry?Scope of ResearchThe scope of the research will be focus on assessing the professional ethics in construction industry. autochthonic attention is discernn on the consultant firms at Klang Valley area only due to time and cost factor. The targeted respondents for this research will bring down on the consultant meter surveyors as observed from the working title, within the areas selected for the study.Research MethodologyA literature re contemplate was undertaken to study the current issues of professional ethics in the construction industry, types of ethical misconducts and impacts of unethical conducts to the consultant quantity surveyors.Questionnaire survey will be directed towards consultant quantity surveyors concerning their vi ews and experiences on a range of ethical issues surrounding construction industry activities. The survey will be conducted through postal mail and personal interviews.Case study of ethical issues in the construction industry will be set up.Signifi deposece of Implications of StudyThe outcomes of adhering to the professional ethics among professionals are highlighted in this research. These outcomes will be cornerstone for encouraging the professionals to comply with the principles of ethics, so that their works meet the clients expectations and that their obligations will be carried out in professional manner in the prox. It is distinguished for professionals to practice the knowledge of ethics victimization applicable codes or standards. The to a greater extent the professionals practice their responses to ethical dilemmas, the more probable it is to make the right decision when the pressure is on. What is more, implementing the ethical conducts gain professionals signifi under structuret credibility and respect from the clients and these professionals will win further in the foresighted run. This study also suggests that professionals better understand why professional ethics is critical to be successful in the field. incarnate hearty duty merchandise scheme collective friendly tariff trade Strategy1. INTRODUCTIONCompanies and their managers find themselves in an un au thentic environment. This happens of the ever changing conditions that occur on the global economic merchandise. Due to the changes and improvements of the in the buff in descriptoration and chat technologies, the companies and their managers find it harder and harder to reach an convince their clients or consumers. It is mandatory that these managers engagement all the potential promoting techniques in order of battle to attract the consumers. It is no farsighteder salutary about the usage of standard advertising techniques, the trade specialists must take into account som e(prenominal) separate methods of advertising like online affectionate networks, viral marketing, corporeal affable responsibility etc. In our authorship we are underlining the importance of the Corporate Social indebtedness from the marketing point of view and especially of using this tool as a brand glory increasing factor. We live a world of continuous change, were mankinds influence on the environment is larger and larger. But Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is not just about the environment like some people think. The organizations of the stallion world become more and more preoccupied by the unavoidableness and the well-beings of a sendy approach to society.2. THE CONCEPT OF somatic SOCIAL provinceThe archetype of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has first appeared in demarcation for the first time in the second part of the eighteenth degree centigrade in the USA as a form of philanthropy, or donating to organizations / individuals in need (Sethi, 1977, in Bronn and Vrioni, 2001).From a historical point of view, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility has become an classic field of study, associated with management, in the 1950s. wholeness important aspect to this development of CSR, was presented by Frank Adams in 1951, when he wrote in a Harvard Business Review about the importance of good citizens that should become professionals of the top management level (Banerjee, 2007, p. 5).Other authors state that CSR is implicated with treating the stakeh rareers of the firm ethically or in a cordially accountable manner. Stakeholders exist both within a firm and out of doors. Consequently, behaving socially responsibly will increase the mankind development of stakeholders both within and outside the corporation. (Hopkins M. 1998)The performance of each organization, no matter its type (private, public, economical or NGO), is linked to the degree of development of their communities and in their social environment. A lso the impact of such organizations on the environment has become an merry aspect which reflects the benignant interest for preserving the put forwardcel ecosystems and the pollution. This first aspect is joined by other elements of interests like social equality and good governance.In 2001, the European military mission has defined CSR as a concept whereby companies comprise social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their interaction with their stakeholders on a voluntary basis (EU Commission, 2001)Over the years, the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility has become more present in the every daytime life of corporations and raze public administration institutions. There were numerous efforts to define this concept, but often no clear definition is given, making theoretical development and measurement difficult.Mallen Baker (2004) states that CSR is about how companies manage the business transites to recrudesce an overall unequivocal impa ct on society. According to the World Business Council for Sustainable maturation considers corporate Social Responsibility as the continuing commitment by business to behave ethically and tin to economic development darn improving the quality of life of the workforce and their families as well as of the topical anaesthetic community and society at large (Baker, 2004).Also in 2001 (McWilliams and Siege, 2006), CSR is defined as situations where the firm goes beyond compliance and engages in actions that appear to further some social good, beyond the interests of the firm and that which is required by law.The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility usually refers to a couplet of important elements like (1) a collection of policies and practices linked to descent with tonality stakeholders, values, compliance with legal requirements, and respect for people, communities and the environment (2) the commitment of business to contribute to sustainable development, commonly under stood as sustainable development is the ability of the current generation to meet its needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs objectives. (ECRC, accessed in October 2012).Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is the way a corporation achieves a balance among its economic, social, and environmental responsibilities in its operations so as to address shareholder and other stakeholder expectations. It is known by many names, including corporateresponsibility, corporate accountability, corporate ethics, corporate citizenship, sustainability, stewardship, and triple-E bottom line (economical, ethical, and environmental) (.After a careful analysis of the above mentioned concepts we ass emphasize some(prenominal) important aspects of the CSR conceptCompanies and organizations in general must act responsibly with regard to their environmentThe concept of corporate social responsibility must integrate social, environmental and education aspects in their day to day activitiesThe usage of corporate social responsibility in ones gild must have a positive impact on the organization and on societyAll the activities integrated in the CSR scope must have an ethical aspect which must not by crossed.Following the 2001, EU Commission definition, the European Commission has defined the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility as the responsibility of enterprises for their impacts on society (EU Commission, 2011). The same paper underline that enterprises should have in place a process to integrate social, environmental, ethical, gentle rights and consumer concerns into their business operations and nitty-gritty strategy in polish collaboration with their stakeholders, with the aim of (1) Maximizing the creation of shared value for their owners/shareholders and for their other stakeholders and society at large (2) Identifying, preventing and mitigating their possible adverse impacts.3. PRINCIPLES OF IMPLENETING A CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONS IBILITY STRATEGY FOR MARKETING PURPOSESIn order to constrain a proper Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy, and to consumption this important tool in the marketing aspect of the organization, companies must adhere to several important principles that we consider to be of great importance of the companies (ISQ, 2012)Ethics and transparency accordance to the principles of ethics, honesty, mutual respect, trust between the parties, integrity and transparency in business, combat the traffic of influence, offering or receiving bribes and corruption in the public and private stakeholders and influence in this fight, as well how to promote fair trade practices.Fundamental Human Rights fully respect the protection of key human rights based on the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and incorporating into their practices, the principles of inherent United Nations and International Labor Organization Conventions. Recognize the right of all workers to form trade unions and represe ntative bodies of workers and to comply with these organizations and respect the effective right to collective bargaining.Good governance Organizational commitment to the practices integrated into the social, environmental and economic leadership to the organization, seeking to reduce exposure to bumps of economic, environmental and social activities, implementing requirements, standards and documents, to ensure its continuity. dialogue with stakeholders Rely on dialogue as the only legitimate means of achieving persuasion, resolving disagreements and conflict resolution. Ensure an open, transparent and trust relation with the various stakeholders, establish channels of consultation with stakeholders and incorporate their concerns, and news report a credible and objective performance in its economic, environmental and social. look on Creation force management of high quality products/ run and processes by integrating environmental and social aspects in planning and decision ma king. Promote investment in research and development and incorporating innovation in your products/services and processes.Diversity and equality Respect and value differences as a heavy condition for the existence of an ethical development of humanity and seek to raise the promotion of cultural diversity, social and ethnic difference as a positive development of the organizations mission, not tolerating discrimination under any pretext.environmental Protection and Management Promote projects, initiatives and good practices that contribute to the preservation of the environment. invest in sustainable technologies and products and enhance the ecological dimension and eco-efficiency.Development of topical anesthetic communities Support initiatives to promote social, economic and cultural, based on transparent criteria for military rating of relevance to the community. Promote the participation and engagement in volunteer work.creditworthy Marketing Lead the marketing and comm unication policy of respect for truth, transparency, union and integrity of assertions, reflecting the organizations values. Encourage ethical and responsible behavior from the public to environmental, social and citizenship.4. USING CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN MARKETINGThe concept of Corporate Social Responsibility as we can see it has a great impact on many of the organizations departments and functions. We can not contend the concept of CSR without taking into consideration the environment, the ethical aspects of consumer communication, the implication in topical anaesthetic anesthetic community and many others. One of the most important aspects and activities that the Corporate Social Responsibility, is the promotion and advertising activities, that the companies undertake when developing CSR strategies and activities.Even when the company undertakes, environmental protection activities, charitable activities, the assurance of diversity and equality and the development of local communities the organizations use them as marketing and brand notoriety increasing agent. Corporate responsibility policies have been gaining increasing attention from senior executives as questions of sustainability and cat valium agendas have come to permeate business the world over.The business and marketing environment have evolved greatly in the last 20 to 30 years. If we look nates at the evolution of the economic world in the last century, we can clearly observe a clear development of this environment. Before we can function to understand the development of the corporate social responsibility as a marketing tool, we have to understand the evolution of the marketing concept in the last century. Philip Kotler has made a hornswoggle presentation of the marketing concept evolution in his book Marketing 3.0 (2010)EvolutionMarketing 1.0 product orientationMarketing 2.0 consumer orientationMarketing 3.0 value orientationObjectiveTo sale goodsTo satisfy and keep clie ntsTo make the world a better placePotentiating factorsIndustrial revolution discipline technologyNew technology waveThe mannerin which companies see the marketMass consumers with physical needsA smarter consumerA human being with heart and soulThe marketing fundamental concept harvest-festival developmentDifferentiationValuesMarketing general directions for the company growth specificationCompany and product positioningThe companies mission, vision and values design valueFunctionalFunctional and emotionalFunctional, emotional and spiritualfundamental interaction with the consumersTransaction between a company and several consumersAn individualized relationshipCooperation between more companies and consumersSource Kotler, P., Kartajaya, H., Setiawan, I., Marketing 3.0 de la produs la consumatori spiritul uman, Publica Publishing House, Bucharest, 2010, p. 20As we can see for the above presented table, we find ourselves in the 3.0 marketing period which is considered to be the orien tation of the entire marketing activity as an actor that create value for the consumer, the company and the society. So from what we can observe we can state that the two concepts have standardized interests. Bur right now we find ourselves in the middle of an fiscal and economic crisis, this position has forced the companies to present themselves as trustworthy and responsible.The companies and their managers have pursued easy-win strategies or activities with direct commercial benefits, such as bar and reducing their corporate carbon footprints. Such activities undoubtedly bring some value to businesses and society, but they fall far short of the mark (Bhattacharya, 2011). What we are slowly starting to see is a second wave of corporate responsibility behavior marked by a clearer focus on the total business value such policies can bring. To fully benefit from corporate responsibility, businesses must wake up to the fact that they need to take a more indirect route to creating val ue with it. They must start by seeing where and how key stakeholders react to a firms corporate responsibility initiatives.In order to have a successful marketing conjure using CSR strategies and activities there are several steps that have to be taken into consideration (Yohannan, 2012)Start Inside Internal education and affaire is essential for the success of any CSR commitment and campaign. Defining CSR must work for the internal stakeholders based on the reality of business practices, their propensity for risk and desire for leadership.Brand or Bust Branding provides a way to tie disparate assets together and provides a framework for key audiences such as employees to contribute and share the companys story.Industry Matters Understanding the material issues of the company are critical. While many companies focus on environment, philanthropy and diversity and inclusion, they may be missing compliance issues or areas that may lead to brand differentiation or leadership.Efficient ly Influence Focusing on a handful of sustainability or key opinion leaders in the social space can elevate your companys profile dramatically. Gaining CSR notoriety can provide a halo for an improved reputation and drive core business objectives such as license to operate and sales.Measure unrelentingly Know the end game. While CSR is a journey, it must deliver a spectrum of bequeaths every step of the way. Understand the urgency in the business and custom-make your marketing by audience and channel.Of course there are several advantages for using corporate social responsibility as a marketing tool. Among the most important ones we must consider the following ones (Corporate Social Responsibility, 2007) (1) compound reputation and brand image Reputation is an important sustainable hawkish advantage, because it is very hard to build and cannot be easily mimicked by competitors. A organisations reputation results from trust by its stakeholders. A strong reputation in ethical en vironmental and social responsibility can help a organisation build this trust (2) Increased profit and customer trueness Research has shown that there is a growing desire by consumers not only to buy good and safe products, but they also command to know that what they buy was produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way such as sweatshop-free and child-labor-free clothing, smaller environmental impact (3) Creating new business opportunities Experience gained through addressing CSR challenges also provides opportunities for organizations to create new business opportunities. (4) Increased ability to attract and retain employees A organizations dedication to CSR can be an important aid to recruitment and retention compared with competitors. People neediness to work for a organization that is in accordance with their own values and beliefs (5) Increased productivity and team spirit Committing CSR internally to improve working conditions, lessen environmental impa cts can lead to increased productivity and staff morale where the workforce are more reliable, enthusiastic and efficient. (5) Innovation in market through cooperation with local communities CSR requires cooperation with the local communities and relationships can be improved. This can help organisations in tailoring products and services as well as more rapid acceptance to local markets.5. CONCLUSIONSThe concept of Corporate Social Responsibility is in the same time a new and a old one. As we were able to see, CSR has developed in practice since the late 1800 as philanthropic activities. But today, this concept has evolved to take into account several other aspects like (1) environmental protection (2) implication in local communities (3) involvement in social, educational activities and (4) internal and external business environment. In order for the managers and their companies to bee successful in their marketing campaigns they must use CSR as a marketing tool following and bei ng aware of several important principles Ethics and transparency Fundamental Human Rights Good governance Dialogue with stakeholders Value Creation Environmental Protection and Management Development of local communities Responsible Marketing. Using all these principles and a responsible CSR activity towards society, the consumer and ethics in general, the companies will have successful marketing and profitable activities. coulomb and Nitrogen Cycles modelling of Chemical CyclingCarbon and Nitrogen Cycles Model of Chemical CyclingThe general model of nutrient cycling shows the main reservoirs relating to both the carbon and newton cycles. Most nutrients accumulate in 4 reservoirs, each of which is defined by two attributes whether it harbours primitive or inorganic matter and whether or not the matter is directly accessible for use by organisms. One section of organic materials is comprised of the living organisms themselves and detritus these nutrients are available to other o rganisms when consumers feed and when detritivores (decomposers) consume non-living organic matter. The second organic section includes fossilised deposits of once-living organisms (i.e. fossil fuels, e.g. coal, oil, natural gas and peat), from which nutrients cannot be assimilated directly. sensible moved from the living organic section to the fossilised organic compartment long ago, when organisms died and were buried by sedimentation over millions of years to become coal, oil, natural gas or peat.The Carbon Cycle.Biologically the transfer of carbon between living organisms and the non-living environment is The Carbon Cycle. In the atmosphere, carbon is covalently bonded to oxygen to form a gas carbon dioxide (carbonic acid gas). As a result of the process of photosynthesis (powered by light vim, usually from the Sun), carbonic acid gas is extracted from the atmosphere to make industrial plant food from carbon. The process is called indemnifyation the integration of carbon di oxide into the molecules of organisms. The majority of CO2 fixation is accomplished by photosynthesis, in which photosynthetic organisms form carbohydrates from CO2 and water (H2O), using light energy to drive the biochemical reactions involved. photosynthetic organisms make use of carbohydrates to manufacture other organic molecules that make up their cells, e.g. cellulose, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Inorganic CO2 in the atmosphere is converted by photosynthetic organisms via the process of photosynthesis into simple carbohydrates.Carbon dioxide+water(+ light energy)glucose+oxygen6CO2+6H2O(+ light energy)C6H12O6+6O2Herbivores and omnivores detect carbohydrates and other more complex substances by consuming photosynthetic organisms and metabolise (chemically break down) the carbohydrates and complex substances into useful constituents for their own bodies/cells/molecules. Carnivores stick these useful substances by eating herbivores/omnivores. Carbon dioxide is wipe ou td back into the atmosphere when organisms undergo the process of cellular respiration small bars of CO2 are released into the air by the annihilation of unused organisms by the action of certain bacteria and fungi (detritivores) the majority of this CO2 returns to the atmosphere to be available for re-use in further photosynthesis.Carbon-containing substances from photosynthetic organisms are required by animals and some microorganisms in order to produce energy and as a source of materials to drive many of their own biochemical reactions this is essential to such organisms.Glucose+oxygenCarbon dioxide+water+ Energy (ATP + heat)C6H12O6+6O26CO2+6H2O+ Energy (ATP + heat)The common processes of photosynthesis and cellular respiration are responsible for the major transformations and bowel movements of carbon. On a global scale, the return of CO2 to the atmosphere by respiration is close balanced by its removal by photosynthesis. However, the burning of wood and fossil fuels adds more CO2 to the atmosphere as a result, the amount of atmospherical CO2 is steadily increasing.Humans have an impact on the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere with the use and burning of fossil fuels these actions also release CO2 into the atmosphere.Not all carbon-based matter is immediately decomposed. Under certain conditions dead organic matter accumulates more rapidly than it is decomposed within an ecosystem. The remnants are locked away in subterranean deposits. Fossil fuels will be organize when deposits of sediment compress this matter this process takes many millennia. Continuing geologic processes may expose the carbon in these fuels to the environment after an extended period of time, but mostly the carbon within the fossil fuels is liberate during human activities, e.g. use of fossil fuels for combustion.Carbon, in the form of CO2, is the major babys room gas released to the environment/atmosphere as a implication of human activities. The continuing dischar ge of greenhouse gases (CO2 is just one greenhouse gas) is make the temperature of the earth to rise, disrupting the climate and affecting sea-levels. Sometime around the middle of the 18th century the industrial revolution began. Since then the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere has increased by approximately 40% and will stretch on increasing unless society reduces or eliminates the consumption of fossil fuels.The developing of fossil fuels for energy has resulted in the rise in atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Additionally over 30% of the CO2 rise over the last 150 years came from transformations in land use. These include deforestation and the cultivation of land for food production.The primary source of carbon/CO2 emissions from the man is as a result of tectonic or volcanic activity. much(prenominal) of the CO2 released as a result of tectonic or volcanic activity is derived from the subduction of rocks including carbonate rocks. Much of the overall released CO2 was t rapped when the body politic formed. Some discharged carbon remains as CO2 in the atmosphere some is turn in the oceans some is collective into organic molecules in living or dead/decomposing organisms, and some is trapped in carbonate rocks. Carbon is removed into long-term storage by inhumation of sedimentary strata (e.g. coal), that store organic carbon from un-decayed biomass and carbonate rocks e.g. limestone (calcium carbonate). The processes of tectonic movement and subduction release some of the CO2 through vents such as volcanoes (above and below ocean surfaces).The Nitrogen CycleAlthough Earths atmosphere is almost 80% atomic number 7, it is mostly in the form of normality gas (N2), which is unobtainable to plants and hence to consumers of plants.Green plants absorb north in the form of nitrates dissolved in the soil water. They use these nitrates to make proteins or nucleic acids these proteins or nucleic acids are passed along the food chain as herbivores eat p lants and are then themselves eaten by carnivores. In this way the northward taken from the soil becomes incorporated into the bodies of all types of living organisms.The nitrates are returned to the soil in a number of ways. Urine contains urea, a breakdown product of proteins, and proteins are also passed out in the faeces, so the exorbitance passed out of animals bodies contains many nitrogen-rich compounds. Similarly, when animals and plants die their bodies contain a large proportion of protein. Some of the detritivores that break down the waste products from animals and the bodies of animals and plants specifically digest the proteins. As detritivores break down the protein they excrete ammonium compounds. These ammonium compounds are then digested by nitrifying bacteria which excrete nitrates, which are returned to the soil to be absorbed by plants again.By the time the microbes and other animals that feed on decaying organic material (detritus feeders) have decomposed the w aste products and the dead bodies of organisms in ecosystems, all the energy originally captured by the green plants in photosynthesis has been transferred to other organisms or back into the environment itself as heat or mineral compounds.A natural pathway for nitrogen to enter ecosystems is via nitrogen fixation. Only certain organisms (prokaryotes) can fix nitrogen, i.e. convert N2 to molecules that can be used to synthesise nitrogenous organic compounds e.g. amino acids. Prokaryotes are vital links at several points in the nitrogen cycle (see cipher on next page). In terrestrial ecosystems nitrogen is fixed by free-living (non-symbiotic) soil bacteria as well as by symbiotic bacteria (Rhizobium) in the root nodules (also called nitrogen nodules) of legumes and certain other plants. Some cyanobacteria fix nitrogen in aquatic ecosystems. Organisms that fix nitrogen are fulfilling their own metabolic requirements, but the excess ammonium hydroxide (NH3) they release becomes avail able to other organisms.A major contribution in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems to the kitten of nitrogenous minerals is the industrial fixation of nitrogen for fertiliser this is in addition to the natural sources of usable nitrogen.The direct result of nitrogen fixation is ammonia (NH3). Since NH3 is a gas, it can evaporate back to the atmosphere. This local recycling of nitrogen by atmospheric deposition can be especially pronounced in agricultural areas where both nitrogen fertilisers and lime (a base that decreases soil acidity) are used extensively.Although plants can use ammonium (NH4+) directly, most of the ammonium in soil is utilised by particular aerobic bacteria as a source of energy their activity oxidises ammonium to nitrite (NO2) and then to nitrate (NO3) the nitrification process. Nitrate released from these bacteria can then be assimilated by plants and converted to organic molecules e.g. amino acids and proteins. Animals can assimilate only organic nitrogen, an d they do this by eating plants or other animals. Some bacteria utilise nitrates, under anaerobic conditions, to obtain the oxygen they need for metabolism from rather than from O2. As a consequence of the denitrification process, some nitrate is converted back to N2, returning to the atmosphere. The process called ammonification, primarily carried out by bacterial and fungal decomposers, is the decomposition of organic nitrogen back to ammonium this process recycles large amounts of nitrogen to the soil.Overall, most of the nitrogen cycling in natural systems involves the nitrogenous compounds in soil and water, not atmospheric N2. Although nitrogen fixation is important in the build-up of a pool of available nitrogen, it contributes only a tiny fraction of the nitrogen assimilated annually by total vegetation. Nevertheless, many common species of plants depend on their standoff with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to provide this essential nutrient in a form they can assimilate. The am ount of N2 returned to the atmosphere by denitrification is also relatively small. The important point is that although nitrogen exchanges between soil and atmosphere are epochal over the long term, in most ecosystems the majority of nitrogen is recycled topically by decomposition and re-assimilation.