Nitrogen changes in a system may be related to nitrification and denitrification
processes or to the decomposition of organic matter. Nitrification does not result in
substantial changes in the concentration of dissolved N because ammonia is oxidized to
nitrate that stays in solution in the water. The mineralization of organic N during DOM and
POM decomposition may result in reductions in the amount of particulate N with the
corresponding increases in dissolved N forms.