The Phosphorus Cycle

What elements accumulate in rocks and soil and participate in what are called biogeochemical cycles?

elements that cycle in the biosphere that do not have a gaseous form

What are elements that cycle in the biosphere that do not have a gaseous form?

elements that accumulate in rocks and soil and participate in biogeochemical cycles

What are the among the elements that undergo sedimentary cycles?

calcium, sulfur, magnesium, and phosphorus

Calcium, sulfur, magnesium, and phosphorus are among the elements that what?

undergo sedimentary cycles

Where can phosphorus be found?

ATP, NADP, and the sugar phosphate backbone of nucleic acids

ATP, NADP, and the sugar phosphate backbone of nucleic acids is where what can be found?

phosphorus

What is the main reservoir of phosphorus?

rock and soil

What is rock and soil?

the main reservoir of phosphorus

What does the cycle begin with?

erosion from rock

Erosion from rock is what?

the start of the phosphorus cycle

When does erosion occur?

as water rushes over rock, dissolving phosphorus and washing it into rivers and streams

What happens as water rushes over rock, dissolving phosphorus and washing it into rivers and streams?

erosion

What happens after erosion from rock?

phosphorus unites with oxygen to form phosphate and enters a major body of water, lake

When does phosphorus unite with oxygen to form phosphate and enters a major body of water?

after erosion from rock

There are plants growing along the border of the lake, then

water gives ups its phosphates, which are absorbed by the plants and used in the synthesis of organic molecules. Some phosphates also enter the soil

When does water give up its phosphates, which are absorbed by the plants and used in the synthesis of organic molecules. Some phosphates also enter the soil?

There are plants growing along the border of the lake

What is incorporated into organic molecules?

dissolved phosphate readily absorbed by the roots of plants, concentrated by cyanobacteria and protists

What is dissolved phosphate readily absorbed by the roots of plants, concentrated by cyanobacteria and protists incorporate into?

organic molecules

What is the primary producer in the phosphorus cycle?

the plant

The plant is the what?

primary producer in the phosphorus cycle

Describe plant consumption to to grazing:

Phosphate is concentrated in plant tissues, and then the plant is consumed by the animal

Phosphate is concentrated in plant tissues, and then the plant is consumed by the animal is what parts of the phosphous cycle?

plant consumption and grazing

Describe plant waste to animal waste:

Phosphates are returned to the lake when the plants and animals die. Plant waste and animal waste return to the water where it may reabsorbed by plants that line the lake

Phosphates are returned to the lake when the plants and animals die. Plant waste and animal waste return to the water where it may reabsorbed by plants that line the lake describes what steps of the phosphorus cycle?

plant waste to animal waste

Large amounts of phosphate are carried by rivers and streams as what?

runoff to the ocean

What happens during runoff to the ocean?

large amounts of phosphate are carried by rivers and streams

Phosphate then concentrates in marine sediment, and then

some of the phosphate is eventually incorporate into the bodies of marine animals such as fish

When does some of the phosphate eventually incorporate into the bodies of marine animals such as fish?

when phosphate concentrates in marine sediment

Primary producers in the ocean incorporate phosphates into organic compounds, then

primary producers are eaten by fish and other invertebrates

Primary producers are eaten by fish and other invertebrates after what?

primary producers in the ocean incorporate phosphates into organic compounds

What is an example of how primary producers in the ocean incorporate phosphates into organic compounds which are eaten by fish and other invertebrates?

sea birds consume the fish and return phosphorus to the ocean in the form of excrements

What must occur for phosphorus to leave the oceanic environment?

geological upthrust

Why must geological upthrust occur?

for phosphorus to leave the oceanic environment

What is geological upthrust?

the process through once-submerged sedimentary rock rich in phosphorus is exposed because of the movement of the Earth’s plates. This rock then enters the terrestrial ecosystem and begins to weather

What is the process through once-submerged sedimentary rock rich in phosphorus is exposed because of the movement of the Earth’s plates. This rock then enters the terrestrial ecosystem and begins to weather

geologoical upthrust

What is different about the phosphorus cycle as compared to water, carbon, and the nitrogen cycle?

the atmosphere isn’t involved and it requires geological upthrust

When is bacterial action important?

bacterial decomposition and phosphatising bacteria that further break down decompositional products and return phosphates to the soil

Name and describe the origin of three forms of inorganic phosphate making up the geological reservoir?

phosphates in plant and animal tissues, phosphates dissolved by phosphating bacteria, and insoluble phosphate in bone deposits and rock

phosphates in plant and animal tissues, phosphates dissolved by phosphating bacteria, and insoluble phosphate in bone deposits and rock describe what?

three forms of inorganic phosphate making up the geological reservoir

What is guano?

phosphate rich manure, typically of fish eating birds, that return a small amount of phosphorus to the land compared to phosphate transferred to the oceans each year by natural processes and human activity

What is phosphate rich manure, typically of fish eating birds, that return a small amount of phosphorus to the land compared to phosphate transferred to the oceans each year by natural processes and human activity

guano

Excess phosphorus entering water bodies through runoff is a major contributor to what?

eutrophication and excessive algal and weed growth, because phosphorus if limiting in aquatic systems

What is a major contributor to eutrophication and excessive algal and weed growth, because phosphorus if limiting in aquatic systems?

excess phosphorus entering water bodies through runoff

What is eutrophication?

excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen

What refers to the excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water which causes a dense growth of plant life and death of animal life from lack of oxygen?

eutrophication