biogeochemical cycles - phosphorous cycle
- Created by: student111319
- Created on: 04-04-23 19:30
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phosporous cycle
phosporous in the enviro:
- weathering - phosphorous is found in the rocks in abundance
- absorption by plants - phosphate salts dissovled in water are absorbed by plants
- absorption by animals - animals absorb phosphorous from the plants/by consuming plant eating animals
phosphorus cycle - key steps:
- rain + weathering cause rock to release phosphate ions, this inorganic phosphate is then distributed in soils + water
- plants take up inorganic phosphate from the soil through symbiotic relationship with Mycorrihizae
- phosphorous important for biological functions - DNA, cell metabolisms
- the plants then be consumed by animals, once in plant/animal the phosphate is incorporated into organic molecules e.g. dna
- when the plant/animal dies, it decays + the inorganic phosphate is returned to the soil
- within the soil organic forms of phosphate be made available to plants by bacteria that break down organic matter to inorganic forms of phosphorous - process is mineralisation
- phosphorous in soil end up in waterways + ocean, once their it be incorporated into sediments over time
where is it found?
- phosphate is found in rocks +dissolved in oceans into phosphate ions
- found in water (hydropshere), soil + sediments (lithosphere)
- moves in cyce through rocks, water, soil, sediments + organisms
- phosphrous much lower availability than other minerals/nutrients as it has low solubility + it not available in the atmosphere - mobalisation of phosphorous is slow
- gernally small quantities which limits plant growth
- increase this in agriculture by adding fertiliser
- phosphate enters food chain - herbivores absorb phosphates
most phosphorous is unavailable to plants:
- as phosphorous is locked up in sediments + plants
- availablilty depends on reversible pathways:
- bacteria - convert plant…
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