Phosphorus Cycle
Summary
TLDRPhosphorus, crucial for life, is a key component of DNA and cell membranes. It cycles through ecosystems, primarily as phosphates, from rocks to soil, and into plants and animals. Human activities, such as fertilizer use, can disrupt this cycle, leading to eutrophication where excess phosphorus causes algal blooms and creates 'dead zones' in water bodies due to oxygen depletion. This video from moomoomath and science highlights the importance of phosphorus and its environmental impact.
Takeaways
- πΏ Phosphorus is a vital nutrient for all living organisms, playing a crucial role in the formation of nucleic acids like DNA and phospholipids that constitute cell membranes.
- π¬ Phosphorus is not found in its pure form in nature but as phosphates, which are compounds consisting of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms.
- ποΈ Phosphates are naturally present in sedimentary rocks, and they gradually leach into surface water and soils as rocks weather over extended periods.
- π Volcanic ash and fertilizers are significant sources of phosphates, contributing to the phosphorus cycle in the environment.
- π± Plants absorb phosphates from the soil, and these are transferred to animals through the food chain when animals consume plants.
- π Decomposers like worms can take up phosphates from dead plants and animals, recycling phosphorus back into the soil.
- π Surface runoff can carry phosphorus compounds from land to aquatic ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and oceans, where they are utilized by aquatic life forms.
- π Over time, phosphorus from marine organisms forms new sedimentary layers on the ocean floor, and geological processes may eventually return this phosphorus to land.
- π« The phosphorus cycle is slow, and phosphorus can be a limiting factor in ecosystems; however, excessive phosphorus from fertilizers can disrupt this balance.
- π Eutrophication, caused by an overabundance of phosphorus from fertilizer runoff, leads to excessive algal growth and can create dead zones in water bodies where oxygen is depleted.
Q & A
What is phosphorus and why is it essential for living organisms?
-Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for living organisms, serving as a building block of nucleic acids like DNA and phospholipids that form cell membranes. It is also crucial for plant growth.
In what form is phosphorus found in the natural world?
-Phosphorus is never found in its pure form in nature but only as phosphates, which consist of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms.
How do phosphates get into the soil and water?
-Phosphates from sedimentary rocks leech into surface water and soils as the rocks weather and break down over long periods. Volcanic ash and fertilizers are also significant sources of phosphates.
How do plants and animals interact with phosphorus in the ecosystem?
-Plants take up phosphate compounds from the soil, and these are then transferred to animals that consume the plants. When plants and animals excrete waste or die, phosphates may be taken up by decomposers like worms or returned to the soil.
What happens to phosphorus when it enters aquatic ecosystems?
-Phosphorus can be carried to aquatic ecosystems like rivers, lakes, and oceans via surface runoff. There, it is taken up by aquatic organisms such as phytoplankton.
How does phosphorus return to the land from the ocean?
-Phosphorus-containing compounds from the bodies or wastes of marine organisms sink to the ocean floor, forming new sedimentary layers. Over long periods, these sedimentary rocks may be moved from the ocean to the land, repeating the cycle.
Why is phosphorus considered a limiting factor for ecosystems?
-Phosphorus can be a limiting factor for ecosystems because it is often in short supply, and its availability can restrict the growth of organisms, particularly in aquatic environments.
What is eutrophication and how is it related to phosphorus?
-Eutrophication is the excessive growth of algae or microbes in a body of water due to an influx of nutrients, particularly phosphorus from fertilizer runoff. This can lead to a decrease in water quality and oxygen levels.
Why is eutrophication harmful to aquatic life?
-Eutrophication is harmful because when the excess algae die and are decomposed by microbes, large amounts of oxygen are used up. This can sharply lower dissolved oxygen levels in the water, potentially leading to the death of aquatic organisms.
What are dead zones and how are they created?
-Dead zones are regions of lakes and oceans that are depleted of oxygen due to nutrient influx, often caused by fertilizer runoff. The decomposition of excess algae and microbes in these zones consumes oxygen, creating an environment inhospitable to most aquatic life.
What is the significance of the dead zone off the coast of Mexico mentioned in the script?
-The dead zone off the coast of Mexico, created by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi River basin, is significant because it covers over 8,000 square miles, illustrating the large-scale impact of nutrient pollution on marine ecosystems.
Outlines
πΏ The Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus is a vital nutrient for all living organisms, playing a crucial role in the formation of nucleic acids like DNA and phospholipids that constitute cell membranes. In nature, phosphorus exists as phosphates, which are compounds of phosphorus atoms bonded to four oxygen atoms. These compounds are typically found in sedimentary rocks, and they gradually leach into surface waters and soils as the rocks weather. Additional sources of phosphates include volcanic ash and fertilizers. Plants absorb phosphates from the soil, and these are then transferred to animals through the food chain. When organisms excrete waste or die, detrivores like worms can take up the phosphates, returning them to the soil. Phosphorus can also be carried by surface runoff to bodies of water, where it is utilized by aquatic life. Over time, phosphorus from marine organisms forms new sedimentary layers, and through geological processes, these may eventually become land-based, restarting the cycle. However, this is a slow process, and phosphorus can limit ecosystem productivity. Fertilizers, which often contain phosphorus, can contribute to eutrophication when they enter aquatic ecosystems, leading to excessive algal growth. This can result in 'dead zones' where oxygen levels are severely depleted due to the decomposition of the large amounts of algae, threatening aquatic life.
Mindmap
Keywords
π‘Phosphorus
π‘Nucleic Acids
π‘Phospholipids
π‘Phosphates
π‘Sedimentary Rocks
π‘Volcanic Ash
π‘Fertilizer
π‘Eutrophication
π‘Detrivores
π‘Surface Runoff
π‘Dead Zones
Highlights
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for living organisms.
Phosphorus is a building block of nucleic acids like DNA.
Phosphorus is a component of phospholipids that form cell membranes.
Phosphorus is crucial for plant growth.
Phosphorus in nature is found only as phosphates, not in pure form.
Phosphates consist of a phosphorus atom bonded to four oxygen atoms.
Phosphorus compounds are found in sedimentary rocks and can leech into water and soil over time.
Volcanic ash and fertilizer are significant sources of phosphates.
Plants take up phosphates from the soil and transfer them to animals through the food chain.
Phosphates may be returned to the soil by decomposers like worms.
Phosphorus can be carried by surface runoff to aquatic ecosystems.
Aquatic organisms like phytoplankton take up phosphorus from the water.
Phosphorus from marine organisms forms new sedimentary layers on the ocean floor.
The phosphorus cycle is slow and can be a limiting factor for ecosystems.
Fertilizers containing phosphorus can cause excessive growth of algae or microbes in aquatic ecosystems.
Eutrophication is the phenomenon of excessive growth due to nutrient influx, leading to harmful effects.
Decomposition of excess algae can sharply lower dissolved oxygen levels, harming aquatic life.
Dead zones are regions of low oxygen in lakes and oceans caused by nutrient influx.
Fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi River basin has created a large dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
The video concludes with a message on the importance of kindness.
Transcripts
phosphorus is an essential nutrient for
living organisms
it's a building block of nucleic acids
like dna
and a phosphor lipids that form our cell
membranes
it's also essential for plant growth
welcome to moomoomath and science and
the phosphorus
cycle in the natural world phosphorus is
never encountered in its pure form
but only as phosphates which consist of
a phosphorus atom
bonded to four oxygen atoms phosphate
compounds are found in sedimentary rocks
and as the rocks weather and wear down
over long
time periods the phosphorus they contain
slowly leeches into the surface water
and soils
volcanic ash and fertilizer can also be
significant phosphate sources
phosphate compounds in the soil can be
taken up by plants and
from they are transferred to animals
that eat the plants
when plants and animals excrete waste or
die
phosphates may be taken up by detrivores
and examples of worm or returned to the
soil
phosphorus containing compounds may also
be carried in surface runoff to rivers
lakes and oceans where they are taken up
by
aquatic organisms like phytoplankton
when phosphorus containing compounds
from the bodies or wastes of marine
organisms sink
to the floor of the ocean they form new
sedimentary layers
over long periods of time phosphorus
containing sedimentary rock may be moved
from the ocean
to the land and then the cycle repeats
however this process is very slow
phosphorus can be a limiting factor for
an ecosystem
most fertilizers contain phosphorus
which may be carried to aquatic
ecosystems
in surface runoff fertilizer carried in
runoff may cause excessive growth of
algae or microbes that were previously
limited by the phosphorus
this phenomena is called euthification
so why is euthification harmful when all
the excess
algae die and are decomposed by microbes
large amounts of oxygen are used up as
their bodies are broken down
this increase in oxygen use and usage
can sharply lower dissolved oxygen
levels in the water
and may lead to death of aquatic
organisms
regions of lakes and oceans that are
pleated of oxygen due to a nutrient
influx are called dead zones fertilizer
runoff from the mississippi river basin
created a dead zone of over 8 000 square
miles
off the coast of mexico thanks for
watching and remember kindness
multiplies kindness
be kind to someone today
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