The Phosphorus cycle O Erosion from Rock ......4 © Plant Consumption -....9 © Animal vaste © Absorbtion by Plants 1.8 © crazing a © Runott to dcean ntration in Plant © Piant Waste sof O Marine Seainent seas c -311- © Geoiegic upthrust ..CHAPTER ELEVEN Chapter 11-12: The Phosphorus Cycle ‘Ahough aivogen ond carbon exis os gases, cecein ements thet cycle in he biosphere do not exis in goseous frm, Thewe arercees accumule in rocks and sci, ond participa in what ‘re called biogeochemical eels. mong the elements that undergo sedimentary oles ee cl urn slur, megoasivi, and phosphors. As you wilson hs ‘Jats, phosphors sono of he key elements organie oar In this plate, we wl law he cing of phosphonus in alee. The cxrows should be the most prominea! feature in te fine, colored drewing Phosphorus one of the csicel elaments in biological molecdes, For exemple, ts component cf adenosine riphos hate (AP) ond tho coanayme NADP, which are used in Trpovtanteelblr proceses such as photoaybes. Phosphorat ico presen in Ie suger phosphate backbone of racic acid ond is ‘mreniil element of phosphalipids, which moke up the call mombrone. “he mein exereir of phosphowus is rock and soil, so we wll bogin the cel vith erosion from rock IA. Erosien occurs os aaa rushes over rock, disiohing phosphorus and wetting # eet vor end roe. Phosphorus unites with oxygen 10 fxm thot end eters @ mh Thody of water, depicted here os lake Tithe plate, wo see plants roning olong the border of the Joke, Here, the wolor gives up i phosphaics, which ore xetorbod by the plants (B) ond vied in he syns of organic coe rtfes Gore of ke phosphates cso ener the sol akong fhe ‘Margins of he lobe Dissolved phosphct is realy absorbed by Foret of plons, concerted by cyanabacleria ond pres reas Euglena and then incorporoted nto organic moles ‘Te leis the priory producer in he phosphowus cycle. the host concenaed in pln fisves (and hen tho plant Face vomed (0} by cn onch, whichis seen grazing (} ‘roars axe clurned tthe lake when the plants and on selec, Plant west (ond animal waste (G) return phosphate ae eer Once agoin i may be reabsorbed by plants that line the lke, ond it enters the cycle agein. Having explored he passage of phosphores through Nerious expects of the biahere, we now tum 40 tho Trotine endronment to se0 how phosphorus cycles there, Continue your reading 0+ you color the plate, lerge oncuns of phosphors ore canied by vars and ttroond os reff to the ocean {H), Phosphor exists in th frm ST Shouphce ore, ct does on fond, Much of his phosphate Soe cerca: in merine sediment (). Some of he phosphate oe rly incorperatad ino the bets of marine animes such xe eeh For example, tho scales ond bones of bony fish contain Shonphons a's the co on ln, pray producers inthe aoe carports phosphates inl organic compounds, These Srmory prohxcers cx ean by fh and cher invertebrates, For Inn i psa fe 9 ‘and rum phosphorus he ‘ocean inthe frm of excremen vers heve sven, the aimorphere is ot vale jn the phos hows ej. order fr tho phorphors lars the oconic a eat, qoaloge uphust must occur Uptwus i the process ‘ough hich eneesdbmerged tient rock ich in eos vores exposed becoore of he movement fhe Earl’ ples, Thacrock thon enters the Teese! ecosystem ond begins to reat portcipatng inthe phosphorous ee. -310-11,12 The Phosphorus Cycle 1. Why is phosphorus an important biological molecule? 2, What happens to phosphorus that erodes from rock and soil? 3, How are phosphates incorporated into the organic molecules in plants and animals? 4, What happens to the phosphates when plants and animals die? 5, What happens to the phosphorus that is carried by runoff to the oceans? 6. How are phosphates incorporated into the organic molecules in aquatic plants and animals? 7. What is different about the phosphorus cycle as compared to the water, carbon & nitrogen cycles?