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Phosphorus Cycle

The phosphorus cycle involves the movement and recycling of phosphorus within ecosystems. Phosphorus cycles between soil, water, and living organisms in a slow manner. It is essential for plant growth and development, as well as for energy storage, cell membranes, bones, and genetic material in humans and animals. Phosphorus cycles through ecosystems as it moves from inorganic to organic forms and back again through the decomposition of organic matter. The cycling of phosphorus helps maintain the percentage of phosphorus in ecosystems.

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405 views2 pages

Phosphorus Cycle

The phosphorus cycle involves the movement and recycling of phosphorus within ecosystems. Phosphorus cycles between soil, water, and living organisms in a slow manner. It is essential for plant growth and development, as well as for energy storage, cell membranes, bones, and genetic material in humans and animals. Phosphorus cycles through ecosystems as it moves from inorganic to organic forms and back again through the decomposition of organic matter. The cycling of phosphorus helps maintain the percentage of phosphorus in ecosystems.

Uploaded by

Nikhat Mehmood
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Phosphorus Cycle Phosphorus cycle is a type of biogeochemical cycle that represents the flow of phosphorus element in the ecosystem.

It involves transferring of phosphorus within soil, water and biotic system. As compared to other nutrient cycles, phosphorus cycle operates in a very slow manner. Phosphorus is a mineral element crucial for normal functioning of the living organisms. It is an essential plant nutrient, required in large amount for proper growth and development of any plant. Hence, phosphorus is included in the primary nutrients for plants along with nitrogen and potassium. When it comes to phosphorus in humans (and animals), it is a component of energy (ATP), cell membrane, bones and nucleic acids (RNA and DNA). Phosphorus after converting into phosphate is responsible for carrying out a number of vital processes in the body. Similar to other biologically active chemical elements, detailed studies have been done regarding phosphorus cycle. As the name signifies, phosphorus cycle indicates the movement of this mineral in the ecosystem. It operates in a closed system, wherein phosphorus occurs in different forms and gets recycled again. However, in case of light energy, it functions in an open system and gets lost within the ecosystem, instead of recycling. For better understanding of phosphorus cycle, let's take a brief look at the chemical nature and basics of the element phosphorus. Phosphorus: The Element Phosphorus was discovered for the first time by Hennig Brand, a German alchemist in 1669. In chemistry, phosphorus is represented by the symbol 'P' and has an atomic number 15 and atomic mass 30.973762. There are two main types of elemental allotropes, namely red phosphorus and white phosphorus. Insoluble in water, pure white phosphorus melts at a temperature of about 44.15 C, while its boiling point is recorded to be 280.5 C. In nature, it is very reactive and found in different mineral forms or as phosphates in inorganic rocks. Read more on phosphorus uses. Phosphorus Cycle: Steps Explained In the prevailing temperature and pressure ranges, phosphorus occurs in liquid or solid mineral forms. Considering this, it is naturally found in water, rocks, sediments and soil. Recycling of phosphorus occurs within hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere. To be more precise, the atmospheric compartment of the ecosystem is less profound in regulating the phosphorus cycle, which is not so in other biogeochemical cycles, such as carbon cycle and nitrogen cycle. Speaking about phosphorus cycle summary, the aquatic plants absorb inorganic phosphorus from water and bottom layer of the water body (in case of rooted plants). Land plants derive phosphorus from the soil and fertilizers that are applied externally. While absorption by plants, the inorganic phosphorus is converted into organic forms.

Both aquatic and terrestrial plants are eaten by herbivorous fish, birds and animals, thus transferring organic phosphorus to the consumers in the next trophic level. The carnivores receive phosphorus by consuming herbivores. When plants, fish, birds and other animals die, they get deposited in water bodies and soil. Under favorable environmental conditions, the dead organisms are decomposed by bacteria and other microbes, during which organic phosphorus is again converted into inorganic type. The inorganic phosphorus is then recycled to the water and soil. This is taken up by the plants. Thus, the same steps of the phosphorus cycle are repeated. For more information, read on: The Carbon Cycle Steps Nitrogen Cycle Diagram Water Cycle No doubt, phosphorus remains in a particular ecosystem compartment for a longer period, but it recycles back to the environment. Thus, the percentage composition of phosphorus remain at a near constant value. Scientific studies have claimed that phosphorus cycle is the slowest of all the biogeochemical cycles.

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