What is PHOSPHORUS?

• Second most abundant mineral in the body

• DNA molecules• Nucleic acids “ATP”

and “ADP”• Fats/Phospholipids • Bones, teeth and shells• Energy and impulses

What is the Phosphorus Cycle?• Circulation of phosphorus among rocks,

soil, water, plants, and animals of earth.• a sedimentary cycle.• phosphate deposits on land and shallow

water living organisms slowly back to land and ocean.

Phosphorus in Land and Ocean Sediments

• Phosphate salts contain phosphate ions• PO is a subscript for PO4

3-

• Weathering of phosphate rocksoil, which plants absorbeaten by humans and other animalsre-enters soil from bacteria in dead body of human/animalwashed from soil back into sea.

Phosphorus Cycle Diagrams

More Diagrams (woohoo!)

Human Effect…PART 1

• Mining of phosphate rock for inorganic fertilizers and detergents .

• Causes pollution.• Expensive to reclaim.

Human Effects…PART 2!

• Decreasing productivity of tropical forests by cutting them

• Phosphorus and other nutrients washed away by heavy rains

• Land becomes unproductive

Human Effects…PART 3!!

• Over fertilization of bodies of water.

• Explosive growth of cyanobacteria algae, and aquatic plants.

• Rooted plants on bottom die because of no sunlight

Eutrophication in Wisconsin

• Because of fertilizer overuse in Lake Mendota, the lake is becoming a eutrophic lake.

• Eutrophic- concentrations of excess nutrients in water causes a lot of algae.

Mendota Continued...• Eutrophication causes

green blanketing of water.

• Suffocates life, diminishes biodiversity and emits noxious odors.

• Example: In Mendota, killed native species and increased non-native species (Eurasian milfoil and carp).

Bibliography1. Bennett, Elena and Steve R. Carpentar. “P

Soup”. World Watch, 2002.

2. Miller, G. Tyler, Jr. Living in the

Environment: Principles Connections, and Solutions. Pacific Grove: Brooks/Cole

Publishing Company, 2000.

3. Reiners, William A. “Phosphorus Cycle”.

World Book Encyclopedia. Chicago:

World Book, 2002.