Life And Ecosystems
What macromolecules is phosphorus found in?
nucleic acids, ATP, and phospholipids
Is there phosphorus in the atmosphere?
No
As a group, decide what human activity has the greatest impact.
agriculture
Why is phosphorus often the limiting factor in plant growth?
has no gaseous form
What is the major reservoir of phosphorus?
Rocks and soil, plus ocean sediments.
How has fertilizer production increased since the Green Revolution?
produced more synthetic phosphates
How does decomposition return phosphorus to the soil?
Decomposers break down dead organisms and release stored phosphorus back into the soil as phosphate ions
How does erosion and weathering release phosphorus?
Wind, water, and chemical weathering break down phosphate rock
How does agriculture disrupt the phosphorus cycle?
Farmers rely on phosphate rock to farm
How does phosphorus move through trophic levels?
Producers absorb it from soil, herbivores get it by eating plants, and carnivores get it by eating herbivores. Decomposers then return it to the soil.
How does phosphorus reach the ocean and reform into rock?
Runoff carries it into streams, lakes, and oceans
How does phosphorus runoff cause eutrophication?
runoff fertilizer grows the algae then when the algae dies it creates dead zones.
How does phosphorus as a limiting nutrient affect primary productivity?
Since productivity depends on the scarcest nutrient, low phosphorus caps how much producers can grow. Extra phosphorus boosts productivity, which is why runoff triggers algal blooms
Why is this the slowest cycle?
because it has no gas phase, it can't move quickly through the atmosphere like carbon or nitrogen.
How can humans manage phosphorus more sustainably?
Only use as much fertilizer as needed and catch any runoff