Phosphorus Cycle

-Sarah Veilleux, Haris Quershi, Teddy Sauyet Phosphorus Cycle

We’ll start with the beginning • It starts with the rocks, the sedimentary ones. They have the phosphorus, in a form called apatite, which also goes by its alter ego, Ca5(PO4)3OH.

*Note The sedimentary rocks merely add phosphorus to the cycle, they are not actually part of the cycle.

Ignoring that… • The sedimentary rocks will then weather down from storms and such which move the apatite into the soil.

Now for the fun part.. • The plants then use the phosphorus in their reproductive structures, such as DNA and RNA.

So what if there is a lot of phosphorus? • OVERGROWTH. • Lets say it again. • OVERGROWTH. • Not just above the ground, their roots will also grow large! This is why many fertilizers today use phosphorus.

Then animals, like us, eat the plants! • And the phosphorus goes through the food chain, which we will not bother to reteach you. (Now if you do not know this, this would be a great time to raise your hand).

The animals then produce scat. • Which goes back into the cycle, starting with the soil!! Ta da!! • (Censored because its impossible to find an appropriate picture googling “scat”

However.. • Sometimes, due to run off, phosphorus enters areas of water!!! What happens now???

Well, it's not that exciting... • It just sort of goes through the marine food chain.

BUT • It might eventually settle to the bottom, where it becomes trapped in layers of sedimentary rock!!

For 100 THOUSAND Years!! • Or until it is brought back to the surface by geologic forces. Long long time.

Phosphorus Cycle