Natural Phenomena
Phosphorus Cycle
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The phosphorus cycle is the biogeochemical process moving phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, chiefly as orthophosphate. Living things need phosphorus for DNA, RNA and ATP, but unlike carbon and nitrogen it has no meaningful atmospheric phase, so it moves quickly through organisms yet very slowly through soil and ocean sediment, making it one of the slowest biogeochemical cycles overall.
Facts
PeriodicityOne of the slowest biogeochemical cycles: phosphates move quickly through plants and animals but very slowly through soil or ocean sediment 1 ScaleGlobal, spanning the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere, with essentially no atmospheric phase 1 First DescribedElemental phosphorus was first isolated in 1669 by German alchemist Hennig Brand while experimenting with concentrated urine. Its role in plant growth was established in 1838 by Justus von Liebig's treatise on agricultural chemistry, and its role as the limiting nutrient behind freshwater eutrophication was confirmed by the Canadian Experimental Lakes Area's whole-lake fertilization studies beginning in 1969. 2 Cross-Tradition Connections
Demonstrated By
Phosphorus pollution reaching the Everglades from upstream farmland is one of the best-documented disruptions of a natural phosphorus cycle anywhere.
Sources
1. Phosphorus Cycle (Wikipedia)
WikipediaQuote
Phosphates move quickly through plants and animals; however, the processes that move them through the soil or ocean are very slow, making the phosphorus cycle overall one of the slowest biogeochemical cycles.
2. The Phosphorus Cycle (Visionlearning)
VisionlearningThe importance of phosphorus to living things sectionQuote, The importance of phosphorus to living things section
In 1669, Brand was conducting an experiment using concentrated urine and sand when he came across something unique.
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