Download The Phosphorus Cycle What is Phosphorus? Long Term Cycle Short

12/4/2013
What is Phosphorus?
The Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus is a key element in cell membranes, DNA,
and in calcium phosphate found in our bones!
Phosphorus is recycled in TWO ways:
1) Long Term
2) Short Term
Long Term Cycle
The LONG TERM cycle of Phosphorus occurs in rock’s of the
Earth’s crust:
The phosphorus is found in bedrocks (the Earth’s crust - NOT
the town from the Flintstones ).
The bedrock phosphorus is in the form of PHOSPHATE IONS
that are combined with many different elements.
 Phosphates are soluble in water and can be dissolved out of
rocks.
Once they are out of the rocks, they can be absorbed by
photosynthetic organisms (PRODUCERS) and introduced to the
food chain.
Short Term Cycle
Wastes from living things are recycled by
decomposers.
These decomposers break down the wastes and dead
tissue and release phosphates back into the water or
soil.
This cycle is much more rapid than the phosphorus
that is dissolving out of rocks in the long term cycle.
Long
Term
Cycle
Short
Term
Cycle
1