Phosphorus Cycle

Phosphorus Cycle is a biogeochemical process that involves the movement of phosphorus through the biosphere except atmosphere. In this article, you will learn phosphorus cycle definition, phosphorus cycle diagram and explanation, significance of phosphorus cycle, providing key insights for GS Paper-III Environment and Ecology section of UPSC IAS Exam.

Table of Content

• Nutrient Cycle
• What is Phosphorus?
• What is the Phosphorus Cycle?
• Importance of Phosphorus Cycle in ecosystem
• Phosphorus Cycle steps
• Phosphorus cycle diagram
• Conclusion
• Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrient Cycle:

• Nutrients are never lost from the ecosystems rather they are recycled again and again through various processes and different forms.
• The movement of nutrients from various components of an ecosystem is known as nutrient cycling.
• Nutrient cycling is also known as biogeochemical cycles.
• Nutrient cycles are of two types- gaseous and sedimentary.

What is Phosphorus?

• Phosphorus is a chemical element with the atomic number 15.
• Phosphorus is never found as a free element on Earth and thus always exists as a compound.
• Phosphorus is naturally found in the form of rocks as phosphates.
• The Phosphorus cycle in soil takes place when Phosphorus performs sedimentary nutrient cycles.

What is the Phosphorus Cycle?

• The Phosphorus cycle is a biogeochemical process that involves the movement of phosphorus through the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
  • Note: The Phosphorus cycle does not take place in atmosphere.

Importance of Phosphorus Cycle in ecosystem:

• Phosphorus is a major component of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), Ribonucleic acid (RNA), and Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which are essential for cellular function.
  • Humans contain about 80% of their phosphorus in their teeth and bones.
• The phosphorus cycle is a very slow process.
• The atmosphere does not play a significant role in the phosphoruscycle as phosphorus is not very soluble in water.
  • Therefore, it does not evaporate from the soil and enter the atmosphere.

Phosphorus Cycle steps:

• The phosphorus cycle on land begins with the weathering of rocks.
• When rocks weather, they release phosphorus into the soil.
• Phosphorus found in rocks are released into the soil through weathering.
• Plants absorb phosphorus from the soil solution (phosphate salts) produced by microbes.
  • The microbes involved in phosphorus cycle are Aspergillus, Penicillium, Pseudomonas, Micrococcus, Flavobacterium, etc.
  • However, the amount of phosphorus in the soil can be low, so farmers apply phosphate fertilizers to their crops.
• Herbivores and other animals obtain phosphorus from plants.
• The waste products from animals and plants are released back into the soil.
• When organisms die, their bodies decomposes and releases phosphorus back into the soil.
• Phosphorus is not released through respiratory process of any organisms.
• The aquatic plants absorb inorganicphosphorus from the lower layers of water bodies.
  • However, phosphate salts do not dissolve well in water, so they build up in aquatic ecosystems.
    • This leads to algal bloom like situation which threatens the aquatic life.
• Within the soil, organic phosphorus can be made available to plants through a process called mineralization.
  • Mineralization is the process by which bacteria break down organic matter and release inorganic phosphorus.
  • This inorganic phosphorus can then be taken up by plants and used for growth.

Phosphorus cycle diagram:

Conclusion:

The effects of phosphorus cycle are mainly caused by human interference through pollution and excess use of fertilisers which can prove to be fatal in long run. This human impact of phosphorus cycle can lead to algal bloom which results in death of aquatic species due to reduction of dissolved oxygen. Though Phosphorus plays an important role amongst development of organisms. Thus, it requires judicious use on part of farming community and other stakeholders.

Ref: Source-1

FAQs (frequently asked question)