Phosphorus cycle

• What is phosphorus used for in organisms?


  It is essential for DNA, RNA, and ATP
• Why is the phosphorus cycle important?

  It is crucial for essential biological molecules
• What is a key difference between the phosphorus cycle and the carbon cycle?

  Phosphorus does not exist as a gas
• Where is phosphorus mainly stored in the environment?

  In rocks as phosphate ions
• What are mycorrhizae?

  Fungi associated with plant roots
• How do mycorrhizae benefit plants?

  They increase surface area for water absorption
• What do plants provide to mycorrhizae in return?

  Carbohydrates from photosynthesis
• What are the stages of the phosphorus cycle?

  1. Phosphate ions in water absorbed by plants
  2. Plants incorporate phosphate into biological molecules
  3. Animals digest plants and absorb phosphate
  4. Excretion and decomposition release phosphate
  5. Guano and animal remains contribute phosphate
  6. Erosion of rocks releases phosphate into water
  7. Sedimentation creates phosphate-containing rocks
• What is guano and its significance in the phosphorus cycle?

  It is bird excretion rich in phosphorus
• How do phosphate ions return to the oceans and soil?

  Through erosion and decomposition processes
• What role does sedimentation play in the phosphorus cycle?

  It creates rocks containing phosphate ions
• How does the phosphorus cycle differ from the nitrogen cycle?

  Phosphorus does not have a gaseous phase
• If a plant absorbs phosphate ions, what biological molecules can it incorporate them into?

  DNA, RNA, and phospholipids
• What happens to phosphate ions after animal excretion?

  They can return to oceans or soil
• What is the significance of phosphate ions in the phosphorous cycle?

  They are essential for life and biological processes
• How does the mutualistic relationship between mycorrhizae and plants enhance survival?

  It improves water absorption and nutrient exchange
• What would happen to plants without mycorrhizal associations?

  They would be less drought resistant
• What is the primary source of phosphate ions in the phosphorus cycle?

  Rocks containing phosphate minerals
• Why is the phosphorus cycle considered different from other nutrient cycles?

  It lacks a gaseous phase in the atmosphere
• How does erosion contribute to the phosphorus cycle?

  Erosion releases phosphate ions into water
• What is the role of decomposition in the phosphorus cycle?

  It releases phosphate from dead organisms
• What is the final outcome of sedimentation in the phosphorus cycle?

  Formation of phosphate-containing rocks