Why does phosphorus not circulate in the atmosphere to a great extent and what happens when too much phosphorus is in a freshwater ecosystem?
Phosphorus does not circulate in the atmosphere to a significant extent because it primarily exists in the Earth's crust and is not a gas at typical environmental conditions. Unlike elements such as carbon or nitrogen, which have gaseous forms that can cycle through the atmosphere, phosphorus mainly cycles through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.
There are no major gaseous forms of phosphorus, so aside from wind distributing small particles of dust containing phosphorus, only very small amounts of phosphorus move through the atmosphere. The rock cycle, especially by rates of weathering and erosion.Unlike the compounds of other matter cycles phosphorus cannot be found in air in the gaseous state. This is because phosphorus is usually liquid at normal temperatures and pressures. It is mainly cycling through water, soil and sediments. The phosphorus cycle is unique among other major biogeochemical cycles in having no significant atmospheric component. The reason for this being that phosphorus is solid at normal temperature and pressure and it does not circulate in the atmosphere. The largest reservoirs of this element are sedimentary rocks. Unlike nitrogen, phosphorus does not have a significant atmospheric component. Chemical “speciation” of phosphorus between dissolved and particulate components does occur via, e.g., adsorption and precipitation processes. In addition, biological processes (e.g., algal) are involved in uptake and decomposition. Too much phosphorus can cause increased growth of algae and large aquatic plants, which can result in decreased levels of dissolved oxygen– a process called eutrophication. High levels of phosphorus can also lead to algae blooms that produce algal toxins which can be harmful to human and animal health.Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants and animals. However, excessive phosphorus in surface water can cause explosive growth of aquatic plants and algae. This can lead to a variety of water-quality problems, including low dissolved oxygen concentrations, which can cause fish kills and harm other aquatic life. If there is too much phosphorus in the water, plants utilizing this will become too abundant, and can cause algal blooms and toxins to occur, harming the habitat. When phosphorus is present in inadequate levels, genetic processes such as cell division and plant growth are impaired. Hence, phosphorus deficient plants may mature at a slower rate than plants with adequate amounts of phosphorus.
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