CO2

CO2
CO2
CO2
CO2
CO3
2
HCO3

CO2
CO3
2
Ocean
Plants
Photosynthesis
Uptake by
Ocean
uptake
Plants
(Biomass)
Atmosphere
Organic
Carbon Mineral deposit
Auto Factories
exhaust
= Carbon dioxide
= Bicarbonate
= Carbonate
Fig. 2.4: Sources and sinks of carbon dioxide
Atmosphere
2700
Photosynthesis
Ocean
3.77.4
Fuel
20
Fertilization
3.711.1
Deforestation
3.77.4
Fig. 2.5: Important fluxes of carbon dioxide (in billion tonnes)
Natural Resources 43
2.5.4 Phosphate Cycle
Phosphates are necessary for the growth and maintenance
of animal and human bones and teeth while organophosphates
are required for cell division involving production
of nuclear DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) and RNA
(ribonucleic acid).
Phosphate minerals exist in soluble and insoluble forms
in rocks and soil. Plants absorb inorganic phosphate salts
from soil and change them into organic phosphate. Animals
obtain their phosphate by eating plants. After death and
decay, plants and animals return phosphates to the soil. Bulk
of the phosphate in soil is fixed or absorbed on soil particles
but part of it is leached out into waterbodies.
The natural phosphate cycle is affected by pollution,