THE PHOSPHORUS CYCLE

CHA . DYKIA . ESTANISLAO . LITA . NIPA .

PACIS . PRIEL . SEVILLA
What is a
phosphorus cycle?
The Phosphorus Cycle is the biogeochemical
cycle that describes the transformation and
translocation of phosphorus in soil, water, and
living and dead organic material.
Phosphorus cycle
01.
Phosphorus (P) is an essential element for all life
forms and is stored primarily in soil and sediment.

02.
Phosphorus occurs in soil as inorganic and organic
P compounds. Most soils contain a relatively low
amount of total P, and only a small fraction of the
total P is available to plants.
THE KEY STEPS OF THE
PHOSPHORUS CYCLE
WARDIERE INC.

1. WEATHERING
Over time, rain and weathering cause
rocks to release phosphate ions and
other minerals. This inorganic
phosphate is then distributed in soils
and water.
WARDIERE INC.

2. ABSORPTION BY
PLANTS
Plants take up inorganic phosphate
from the soil. Once in the plant or
animal, the phosphate is incorporated
into organic molecules such as DNA.
When the plant or animal dies, it
decays, and the organic phosphate is
returned to the soil.
WARDIERE INC.

3. ABSORPTION BY
ANIMALS
Within the soil, organic forms of
phosphate can be made available to
plants by bacteria that break down
organic matter to inorganic forms of
phosphorus.
WARDIERE INC.

4. RETURN OF
PHOSPHORUS BACK
TO THE ECOSYSTEM
Phosphorus in soil can end up in
waterways and eventually oceans.
Once there, it can be incorporated into
sediments over time.
WARDIERE INC.

Importance of
phosphorus
cycle
The phosphorus cycle matters
because phosphorus is an
essential nutrient for sustaining
life on Earth.
WARDIERE INC.

THANK YOU
REFERENCES:
https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/961-the-phosphorus-cycle

https://byjus.com/biology/phosphorus-cycle/

https://swroc.cfans.umn.edu/research/soil-water/phosphorus-cycle

https://ugc.berkeley.edu/background-
content/phosphorus/#:~:text=The%20phosphorus%20cycle%20matters
%20because,cell%20membranes%2C%20bones%20and%20teeth.