Phosphorus & Water Cycle

Hanna, Maddie, Daniel, Gage, and Kevin

Phosphorus

Phosphorus Cycle• Found in the bottom of Found in the bottom of

the ocean.the ocean.• It is mined to be used It is mined to be used

as fertilizer and as fertilizer and detergents.detergents.

• Phosphorus also goes Phosphorus also goes into the rocks and is into the rocks and is brought up by brought up by weathering. Then it is weathering. Then it is dissolved in soil water, dissolved in soil water, lakes, and rivers.lakes, and rivers.

Phosphorus Cycle continued

• The phosphorus in the fertilizer gets The phosphorus in the fertilizer gets into land food webs, and it cycles into land food webs, and it cycles through the food webs and water through the food webs and water systems.systems.

• There is leeching and run off to the There is leeching and run off to the ocean where it is dissolved and ocean where it is dissolved and cycles through the marine food webs.cycles through the marine food webs.

Organic and Inorganic Reservoirs of Phosphorus

• Phosphate is found in soil, plants and in microbes in a number of organic and inorganic compounds.

• It is believed that all original phosphates came from weathering of rocks.

• The chief source of organic phosphorus compounds entering the soil is the vast quantity of vegetation that undergoes decay.

Phosphorus in Chemical Reactions

• Phosphate groups activate and Phosphate groups activate and deactivate enzymes within cells that deactivate enzymes within cells that catalyze major chemical reactions.catalyze major chemical reactions.

Impact of human intervention on the Phosphorus Cycle

• Humans introduce phosphorus through a number of sources: human wastes, animal wastes, industrial wastes, and human disturbance of the land and its vegetation.

• When this additional phosphorus enters the system, plants respond by excessive plant growth.

Water Cycle

Water Cycle

• Found all over the world.

• Life would not be possible without water.

• Earth has a limited amount of water so it has to cycle it.

Water Cycle continued

• The water has to be evaporated into the atmosphere.

• In the atmosphere it condenses into clouds.

• From the clouds the water will fall as precipitation such as rain, snow, hail, and sleet.

• After the water falls back to earth, it will run off mountain and other land features to collect in lakes, streams, and the oceans.

How we Affect the Water Cycle

• We interfere with the water cycle by We interfere with the water cycle by taking away huge amounts of taking away huge amounts of freshwater and depleting other water freshwater and depleting other water supplies.  supplies. 

• By clearing vegetation from land to By clearing vegetation from land to build roads, parking lots, etc., water build roads, parking lots, etc., water cannot seep into the ground to be cannot seep into the ground to be stored in the aquifer.stored in the aquifer.

• The water remains on the surface and The water remains on the surface and increases the likelihood of flash floods increases the likelihood of flash floods and surface run-off.  and surface run-off. 

• This can cause soil run-off and This can cause soil run-off and damages buildings.damages buildings.

Reservoirs of Water

• Organic: Animals, plants, etc.• Inorganic: lakes, glaciers, oceans,

aquifers, etc.

The End

We hope you enjoyed learning about the Phosphorus and Water Cycle.