About the Cycle It is typically found in what ionic form? Human Impact Circulation in the Troposphere Where are the largest sinks or phosphorous? By: Brittany Fell & Shauna Kelly

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DEFINITION: Cycle of movement of phosphorous in different chemical forms from the environment to organisms and then back to the environment  It circulates through water, the earth’s crust, and living organisms  Typically found as phosphates salts containing phosphate ions in terrestrial rock formations and ocean bottom sediments  It limits the growth of producer populations in many fresh water streams and lakes because phosphate is only slightly soluble in water HOME

 The phosphate ion is a polyatomic ion with the empirical formula PO 4 3− and a molar mass of g/mol.  It consists of one central phosphorus atom surrounded by four identical oxygen atoms in a tetrahedral arrangement.  The phosphate ion carries a negative three formal charge and is the conjugate base of the hydrogen phosphate ion, HPO 4 2−, which is the conjugate base of H 2 PO 4 −, the dihydrogen phosphate ion, which in turn is the conjugate base of H 3 PO 4, phosphoric acid. HOME

 Humans mine large quantities of phosphate rock for fertilizers and detergents  By removing trees in the tropical forests we reduce the available phosphate  We add excess phosphate to aquatic ecosystems › Runoff of animal wastes from livestock feedlots › Runoff from fertilizer from cropland › Discharge of municipal sewage HOME

 At the earth’s normal temperature and pressure very little phosphorous circulates in the atmosphere because phosphorous is not a gas  It is found only as tiny particles of dust HOME

 Enormous quantities are extracted from earths crust  Therefore China is the second largest phosphorous reserve-rich country in the world HOME