Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

06:26
Capturing Flow-weighted Water and Suspended Particulates from Agricultural Canals During Drainage Events
Published on: November 7, 2017
Phosphorus lake. Strip-mining Florida to fertilize the nation
Scientific American
|November 2, 2010
Abstract
No abstract available in PubMed .
Related Concept Videos
The Phosphorus Cycle
Unlike carbon, water, and nitrogen, phosphorus is not present in the atmosphere as a gas. Instead, most phosphorus in the ecosystem exists as compounds, such as phosphate ions (PO43-), found in soil, water, sediment and rocks. Phosphorus is often a limiting nutrient (i.e., in short supply). Consequently, phosphorus is added to most agricultural fertilizers, which can cause environmental problems related to runoff in aquatic ecosystems.
Acid Mine Drainage
Mining activities that disturb sulfide-rich rocks, particularly those containing pyrite (FeS₂), initiate a cascade of geochemical and microbiological processes with serious environmental implications. When exposed to air and water, pyrite undergoes oxidation, releasing sulfate, ultimately forming sulfuric acid and mobilizing heavy metals into surrounding water systems. This phenomenon, known as acid mine drainage (AMD), results in low pH waters laden with toxic elements that threaten aquatic...
Primary Production
The total amount of energy acquired by primary producers in an ecosystem is called gross primary production (GPP). However, of this energy, producers use some for metabolic processes, and some is lost as heat, decreasing the amount of energy available to the next trophic level. The remaining usable amount of energy is called the net primary productivity (NPP). In terrestrial ecosystems, NPP is driven by climate, while light penetration and nutrient availability drive NPP in aquatic ecosystems.
Minerals
Minerals are essential nutrients that the human body needs in small amounts to work properly. They play a vital role in many bodily functions, such as building strong bones and transmitting nerve impulses. Some minerals are needed for hormone production or to maintain a normal heartbeat. Major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium, while trace minerals include iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.
Microbial Leaching
Microbial leaching, also known as bioleaching, is an environmentally favorable method for extracting metals from low-grade ores using specific microorganisms. This biotechnological approach is particularly valuable for mining operations targeting copper, gold, and uranium, where traditional extraction methods may be economically or environmentally impractical.Copper Leaching and Microbial CatalysisIn copper bioleaching, crushed ore is arranged into heaps and irrigated with a dilute sulfuric...
Microbial Wastewater Treatment
Microbial communities in aquatic ecosystems play a key role in the natural breakdown of contaminants introduced through domestic and industrial effluents. Acting as biological catalysts, these microbes change and mineralize a wide range of organic and inorganic pollutants under different redox conditions.In oxygen-rich surface waters, aerobic heterotrophs lead organic matter breakdown, using oxygen as the terminal electron acceptor to efficiently oxidize substrates to carbon dioxide and water.

