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Related Concept Videos

The Phosphorus Cycle01:21

The Phosphorus Cycle

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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.
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What are Biogeochemical Cycles?00:54

What are Biogeochemical Cycles?

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The most common elements in organic molecules, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, are only available in the ecosystem in limited amounts. Therefore, these nutrients must be recycled through both biotic and abiotic components of the ecosystem, in processes generally called biogeochemical cycles.
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The Carbon Cycle01:14

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Carbon is the basis of all organic matter on Earth, and is recycled through the ecosystem in two primary processes: one in which carbon is exchanged among living organisms, and one in which carbon is cycled over long periods of time through fossilized organic remains, weathering of rocks, and volcanic activity. Human activities, including increased agricultural practices and the burning of fossil fuels, has greatly affected the balance of the natural carbon cycle.
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The Sulfur Cycle01:22

The Sulfur Cycle

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Sulfur, an important element in the chemical makeup of proteins, is recycled through the atmosphere and aquatic and terrestrial environments. Found in the atmosphere as sulfur dioxide (SO2), sulfur is released by decaying organisms, weathered rocks, geothermal vents, volcanos, and burning fossil fuels. It is deposited into the ecosystem, cycled through the biotic community, and either released back into the atmosphere as gas or deposited in marine sediment for long-term storage and eventual...
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Phosphorylation01:02

Phosphorylation

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The addition or removal of phosphate groups from proteins is the most common chemical modification that regulates cellular processes. These modifications can affect the structure, activity, stability, and localization of proteins within cells as well as their interactions with other proteins.
During phosphorylation, protein kinases transfer the terminal phosphate group of ATP to specific amino acid side chains of substrate proteins. Serine, threonine, and tyrosine are the most commonly...
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Roles of Electrolytes: Calcium and Phosphate01:27

Roles of Electrolytes: Calcium and Phosphate

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Calcium and phosphate are essential electrolytes in the human body, with calcium being the most abundant mineral. Around 99% of the body's calcium is stored in the skeleton and teeth, forming a crystal lattice of mineral salts in combination with phosphates. Calcium plays crucial roles in various bodily functions such as blood clotting, neurotransmitter release, muscle tone maintenance, and nervous and muscle tissue excitability.
The calcium concentration in blood plasma is primarily...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
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Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment

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Evolution of the global phosphorus cycle.

Christopher T Reinhard1, Noah J Planavsky2, Benjamin C Gill3

  • 1School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA.

Nature
|December 22, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Phosphorus limitation in oceans may have kept Earth

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Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading
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Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading

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Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method
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Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method

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Last Updated: Mar 9, 2026

Measuring Phosphorus Release in Laboratory Microcosms for Water Quality Assessment
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Laboratory-determined Phosphorus Flux from Lake Sediments as a Measure of Internal Phosphorus Loading
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Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method
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Optimized Procedure for Determining the Adsorption of Phosphonates onto Granular Ferric Hydroxide using a Miniaturized Phosphorus Determination Method

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Area of Science:

  • Geochemistry
  • Paleoceanography
  • Biogeochemistry

Background:

  • Phosphorus is a key nutrient limiting oceanic primary productivity and influencing atmospheric oxygen levels over geological time.
  • Reconstructing the long-term dynamics of the phosphorus cycle is crucial for understanding Earth's habitability.
  • Uncertainty remains regarding the persistence of phosphorus limitation throughout Earth's history.

Observation:

  • Analysis of marine sedimentary rocks reveals low authigenic phosphorus burial in shallow environments until 800-700 million years ago.
  • This suggests phosphorus biolimitation occurred before the late Proterozoic eon.
  • Primary producers exhibited elemental stoichiometries deviating significantly from the Redfield ratio.

Findings:

  • Limited early phosphorus burial was linked to phosphorus biolimitation.
  • Enhanced phosphorus scavenging in anoxic, iron-rich oceans contributed to a stable low-oxygen atmosphere.
  • A significant shift in the phosphorus cycle occurred during the late Proterozoic, coinciding with major environmental changes.

Implications:

  • The phosphorus cycle played a critical role in regulating Earth's oxygen levels for billions of years.
  • A shift in the phosphorus cycle around 800-635 million years ago may have facilitated the rise of atmospheric oxygen and the evolution of animals.
  • This study provides a new framework for understanding the interplay between nutrient cycles, ocean chemistry, and the evolution of life.