Human impact on the phosphorus cycle, Biology

Assignment Help:

Human Impact on the Phosphorus Cycle

Like other biogeochemical cycles, human activities have altered the phosphorus cycle. Human beings mine phosphate rocks and guano deposits to make phosphorus available for production of fertilisers, detergents, animal feed, medicines, pesticide: and numerous other products. This mining exposes phosphate deposits made over millions of years. Phosphates are removed from soil through cropping of vegetation and to replace it phosphate fertilisers have to be added. Because of the abundance of calcium, iron and aluminium in the soil much of the phosphates get immobilised as insoluble salts. Thus more fertilisers have to be added. This results in high concentration of phosphates in agricultural runoffs. Similarly concentration of phosphorus in detergents, wastes of food processing plants, animal feed lot, sewage, etc., add to a considerable quantity of phosphorus poured in natural waters.

This problem becomes acute in urban areas. As said earlier, in aquatic ecosystems the phosphorus is taken up rapidly by the vegetation resulting in a sudden explosive growth of algae. Like nitrogen, this leads to cultural eutrophication of the water body. The producers cloud the water and forms a scum on the surface, blocking sunlight for the submerged plants. This is one example of the result of accumulation of nutrients at one stage of the nutrient cycle. It is important to note that the means of returning phosphorus to the cycle are inadequate to compensate for the loss. Sea birds have traditionally played-an important part in returning phosphorus to the cycle via their droppings (for example guano deposits off the coast of Peru) but apparently not at the rate at which it has occurred in the past. Unfortunately human activities appear to hasten the rate at which phosphorus is lost and thus make the cycle 'less perfect'. You could think our present use of phosphorus which is washed out into the rivers and finally into the oceans as an accelerated 'pouring' of phosphorus from the source to the sink.


Related Discussions:- Human impact on the phosphorus cycle

Is there chloroplasts in cyanobacteria, Q. Is there chloroplasts in cyanoba...

Q. Is there chloroplasts in cyanobacteria? In cyanobacteria there is no chloroplast and the chlorophyll layers are dispersed in cytosol.

Pisciculture, Pisciculture: This is the culturing of fishes. There is a pri...

Pisciculture: This is the culturing of fishes. There is a principal form of aquaculture called Fish farming, while other methods can come under mariculture. Fish farming main aim i

What are the main bryophyte groups, What are the main bryophyte groups? ...

What are the main bryophyte groups? The main bryophyte groups are the mosses, the liverworts and the hornworts. Image Diversity: mosses liverworts hornworts

Explain about the chemical carcinogens, Explain about the Chemical Carcinog...

Explain about the Chemical Carcinogens? Chemicals have been shown to be carcinogenic. Some are naturally occurring components of plants and microbial organisms. Some are synthe

What are some significant neurotransmitters?, What are some significant neu...

What are some significant neurotransmitters? The following are some neurotransmitters: adrenaline (epinephrine), noradrenaline (norepinephrine), dopamine, acetylcholine, seroto

Define unintentional adulteration - types of adulteration, Define Unintenti...

Define Unintentional Adulteration - Types of Adulteration? These are the contaminations occur unknowingly or incidently in the food during harvesting, handling, transportation,

Adapting to health changes in the older adult, You are soon to be registere...

You are soon to be registered as a nurse and have applied to work in a unit where you will be caring for a diverse range of clients with medical and surgical complexities. You know

Show germ layer from which the coeloms originate, Q. What is the germ layer...

Q. What is the germ layer from which the coeloms originate? The coeloms are deriving from mesoderm.

International codes used for system of binomial nomenclature, Q. Internatio...

Q. International Codes used for system of binomial nomenclature? In 1753 Linnaeus suggested a system of binomial nomenclature where each individual is denoted by two epithets,

Name groups of living beings that form the protist kingdom, Which are the g...

Which are the groups of living beings that form the protist kingdom? The protist kingdom contains protozoans and algae. (Two groups of fungi with same characteristics to protoz

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd