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Welcome to Moou Moou Math and Science in
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the phosphorus cycle.
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Along with the water cycle,
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the phosphorus cycle is another
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biogeochemical cycle that is essential
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A biogeochemical cycle is a pathway by
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which a chemical substance moves through
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a biotic and the abiotic compartments of
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Although phosphorus is not found in the
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atmosphere, it still plays a very
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important role in plants and animals on
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Phosphorus is essential for plant and
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animal growth, as well as the health of
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microbes inhabiting the soil.
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Phosphorus is very important for the
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production of DNA and RNA, helps to make
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up cell membrane, and the production of
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The phosphorus cycle is a slow process
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and involves four key steps. Step one,
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Phosphorus is found in rocks.
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Weathering, along with rain, breaks down
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the phosphorus in rocks and it travels
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to the soil and into water sources.
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Step two is absorption by plants and
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Once in the soil, plants, fungi,
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microorganisms are able to absorb
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phosphorus and then grow.
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Some of it also makes its way to the
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ocean and fresh water, and animals are
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able to drink this water and absorb the
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phosphorus. Plants absorb the water
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along with the phosphorus,
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and then the animals eat the plants, and
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the phosphorus moves into the animal in
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Three. Step three, return to the
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environment by decomposition.
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Animals excrete waste, and decomposers
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are able to use the phosphorus in the
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Furthermore, when the plants and animals
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die, the bacteria convert the organic
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phosphorus into or inorganic phosphorus
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in a process called mineralization.
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And then step four, sediment to rocks.
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Some of the phosphorus gets buried in
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sediment, which over time becomes rocks,
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and the cycle continues.
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Some of the phosphorus in the soil gets
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washed to the ocean, where similar
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Plants and animals in the ocean absorb
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the phosphorus, die and decompose, and
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some of the phosphorus ends up as
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sediments in the rock.
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Humans have had a significant impact on
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the phosphorus cycle. Fertilizers
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containing phosphorus is added to the
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soil. This helps the plant grow.
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However, when the levels of phosphorus
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are too high, the overabundance of plant
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nutrients serves and drives excessive
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growth of algae. When these algae die,
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they can be toxic to the plants and
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animals in the ecosystem.
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If you'd like to know more about the
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phosphorus cycle, this playlist will
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help. And as always, thanks for
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watching. And Moou Moou Math uploads a
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new math and science video every day.
