Phosphorus cycle

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Although very little phosphorus is needed by plants, it is a very important and needed for all plant growth. The Phosphorus that plants use is contained mostly in the earths crust rather than in the atmosphere, this phosphorus is released with the weathering of rock caused by wind, water and geologic uplift. The recycling of phosphorus tends to be very localized, with plants up taking the phosphorus from the soil. Animal's uptake the phosphorus in the plants they eat, and return it to the environment in their waste. The phosphorus excreted by animals is in an organic form, which is converted to an inorganic form by microorganisms. Some of the phosphorus is the system is lost, by leaching and erosion this phosphorus eventually reaches the oceans where it remains until it undergoes geologic uplift. The erosion of exposed rock or the use of manmade phosphate fertilizers replaces this lost phosphorus.