Nota: A tradução desta entrada está atualmente em revisão de qualidade, portanto parte do conteúdo é exibida temporariamente apenas em inglês.
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phosphorus cycle
This term describes a closed-loop geological and biological system. Unlike the nitrogen or carbon cycles, it is characterized by the absence of a gaseous phase, meaning the element does not enter the atmosphere in any significant quantity. This makes the process slower and more dependent on physical weathering and sedimentation.
In academic and scientific registers, the term is used to discuss nutrient limitation in ecosystems. It is frequently paired with terms like "limiting factor" or "eutrophication" when describing how an excess of phosphorus in the cycle can lead to algal blooms in aquatic environments.
Meanings
The biogeochemical process by which phosphorus moves through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere, involving the weathering of rocks, uptake by plants, and return to the soil or water through decomposition.
The phosphorus cycle is unique among major biogeochemical cycles because it does not include a significant atmospheric component.