Phosphorus circulates though water, the earth's crust and living organisms in the phosphorus cycle, depicted in Figure 3-21. In contrast to the cycles of water, carbon, and nitrogen, the phosphorus cycle does not include the atmosphere. The major reservoirs for phosphorous is phosphate salts containing phosphate ions in terrestrial rock formations and ocean bottom sediments. The phosphorus cycle is slow compared to the water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle.
磷的循環需經過水.地球的外殼和生活在其上的生物與磷循環的關係如同表3-21的描述.將磷循環與其他水,碳,氮的循環比較,磷循環中不包括大氣的部份.亞磷的主要儲存是在地球岩層和海底沉積岩中磷酸鹽鎖含有的磷酸鹽離子.磷循環相較於水,碳,氮循環之下,是較慢的循環.
As water runs over exposed phosphorus-containing rocks, it slowly erodes away inorganic compounds that contain phosphate ions. The dissolved phosphate can be absorbed by the roots of plants and by the other producers. Phosphorous is transferred by food webs from such producers to consumers, eventually including detritus feeders and decomposers. In both producers and consumers, phosphorous is a component of biologically important molecules such as nucleic acids and energy transfer molecules such as ADP and ATP. It is also a major component of vertebrate bones and teeth.
當有包含著磷的岩石被暴露在有水體流動的地方時,它會慢慢地侵蝕掉含有磷酸鹽離子的無機化合物.被分解的磷酸鹽可以被植物的根或其他的生產者所吸收.亞磷的轉換是藉由食物鍊中的生產者及消費者,甚至於是岩屑飼養者以及分解者,不論生產者還是消費者，亞磷是重要的生物組成分子,例如核酸和能量轉換分子ADP和ATP. 它也是脊椎動物的骨頭和牙齒的主要構成成分。
