Phosphorus Cycle Reading - Interactive Activity worksheet | Live ... - Free Printable

Problem Analysis:

The task involves understanding the phosphorus cycle and answering questions related to it. Additionally, you need to match descriptions with their correct places in the provided diagram. Let's break this down step by step.

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Part 1: Answering the Questions

#### Question 9: How are large amounts of phosphorus moved?
- Answer: Large amounts of phosphorus are moved through geologic upthrust. This process exposes once-submerged sedimentary rocks rich in phosphorus due to the movement of Earth's plates. These rocks then enter the terrestrial ecosystem and begin to weather, participating in the phosphorus cycle.

#### Question 10: What happens to the phosphate that goes into the ocean?
- Answer: Phosphate that enters the ocean is primarily absorbed by marine organisms such as algae and phytoplankton. It can also settle at the bottom of the ocean as marine sediment. Over time, it may be buried and eventually become part of sedimentary rocks.

#### Question 11: What are two ways fish get phosphorus into their body?
- Answer: Fish obtain phosphorus in their bodies through:
1. Consumption of primary producers (plants): Fish eat plants or other organisms that have absorbed phosphorus from the environment.
2. Consumption of other animals: Fish eat smaller aquatic organisms that already contain phosphorus.

#### Question 12: How do sea birds get phosphorus in their body? How do they return phosphorus to the ocean?
- Answer:
- How do sea birds get phosphorus?: Sea birds consume fish and other marine organisms that contain phosphorus.
- How do they return phosphorus to the ocean?: Sea birds return phosphorus to the ocean through their excrement (droppings), which contains phosphorus.

#### Question 13: Why do you think phosphorus does not cycle in the atmosphere?
- Answer: Phosphorus does not cycle in the atmosphere because it is not a gas under normal environmental conditions. Instead, it exists in solid forms (e.g., as phosphate minerals) and is primarily cycled through the soil, water, and living organisms on land and in the ocean.

#### Question 14: How can phosphorus leave the oceanic environment?
- Answer: Phosphorus can leave the oceanic environment through several processes:
1. Settling as marine sediment: Phosphate can settle at the bottom of the ocean and become part of marine sediment.
2. Geologic upthrust: Over geological timescales, oceanic sediments rich in phosphorus can be uplifted due to tectonic activity, exposing them to weathering and erosion on land.

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Part 2: Matching Descriptions to the Diagram

The diagram illustrates the phosphorus cycle, showing various processes such as erosion, plant absorption, animal waste, and runoff. Below is the matching of descriptions to their correct places in the diagram:

1. Erosion from rock:
- Location: Arrows pointing from rocks to water (likely near the top left of the diagram).
- Explanation: Erosion washes phosphorus-containing minerals into water bodies.

2. Plant consumption:
- Location: Arrows pointing from water to plants (likely near the tree in the diagram).
- Explanation: Plants absorb phosphorus dissolved in water.

3. Animal waste:
- Location: Arrows pointing from animals to the ground (likely near the deer in the diagram).
- Explanation: Animals excrete phosphorus back into the environment.

4. Grazing:
- Location: Arrow pointing from plants to animals (likely near the deer in the diagram).
- Explanation: Animals consume plants, taking up phosphorus.

5. Plant waste:
- Location: Arrows pointing from plants to the ground (likely near the base of the tree).
- Explanation: Dead plant material releases phosphorus back into the soil.

6. Absorption by plants:
- Location: Arrows pointing from water to plants (likely near the tree in the diagram).
- Explanation: Plants absorb phosphorus dissolved in water.

7. Runoff to ocean:
- Location: Arrows pointing from land to the ocean (likely near the bottom right of the diagram).
- Explanation: Phosphorus is carried by runoff into the ocean.

8. Marine sediment:
- Location: Arrows pointing to the ocean floor (likely near the bottom of the ocean in the diagram).
- Explanation: Phosphate settles at the bottom of the ocean as sediment.

9. Geologic upthrust:
- Location: Arrows pointing from the ocean floor to land (likely near the top left of the diagram).
- Explanation: Tectonic activity uplifts oceanic sediments, bringing phosphorus-rich rocks to the surface.

10. Concentration in plant tissues:
- Location: Arrows pointing within plants (likely near the tree in the diagram).
- Explanation: Plants accumulate phosphorus in their tissues.

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Final Answers:

1. Question 9: Geologic upthrust
2. Question 10: Absorbed by marine organisms or settles as marine sediment
3. Question 11: Consumption of primary producers and other animals
4. Question 12: Sea birds get phosphorus by consuming fish; they return it through excrement
5. Question 13: Phosphorus is not a gas and remains in solid forms
6. Question 14: Settling as marine sediment or geologic upthrust

Diagram Matching:

- Erosion from rock: Top left arrows
- Plant consumption: Arrows from water to plants
- Animal waste: Arrows from animals to ground
- Grazing: Arrows from plants to animals
- Plant waste: Arrows from plants to ground
- Absorption by plants: Arrows from water to plants
- Runoff to ocean: Arrows from land to ocean
- Marine sediment: Arrows to ocean floor
- Geologic upthrust: Arrows from ocean floor to land
- Concentration in plant tissues: Arrows within plants

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Final Answer Box:

\boxed{
\text{See detailed explanations above.}
}