Phosphorus is important to growth and function of plant cells. It aids plants in photosythesis, helps plants to respire, enables them to transfer and store energy, and use water efficiently.
Microbes in soil play an important role in transforming organic forms of phosphorus to create inorganic forms that plants use, which is called "mineralization".
Microbe levels can be affected by poor soil quality, and their absence leaves phosphorus in the organic state that plants cannot use. At high pH levels (such as occur due to acid rain), phosphorus is chemically "fixed" in organic mineral forms such as aluminium phosphate, iron phosphate, or manganese phosphate, and cannot be taken up by plants. In soils that are low pH, phosphorus can fix to Aluminum, Iron or manganese, and again, it becomes unusable to plants. Low oxygen (as in dense soils or clay, or moisture laden soils) will inhibit plants from taking up phosphorus. Lots of farmers have to be concerned about the balance of mineral content of their soils, ph levels, and promoting microbes.
Phosphorus is one part of the interdependent factors for good soil health.
Phosphorus is attained from mining, and much of it is found in a mineral called Apatite. It is mined for use as a fertilizer, and applied on farm fields. It runs off mines and fields into water supplies, where it causes serious plant growth (algae blooms). This over abundance of phosphorus in water can create so much plant growth that then depletes oxygen levels in the water, thus killing all life in a body of water.
Much of the world's farm lands have been overworked, and depleted of their minimal natural sources of phosphorus. It takes many years for the cycle of phosphorus to replenish natural supply levels in the soil.
"Local" plantlife is often more accustomed to low levels of phosphorus, but when phosphorus is introduced (from run off of farm fields where fertilizers applied), invasive species begin to thrive and crowd out native plants. In some countries, species of plants that do well in native soils require no amendment, but in these regions, farmers are shown how to increase yields (and make more money!) through the application of fertlizers (including phosphorus), and newer hybrids and gmo varieties of plants are being introduced, pushing out the practice of subsistence farming (a lifestyle where little money is needed), and centuries of use of traditional crops.
It's a bad idea to continue relying on mined phosphorus for industrial level farm use. As we mine away all the resources locked in the earth, some farmers are becoming concerned a great deal about conserving their organic matter as compost.
Organic products may have been grown with the use of the mineral phosphorus applications without affecting the legal status for "organic". Small scale, local farming, (and gardens-- perhaps your own?) may use composted organic matter instead of mined resources of phosphorus.
Organic matter (manure, urine, composted matter) contains some phosphorus, and can be used to amend soils. (instead of mined phosphorus). It also enhances the "good" bacteria in the soils that do the work of converting (mineralizing) the phosphorus for plant use.
Phosphorus in cleaning products and soaps is another waste of this natural resource that then goes "down the drain" and into the water supply. It is possible to avoid these sources of it by learning what names to check for on product labels, or (easier) buying products known to be made without it, or making your own at home.
All about Apatite
Why Phosphorus is important to global security and a continuing food supply
What has happened in Florida thanks to Phosphorus mining.
Lake Erie's "Dead Zone", videos, animated illustrations, etc.... (from 2002, still relevant).
Article about "dead zones" Gulf of Mexico( 6800 sq. miles), Chesapeake Bay (100 miles): (9/2/2011) Dead zones in the Gulf of Mexico and other waters require a tougher approach: Donald Scavia
Corporate profit incentive described here, promoting globalization and opening new markets for phosphorus use by farmers reported September 2011.
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