We learned that people disrupt the phosphorus cycle. In the rain forest, phosphorus is stored in plants and when people cut down the trees, the soil becomes less productive. Then we learned that runoff from farms, homes, and factories often contains phosphorus, which can wash into bodies of water and cause excess growth of algae that disturbs aquatic ecosystems.
Discussion Question:
How can you reduce disturbances to Earth’s natural cycles?
Possibilities include various ways of conserving energy by reducing fossil fuel consumption, such as using a bicycle or public transportation to get around rather than taking rides in cars. Also reducing the use of electricity, lowering heat and using less air conditioning, taking shorter showers or cold showers, planting trees, avoiding foods from crops grown with artificial fertilizers and meat from animals that fed on such crops, and avoiding the use of products that contain phosphorus and that are discharged into the water.