Ocean’s hidden fertilizer revealed

14 May 2015

Phosphorus is one of the most common substances on Earth. An essential nutrient for every living organism — humans require approximately 700 milligrams per day — we are rarely concerned about consuming enough of it because it is present in most of the foods we eat. Despite its ubiquity and living organisms’ utter dependence on it, we know surprisingly little about how it moves, or cycles, through the ocean environment.

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