The Importance of Phosphorus

Phosphorus is a chemical element that all living things must have - nobody can survive without it. It’s part of many molecules that form our bodies. But the great mystery is where do living things get the phosphorus they need to survive? Phosphorus isn’t abundant in the environment. Lake Tanganyika is no exception - evidence suggests that lack of phosphorus limits the growth of algae in its waters. Click on the box with the moving phosphorus molecule to solve the mystery. Then click on other pictures to see how parts of the Tanganyikan ecosystem and its people are connected by this important element.