Nutrients are important to the growth and survival of living organisms, and hence, are essential for development and maintenance of healthy ecosystems. Humans have greatly influenced the phosphorus cycle by mining phosphate rock. For millennia, phosphorus was primarily brought into the environment through the weathering of phosphate containing rocks, which would replenish the phosphorus normally lost to the environment through processes such as runoff, albeit on a very slow and gradual time-scale. Since the 1840s, when the technology to mine and extract phosphorus became more prevalent, approximately 110 Tg of phosphorus has been added to the environment. This trend doesn't appear to be slowing down as from 1900-2022, the amount of phosphorus mined globally has increased 72-fold, with an expected annual increase of 4%. Most of this mining is done in order to produce fertilizers which can be used on a global scale. However, at the rate humans are mining, the geological system can not restore what is lost quickly enough. Thus, researchers are examining ways to better recycle phosphorus in the environment, with one promising application including the use of microorganisms. Regardless, humans have had a powerful impact on the phosphorus cycle with wide-reaching implications about food security, eutrophication, and the overall availability of the nutrient.
Repeated application of liquid hog manure in excess to crop needs can have detrimental effects on soil phosphorus status. Also, application of biosolids may increase available phosphorus in soil. In poorly drained soils or in areas where snowmelt can cause periodic waterlogging, reducing conditions can be attained in 7–10 days. This causes a sharp increase in phosphorus concentration in solution and phosphorus can be leached. In addition, reduction of the soil causes a shift in phosphorus from resilient to more labile forms. This could eventually increase the potential for phosphorus loss. This is of particular concern for the environmentally sound management of such areas, where disposal of agricultural wastes has already become a problem. It is suggested that the water regime of soils that are to be used for organic wastes disposal is taken into account in the preparation of waste management regulations.