section_path: Ecology/Impacts of climate change on algae
section_name: Impacts of climate change on algae
paragraph_text: Impacts of climate change on algae
  
  Algae such as diatoms, along with other phytoplankton, are photosynthetic primary producers supporting the food web of the Great Lakes, and have been affected by global warming. The changes in the size or in the function of the primary producers may have a direct or an indirect impact on the food web. Photosynthesis carried out by diatoms constitutes about one fifth of the total photosynthesis. By taking CO out of the water to photosynthesize, diatoms help to stabilize the pH of the water, as CO would react with water to produce carbonic acid.
  
  Diatoms acquire inorganic carbon through passive diffusion of CO and HCO − 3, and use carbonic anhydrase mediated active transport to speed up this process. Large diatoms require more carbon uptake than smaller diatoms. There is a positive correlation between the surface area and the chlorophyll concentration of diatom cells.