âI think weâve read every single book they have.â Mark chuckled. He still wasnât ready to put the children downâWill was hanging off of one hip, his hand on Markâs shoulder as he stoically looked down at Bridget, and Mabel had nuzzled into the crook of Markâs neck with a contented sigh.
Diatoms are producers within the food chain. A unique feature of diatom cells is that they are enclosed within a cell wall made of silica (hydrated silicon dioxide) called a frustule. These frustules show a wide diversity in form, but are usually almost bilaterally symmetrical, hence the group name.
Since humans and all other animals need oxygen to breathe, we all rely indirectly on diatoms to sustain us. By fixing carbon or converting it from carbon dioxide into sugar, diatoms also reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere just as terrestrial plants do. Food. In the ocean, diatoms are eaten by tiny animals called zooplankton.