What are examples of phytoplankton?
Some phytoplankton are bacteria, some are protists, and most are single-celled plants. Among the common kinds are cyanobacteria, silica-encased diatoms, dinoflagellates, green algae, and chalk-coated coccolithophores.
Are diatoms plants?
Diatoms are an enigma. Neither plant nor animal, they share biochemical features of both. Though simple single-celled algae, they are covered with elegant casings sculpted from silica. Diatoms occupy vast swaths of ocean and fresh water, where they play a key role in the global carbon cycle.
Are diatoms protozoa?
We can classify protists into four sub-groups: unicellular algae, protozoa, slime molds, and water molds. Diatoms are single-celled organisms but can often be found lumped together, and they live in both freshwater and marine water.
How do diatoms help humans?
A very common use for diatoms is for filtration. The fine structures of diatom shells trap foreign particles in fluids, such as dirt, lint, hair and some other microscopic organisms. Diatoms are often used to filter water, particularly water in hot tubs and swimming pools.
Why are diatoms so important to life on Earth?
Diatoms are responsible for over 40 percent of photosynthesis in the world’s oceans, and without them, the ocean would be unable to support the amount of life that it does. Diatoms are a key source of food and energy for other organisms in many freshwater ecosystems as well.
Do humans have diatoms?
Diatoms are also useful in forensic studies. If a person has drowned then diatoms are able to enter the human body. The similarity of the diatoms present in the water that the body is found in and the diatoms present in the body can help to discover whether the body was moved.
Why do diatoms have pores?
The frustule also contains many pores and slits that provide the diatom access to the external environment for processes such as waste removal and mucilage secretion.
What are two uses for diatomaceous earth?
When taken by mouth, diatomaceous earth is used as a source of silica, for treating high cholesterol levels, for treating constipation, and for improving the health of skin, nails, teeth, bones, and hair. When applied to the skin or teeth, diatomaceous earth is used to brush teeth or remove unwanted dead skin cells.