Diatoms Algae are a very diverse group of simple, nucleated, plant-like aquatic organisms that are primary producers. Primary producers are able to utilize photosynthesis to create organic molecules from sunlight, water , and carbon dioxide . Ecologically vital, algae account for roughly half of photosynthetic production of organic material on earth in both freshwater and marine environments ...
diatom A microscopic alga, belonging to the division Bacillariophyta, in which the cell wall (frustule) is composed of silica and consists of two halves, one of which overlaps the other like the lid of a box. Frustules are often delicately ornamented. Most diatoms are unicellular, but some are colonial or filamentous. Most are photosynthetic, but some species lack chlorophyll and live ...
When diatoms die, their shells fall to the bottom of the ocean and form deposits called diatomaceous earth. These deposits can be collected and used as abrasives, or used as an additive to give certain paints their sparkle.
Algae Algae are a diverse group of all photosynthetic organisms that are not plants. Algae are important in marine, freshwater, and some terrestrial ecosystems . Seaweeds are large marine algae. The study of algae is called phycology. Algae may be unicellular, colonial, or multicellular. Some algae, like the diatoms, are microscopically small. Other algae, like kelp, are as big as trees. Some ...
They are omnivores feeding on diatoms, detritus, protozoans, smaller amphipods, crustacean larvae, and other tiny attached or floating food items. reproductive biology Fertilized eggs are kept within a brood pouch made by broad, leaf-like thoracic appendages. Development is direct in that the newly hatched juveniles look very much like their ...
Chrysophyta (krəsŏf´ətə), phylum (division) of unicellular marine or freshwater organisms of the kingdom Protista [1] consisting of the diatoms [2] (class Bacillariophyceae), the golden, or golden-brown, algae (class Chrysophyceae), and the yellow-green algae [3] (class Xanthophyceae).
Bacillariophyta A division of microscopic algae (known as diatoms) which are mostly unicellular, but which may be colonial or filamentous. The cell wall (frustule) is composed of silica and consists of two halves, one of which overlaps the other like the lid on a box. The frustule is commonly delicately ornamented. Most diatoms are photosynthetic, but there are also species that lack ...
Protista (Protoctista) A kingdom in the domain Eucaryota that comprises single-celled, eukaryotic organisms (see eukaryote) that may resemble animals or plants. Naked and shelled amoebas, foraminiferans, zooflagellates, ciliates, dinoflagellates, diatoms, and algae are protists. In an earlier five-kingdom classification, Protista was ranked as a kingdom; later some multicellular organisms with ...