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The Significance of Diatoms in the Ecosystem

Diatoms are single-celled algae crucial to many organisms due to photosynthesis producing sugars and oxygen. These vital components are essential for energy, growth, and survival of various life forms, including animals. Carbon fixation, through photosynthesis, allows organisms to convert carbon dioxide into organic compounds like carbohydrates, sustaining life on Earth. Key organic molecules necessary for life include proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids. Diatoms provide vital organic molecules for organisms like whales, which break them down for essential materials and energy. Explore the critical role diatoms play in the ecosystem and the interconnectedness of life.

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The Significance of Diatoms in the Ecosystem

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  1. WHAT MAKES THESE CELLS SO IMPORTANT TO MANY OTHER ORGANISMS????????? • These diatoms are single celled algae that use the process of photosynthesis to store chemical energy in sugars. Animals eat photosynthetic organisms such as plants and algae to get this chemical energy. They also produce oxygen that is required to release much of the chemical energy in sugars.

  2. Read the caption above or on the PowerPoint. What three things mentioned are critical to your life? • Energy • Sugar • Oxygen

  3. What is another name for carbon fixation? • Photosynthesis

  4. Why does carbon need to be fixed? • Organisms can’t live off of carbon dioxide because they would die. Therefore, photosynthetic plants / organisms turn the CO2 into organic compounds like carbohydrates. The plants process the CO2 and give us glucose!!!!!

  5. What types of carbon based molecules or organic molecules are necessary for all life to exist on Earth? • Proteins • Carbohydrates • Lipids • Nucleic Acids

  6. How does a whale use the organic molecules it gets from feeding on diatoms? • Breaks them down for materials and energy needed to maintain life.

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