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.
Diatoms have cell walls made of silica, Each species has a distinct pattern of tiny holes in the cell wall (frustule) through which they absorb nutrients and get rid of waste. Viewed under microscopes, diatoms show a huge variety of shapes with many interesting and beautiful patterns.