Question

what are the functions of a diatom? how do they also produce food for other lifeforms ?

Answer 1

Function of diatoms

*Diatoms are unicellular eukaryotic microalgae that play important ecological roles on a global scale. Diatoms are responsible for 20% of global carbon fixation and 40% of marine primary productivity. Thus they are major contributors to climate change processes, and form a substantial basis of the marine food web
*Diatoms are also useful in forensic studies.
Food

In the ocean, diatoms are eaten by tiny animals called zooplankton. Zooplankton in turn sustain larger organisms, like fish, so many animals in the ocean depend on diatoms either directly or indirectly for their survival. 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. Snails, caddis fly larvae, small crustaceans and filter feeders like clams are among the many animals in freshwater systems that graze on diatoms.