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Diatoms are photosynthetic phytoplankton.  They are found just about anywhere there is light and water.  They are the most common organism found, and make up the start of lots of salt water food chains, and in polar areas. In these regions, they are the most important organisms at the start of the food chain.

In the oceans, diatoms are mostly seen in big numbers in places where the oceans currents bring up the nutrients from deeper waters to the phytoplankton on the top of the ocean. The ocean sends up nutrients to coastal and open parts of the ocean.          

Diatoms live in a part of the ocean that scientists call “The photic zone”. That’s the place zone that the phytoplankton can survive within.

The photic zone is usually the top 100 feet because if you go any deeper than that you won’t find much light so the phytoplankton will die because they can’t photosynthesize. Photosynthesis is there sort of energy……….!

    The Diatoms habitat is in danger because of the pollution that we are putting in the ocean and it is becoming difficult for the Diatoms to reproduce because they are sensitive to pollution and temperature change. That is useful to us because now we know that global warming is happening!