Diatoms Description
These single-celled organisms are characterized by beautiful and intricate shapes. Most diatoms exist singly, although some join to form colonies. Diatoms can be fresh or salt-water and appear in the greatest abundance early in the year in the phenomenon called the “spring bloom,” when both light and nutrients are highly available. The cell walls are made up of silica, which persists in the environment after the cells have died, creating an extensive fossil record.