Brief recall: Hypoxia

The term 'hypoxia' is a medical term used to describe a condition in which the body lacks adequate supply of oxygen.

It could be local when the shortage of oxygen is confined to parts of the body while it is general when the whole body suffers from inadequate oxygen. Inadequate oxygen delivery to body cells results in electron moving into pyruvic acid. As a result, low energy is released into the body and lactic acid builds up in the cells leading to death if prolonged or severe.

Diatoms

Diatoms on the other hand belongs to a unique group of algae known as the Bacillarophyta. If the definition of plant encompasses all organisms with chlorophyll, diatom as well as other algal divisions will belong to the plant kingdom. They are eukaryotic, microscopic, single celled organisms though sometimes exists as colonies in the shape of filaments/ribbons, fans, zigzag or stars.

Diatoms are enclosed within a silica cell wall, a hydrated silicon oxide known as frustule also called skeletons. They are mostly aquatic with about 16,000 species living in habitats ranging from freshwaters, oceans, soils to damp surfaces.

Morphologically, diatoms are divided into two group - the pennate and the centic diatoms. While the latter appear round, discoid, or cylindrical depending on the relative length of their axes, the former is bilaterally symmetrical.

Diatoms, as small as they are, have wide usage. They are quite sensitive to climate induced changes in their environment with their siliceous cell wall well preserved in soils. Studying of diatoms' fossil can therefore be used to create paleoclimatic conditions. They also produce diatomaceous earth or diatomites which is invaluable in filtering aids, functional additives, absorbents, soil amendments and natural insecticides

Why do diatoms hold a major key to human survival?

With their large population in various water bodies around the world, diatoms, being organisms with ability to photosynthesize are responsible for about 25% of all organic carbon fixation on the planet. They contain chlorophylls a and c, xanthophylls and carotenoids. Their photosynthetic food reserve is a polymer of glucose called chrysolaminarin together with lipids. If this is the case, it means diatoms are responsible for almost 25% of the available oxygen for human survival.

Normal air contains approximately 20.95% of oxygen, a reduction of 25% in this value might lead to hyporexic conditions in humans. Although this has not been scientifically established, it is a possibility. Human life is dependent on the diversity of plants and animals around us including the microorganism.

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Hypoxia
Diatoms
oxygen level
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