Diatoms
This duck was created by Veronica Ongaro.
Biology and art are my passions, and early on in my career as a biologist I was fascinated by the microscopic world. Among microorganisms, diatoms are very special. They are unicellular algae encapsulated in a transparent glass case, made of silica dioxide, which is highly decorated with intricate patterns.
On the electronic microscope, they look beautiful. Diatoms are present in almost all aquatic environments and they are photosynthetic. Diatoms are important in ecosystems because they produce oxygen and they also fix carbon. They are a key component of the phytoplankton community.
Micrographs of different diatoms taken at five micrometers and ten micrometers by Meg Stark in Department of Biology, University of York.
The glass cases of diatoms have industrial applications. They form sediments called "diatomaceous earth" which is used as a filter medium or abrasive.
This duck decorated with diatoms will make us think and reflect on the importance of these microorganisms that are impossible to see with our eyes, but are essential for life on planet earth.
Luke MacKinder, Thierry Tonon and Charlotte Walker lead research programmes using microalgae in the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products in Biology at York.
Diatoms are also used in Archaeology at York, where analyses provide a proxy to study water availability, water resources (eg freshwater, marine, brackish) and water quality history.
Diatom analyses in archaeology aid palaeoenvironmental reconstructions, the study of past changing climatic patterns, acidiļ¬cation, eutrophication, and pollution issues.
SEM micrograph of a lake diatom of the species Cocconeis placenta found in an archaeological pottery food crust from the Mesolithic site of Cherkasskaya in Russia. Image by Lara González Carretero.
Study with us
Final year research projects in this area might explore topics from health and disease to sustainable food and fuel, working with researchers at the forefront of industrial biotechnology.
Make your own duck
Didn't get the chance to attend the Art Trail Festival of Ideas workshop?
You can still colour your own diatoms duck and make it your own.
