Editing Great Lakes (section)

=== Impacts of climate change on algae ===
Algae such as [[diatom]]s, along with other [[phytoplankton]], are [[photosynthetic]] [[primary producers]] supporting the [[food web]] of the Great Lakes,<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.glc.org/lakes/ |title = About the Lakes |publisher = Great Lakes Commission }}</ref> and have been [[Effects of global warming|affected by global warming]].<ref>{{cite web |url = https://greatlakesecho.org/2019/02/13/monitoring-algal-blooms-in-the-great-lakes-basin/ |title = Monitoring algal blooms in the Great Lakes Basin |first = Kurt |last = Williams |date = February 13, 2019 |website = Great Lakes Echo }}</ref> The changes in the size or in the function of the primary producers may have a direct or an indirect impact on the food web. Photosynthesis carried out by diatoms constitutes about one fifth of the total photosynthesis.{{Where|date=February 2021}} By taking {{CO2 |link=yes}} out of the water to photosynthesize, diatoms help to stabilize the [[pH]] of the water, as {{CO2}} would react with water to produce [[Carbon dioxide#In aqueous solution|carbonic acid]]. 
:{{chem2|CO2 + H2O <-> HCO3- + H+}}
Diatoms acquire [[Inorganic compound|inorganic]] carbon through passive diffusion of {{CO2}} and [[Bicarbonate|{{chem2|HCO3-}}]], and use [[carbonic anhydrase]] mediated active transport to speed up this process.<ref>{{cite journal |last1 =Burkhardt |first1 = Steffen |last2 = Amoroso |first2 = Gabi |last3 = Riebesell |first3 = Ulf |last4 = Sültemeyer |first4 = Dieter |date = September 2001 |title = CO<sub>2</sub> and {{chem|HCO|3|-}} uptake in marine diatoms acclimated to different CO<sub>2</sub> concentrations |journal =Limnology and Oceanography |volume = 46 |issue = 6 |pages = 1378–1391 |doi=10.4319/lo.2001.46.6.1378}}</ref> Large diatoms require more carbon uptake than smaller diatoms.<ref name=":0">{{cite journal |first1 = Brian N. |last1 = Popp |first2 = Edward A. |last2 = Laws |first3 = Robert R. |last3 = Bidigare |first4 = John E. |last4 = Dore |first5 = Kristi L. |last5 = Hanson |first6 = Stuart G. |last6 = Wakeham |journal = Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta |year = 998 |title = Effect of Phytoplankton Cell Geometry on Carbon Isotopic Fractionation |volume = 62 |issue =  |pages = 69–77 |doi = 10.1016/S0016-7037(97)00333-5 }}</ref> There is a [[Correlation and dependence|positive correlation]] between the surface area and the chlorophyll concentration of diatom cells.<ref>{{cite journal |last = Durbin |first = E.G. |year = 1977 |title = Studies on the Autecology of the Marine Diatom ''Thalassiosira nordenskioeldii'' II. The Influence of Cell Size on Growth Rate, and Carbon, Nitrogen, Chlorophyll ''a'' and Silica Content |journal = Journal of Phycology |volume = 13 |issue = 2 |pages = 150–155 |doi = 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1977.tb02904.x |bibcode = 1977JPcgy..13..150D }}</ref>