Dissolution of diatom frustules and silicon cycling in Lake Michigan, U.S.A.

Diatoms require dissolved silicon for the formation of the silicate frustule that surrounds the cell. Potential sources of this silicon include dissolution of frustules produced by previous diatom communities, inputs of dissolved silicon from land drainage, and dissolution of silicate minerals. Results are reported from investigations on the relationship between diatom-frustule production, sedimentation, and dissolution to determine the importance and the mechanisms of silicon recycling in a large temperate lake, Lake Michigan.