Education

• B.S., The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• M.Phil., The Chinese University of Hong Kong
• Ph.D., University of Connecticut

Research Interests

Planktonic and Microbial Processes

Our research is focused on the roles of marine microbial and planktonic organisms in ecological and biogeochemical processes. We combine laboratory experiments, field observations and modeling to address a variety of research questions. Our most recent work includes:

• Bacteria-zooplankton interactions: Bacteria and zooplankton are traditionally viewed as two disparate functional groups in the aquatic environments. However, microscopy and bioassays reveal that the exterior and interior of a zooplankton body are heavily colonized by bacteria, often at densities many orders of magnitude higher than ambient free-living bacteria. These dense bacterial clusters associated with zooplankton provide many new and exciting research opportunities for scientists. Some of the issues we are working on include bacterial diversity associated with zooplankton, the effects of zooplankton's feeding on the associated (gut) bacteria, and release of bacteria by zooplankton during defecation and decomposition. [Click here to learn more]

• Zooplankton carcasses in the natural environments: A basic need in zooplankton research is accurate assessment of population abundances. Researchers often collect, preserve and enumerate field samples without the knowledge of the live/dead composition of the animals. This oversight could lead to erroneous understanding of many fundamental pelagic processes. My lab have tested and refined simple staining methods for identifying live vs. dead zooplankton in field samples. With these methods we can now systematically study the live-dead compositions of zooplankton in the natural environments, the causes of in situ mortality, and the fate of the carcasses. [Click here to learn more]

• Microbial dynamics on marine snow particles: Fluxes of marine snow particles (marine detritus) are thought to be a key mechanism for transporting carbon to the deep ocean. Yet, marine snow also densely harbors micro-organisms, whose activities transform and degrade marine snow, with significant ramifications for carbon fluxes. We study the dynamics of microbial communities on marine snow particles, using experiments, observations and modeling. Focuses are on colonization of marine snow by micro-organisms, and species interactions within these microbial communities. [Click here to learn more]

• Phaeocystis physiology and ecology: Phaeocystis is one of the most dominant phytoplankton genera in the world's oceans, and is also one of the most intriguing phytoplankton groups. It has a complex life cycle that alternates between small solitary cells (a few micrometers) and large mucilaginous colonies (up to a few centimeters). This drastic change in effective size has created many interesting questions about its physiology and ecology. We are studying Phaeocystis colony formation in response to environmental stresses and grazing pressure, and buoyancy regulation by the colonies.  Some of this work was conducted in U.S. McMurdo Station, Antarctica. [Click here to learn more]

Commitment to science education

I firmly believe that it is our core responsibility to educate and mentor the future generations of scientists. In addition to formal classroom teaching and student mentoring at VIMS, I have been actively involved in educational outreach activities. I am also committed to increase the participation of traditionally underrepresented students in marine science research and higher education.

Graduate study opportunity. Opportunities are now available for students interested in pursuing M.S. or Ph.D. in the area of plankton/microbial ecology. Students from underrepresented minority groups are particularly welcomed. Candidates should have strong background in natural sciences and strong quantitative and writing skills. Field/lab experience related to plankton/microbial research is highly desirable. Stipend and tuition are provided. Interested individuals please send a brief description of your academic background and experience. You may also contact me by email or by phone for more information.

NSF GK-12 Fellowship. I am leading the newly awarded NSF GK-12: PERFECT (Partnership between Educators and Researchers for Enhancing Classroom Teaching). The NSF GK-12 Program supports fellowships and training for graduate students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Through interactions with teachers and students in K-12 schools, graduate fellows can improve their communication and teaching skills while enriching STEM content and instruction for their K-12 partners. PERFECT is the only marine science-focused GK-12 in the Chesapeake Bay region. Selected Fellows will work with professional teachers to introduce their research to the students. Our partners include schools with traditional STEM curricula, as well as schools with a special focus on marine and environmental science. These schools also serve a high percentage of students traditionally underrepresented in STEM. Fellows will receive a $30K annual stipend plus $10.5K tuition and other benefits. If you are someone who believes in the importance of science education, or someone who wants to go beyond research training and learn teaching and communication skills, then GK-12 PERFECT is perfect for you! Click here or contact me for more information. 

Click to learn more about my lab

• A letter to prospective students
• New perspective on Plankton Ecology
• Student evaluation of my teaching
• My curriculum vitae
• Tour of the lab

Current and Past Projects

• GK-12: Partnership between Educators and Researchers for Enhancing Classroom Teaching (PERFECT) (funded by NSF GK-12; ongoing) [Project Website]
• Experimental investigations of the giant colonies of Phaeocystis globosa in China (funded by NSF-OCE; ongoing) [Project Summary]
• Bringing Out the Dead: Distribution and microbial decomposition of copepod carcasses in the marine environment (funded by NSF-OCE; ongoing) [Project Summary]
• DREAMS-II: A novel program to recruit and educate underrepresented students in geosciences (funded by NSF-GeoEd; ongoing) [Project Website] [Project Summary] [Feel the DREAMS Spirit]
• Linking zooplankton ecology and microbial ecology: Experimental study of microbial processes on copepod carcasses (funded by Jeffress Memorial Trust; completed)
• Planning activities between Virginia Institute of Marine Science and Jinan University, China (funded by NSF-OISE; completed)
• DREAMS – Diversity in Research in Environmental And Marine Sciences (funded by NSF-DBI and NOAA-CMER; completed)
• Environmental and ecological regulation of differences and interactions between solitary and colonial forms of Phaeocystis antarctica (funded by NSF-ANT; completed) [Project Website]
• Microbial dynamics on marine snow particles (funded by NSF-OCE; completed) 
• Effects of plankton composition and nutritional quality on growth of newly metamorphosed winter flounder (funded by NOAA-CMER; completed)
• Copepods as microbial hotspots for DMSP dynamics: Effects of host feeding activities on attached DMSP-consuming bacteria (funded by Jeffress Memorial Trust; completed)

Selected Publications

(* student co-authors under my supervision; please email me for reprints)

Bacteria-Zooplankton Interactions

• Tang K, Dziallas C, Hutalle-Schmelzer K, Grossart H-P (2009) Effects of food on bacterial community composition associated with the copepod Acartia tonsa Dana. Biology Letters 5:549-553
• Grossart HP, Dziallas C, Tang KW (2009) Bacterial diversity associated with freshwater zooplankton. Environmental Microbiology Reports 1:50-55
• Tang KW (2005) Copepods as microbial hotspots in the ocean: effects of host feeding activities on attached bacteria. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 38:31-40 [PDF]

Zooplankton Carcasses and in situ Mortality

• Tang KW, Bickel SL*, Dziallas C, Grossart HP (2009) Microbial activities accompanying decomposition of cladoceran and copepod carcasses under different environmental conditions. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 57:89-100
• Elliott DT*, Tang KW (2009) Simple staining method for differentiating live and dead marine zooplankton in field samples. Limnology and Oceanography: Methods 7:585-594
• Bickel SL*, Tang KW, Grossart HP (2009) Use of aniline blue to distinguish live and dead crustacean zooplankton composition in freshwaters. Freshwater Biology 54:971-981

• Tang KW, Hutalle KML, Grossart HP (2006) Microbial abundance, composition and enzymatic activity during decomposition of copepod carcasses. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 45: 219-227 [PDF]

Marine Snow Study

• Tang KW, Grossart HP (2007) Iron effects on colonization behavior, motility and enzymatic activity of marine bacteria. Canadian Journal of Microbiology 53:968-974 [PDF]
• Yam EM*, Tang KW (2007) Starvation effects on aggregate colonization and motility of marine bacteria. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 48:207-215 [PDF]
• Tang KW, Grossart HP, Yam EM*, Jackson GA, Ducklow HW, Kiørboe T (2006) Mesocosm study of particle dynamics and control of particle-associated bacteria by flagellate grazing. Marine Ecology Progress Series 325:15-27 [PDF]

Antarctic Research

• Tang KW, Smith WO Jr, Shields AR, Elliott DT* (2009) Survival and recovery of Phaeocystis antarctica (Prymnesiophyceae) from prolonged darkness and freezing. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 276:81-90

• Tang KW, Smith WO Jr, Elliott DT*, Shields AR (2008) Colony size of Phaeocystis antarctica (Prymnesiophyceae) as influenced by zooplankton grazers. Journal of Phycology 44:1372-1378
• Elliott DT*, Tang KW, Shields AR (2008) Mesozooplankton beneath the summer sea ice in McMurdo Sound, Antarctica: Abundance, species composition, and DMSP content. Polar Biology 32:113-122

Phaeocystis Ecology

• Tang KW (2003) Grazing and colony size development in Phaeocystis globosa (Prymnesiophyceae): the role of a chemical signal. Journal of Plankton Research 25:831-842 [PDF]
• Jakobsen HH, Tang KW (2002) Effects of protozoan grazing on colony formation in Phaeocystis globosa (Prymnesiophyceae) and the potential costs and benefits. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 27:261-273 [PDF]
• Tang KW, Jakobsen HH, Visser AW (2001) Phaeocystis globosa (Prymnesiophyceae) and the planktonic food web: Feeding, growth and trophic interactions among grazers. Limnology & Oceanography 46:1860-1870 [PDF]

General Zooplankton Ecology

• Thor P, Koski M, Tang KW, Jónasdóttir SH (2007) Supplemental effects of diet mixing on absorption of ingested organic carbon in the marine copepod Acartia tonsa. Marine Ecology Progress Series 331:131-138 [PDF]
• Veloza AJ*, Chu F-L, Tang KW (2006) Trophic modification of essential fatty acids by heterotrophic protists and its effects on the fatty acid composition of the copepod Acartia tonsa. Marine Biology 148:779-788 [PDF]
• Tang KW, Taal M* (2005) Trophic modification of food quality by heterotrophic protists: Species-specific effects on copepod egg production and egg hatching. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 318:85-98 [PDF]

Current and Former Lab Members

• Dr. Marc Andersen Borg - postdoc
• Dr. Yan Wang - visiting professor from Jinan University (2009-2010) (co-hosted by Dr. Walker Smith)
• David Elliott - PhD dissertation "Non-consumptive Mortality of York River Zooplankton"
• Samantha Bickel - MS thesis "Anthropogenic Causes of Copepod Mortality and Bacterial Exoenzymatic Activity associated with Carcass Decomposition" - Completed July 2009
• Xiaodong Wang - visiting PhD student (Ocean University of China) with China Scholarship Council scholarship (2007-2009) (co-hosted by Dr. Walker Smith)
• Young-Ah (Lucy) Lee (2009-10 highschool intern)
• Emily Yam - MS thesis "The Role of Bacteria-Particle Interactions in Marine Snow Dynamics" - Completed June 2007
• Adriana Veloza - MS thesis "Transfer of Essential Fatty Acids by Marine Plankton" (co-advised by Dr. F.L. Chu) - Completed November 2005
• Alle Lie (2006 undergraduate intern; Chinese University of Hong Kong)
• Curtis Freund (2005/6 undergraduate intern; St. Cloud State University)
• Julie Galkiewicz (2006 undergraduate intern; College of William & Mary)
• Christopher Schweitzer (2005 CMER intern)
• Letacia Sims (2004-5 DREAMS intern)
• Katia Chaterji (2005 Virginia Governor's School intern)
• Zena Cardman (2004 highschool volunteer)
• Maiyai Taal (2003/4 undergraduate intern)
• Corey Bacchus (2004 REU summer intern)
• Lisa Marko (2003 REU summer intern)
• Yassaman Pourkazemi (2003 Virginia Governor's School intern)

Courses Taught

• MSC 698: Mechanistic Approach to Plankton Ecology (to be offered in Spring 2010)
• MSCI 526: Principles of Marine Ecology (with Walker Smith; Spring 2009)
• MSCI 698: Harmful Algal Blooms (with Debbie Bronk; Fall 2008)
• MSCI 501L: Fundamentals of Marine Science Lab (Fall; 2003-2007)
• MSCI 652: Marine Plankton Ecology (with Walker Smith and Hugh Ducklow; Fall 2007)
• MSCI 660: Zooplankton Ecology (with Debbie Steinberg; Spring in alternate years)
• MSCI 698: Ecological Stoichiometry (with Emmett Duffy; Spring 2004)
• MSCI 698: Physical Perspectives in Plankton Ecology (Spring 2003)

Faculty and Student Awards

• Alumni Fellowship Award, William & Mary Alumni Association, 2009
• Invited instructor, Nordic Marine Academy advanced course, The challenge of pelagic feeding: from prey detection to secondary production. Hirtshals, Denmark, 2007 and 2009
• Visiting scientist, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Germany, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009
• Invited participant, ECO-GREEN, Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Greenland, 2008 and 2009
• Visiting scientist, Danish Technical University, Denmark, June-July, 2008
• Invited instructor, Integrative Aquatic Microbial-Plankton Ecology (4 credits graduate level). University of São Paulo, Brazil, April 17-27, 2007
• Selected participant, Mathematical Biosciences Institute Workshop (Microbial Ecology), Ohio State University, May 2006
• Invited instructor, Experimental approaches in marine zooplankton ecology: Concepts and strategies toward global change research. University of São Paulo, Brazil, December 2004
• TUBITAK-BAYG-Visiting Scientist, Middle East Technical University, Turkey, February-March 2002
• NorFA Mobility Scholarship, Norway, October 2001
• Selected participant, ASLO-DIALOGIV, 2001
• Postdoctoral scholarship, Carlsberg Foundation, Denmark, 2000-2002
• Andres J Nalwalk Memorial Award, University of Connecticut, 2000
• Selected participant, National Research Council Fifty Years of Ocean Discovery Symposium, USA, 1998
• Sigma Xi Grants-in-Aid of Research, 1998
• Edward Victor Gant Scholarship, University of Connecticut, 1997

Awards to my students:

• Samantha Bickel --- ASLO Student Travel Award (2009)
• Samantha Bickel --- Reves Graduate Student International Travel Grant (2008)
• Emily Yam --- VIMS 2008 Best Student Paper Award for the paper: Yam EM, Tang KW (2007) Starvation effects on aggregate colonization and motility of marine bacteria. Aquatic Microbial Ecology 48:207-215

• Samantha Bickel --- Reves Graduate Student International Travel Grant (2007)
• Adriana Veloza --- VIMS 2006 Best Student Paper Award for the paper: Veloza AJ, Chu FL, Tang KW (2006) Trophic modification of essential fatty acids by heterotrophic protists and its effects on the fatty acid composition of the copepod Acartia tonsa. Marine Biology 148:779-788
• Emily Yam --- Reves Graduate Student International Travel Grant (2005)
• Adriana Veloza --- ERF conference "Top 50 Students" award (2005)
• Adriana Veloza --- Hispanic Scholarship Fund Scholar (2003-2004)
• Adriana Veloza --- Sigma Xi GIAR (2003-2004)
• Maiyai Taal --- ASLO-SAML Outstanding Student Presentation Award (2004)

Professional Memberships

• American Society of Limnology and Oceanography
• Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society
• Eco-ethics International Union
• Union of Concerned Scientists

Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Efforts

• GK-12 PERFECT --- w/ Iris Anderson (VIMS)
• Biology and ecology of Phaeocystis sp. --- w/ Walker Smith (VIMS)
• Copepod-bacteria interactions --- w/ Hans-Peter Grossart (Germany)
• Assessment of in situ copepod mortality --- w/ Sengul Besiktepe (Turkey), Rubens Lopes (Brazil), Sigrun Jónasdóttir & Marja Koski (Denmark), Samina Kidwai (Pakistan)
• DREAMS - Diversity in Research in Environmental And Marine Sciences --- w/ Deidre Gibson (Hampton University) and Maurice Crawford (Elizabeth City State University)