Dr Bingzhang Chen
Senior Lecturer
Mathematics and Statistics
Personal statement
I was trained as a field oceanographer and obtained my PhD in Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, focusing on field experiments of microzooplankton grazing and flow cytometry. Then I worked as a postdoctoral researcher working with Dr. Andrew Irwin and Zoe Finkel at Mount Alison University, Canada.
Thereafter, I worked at Xiamen University, China, and was deeply involved in a China National Basic Research Program (“973” Program) entitled “Carbon cycling in China Seas-budget, controls and ocean acidification (CHOICE-C project)”. In 2012, I was awarded the New Century Excellent Talent by the Ministry of Education of China. In 2015, I was awarded the David Cushing prize offered by the Journal of Plankton Research.
From 2015 to 2018, I worked at Japan Agency of Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) on a CREST project entitled "Developing a new marine ecosystem model to represent the adaptive capacity of plankton in the N. Pacific" (PI: S. Lan Smith) funded by Japan Science and Technology Agency.
Since 2018, I have been working as a Chancellor's Fellow at the University of Strathclyde until 2022 when I was promoted to a Senior Lecturer. Currently, I am supervising five PhD students.
I am honoured to serve as an associate editor for the journal of Limnology and Oceanography, which is the flagship journal of Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO).
Publications
- Revisiting the ocean's metabolic balance : correcting biases in bottle incubations reveals a more autotrophic and dynamic ocean
- Liu Yao, Huang Yibin, Xiang Mingwang, Zhou Junjie, Chen Bingzhang, Cassar Nicolas, Wang Weilei, Huang Bangqin
- Global Biogeochemical Cycles Vol 40 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2026gb009114
- Amplifying effects of multiyear La Niña on phytoplankton biomass in the tropical Pacific
- Lin Lei, Xu Kun, Tan Wei, Liu Jinliang, Chen Bingzhang, Liu Dongyan
- Limnology and Oceanography Letters Vol 11 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1002/lol2.70143
- Measuring cultural and ethnic diversity in research and innovation
- Gök Abdullah, Macmillan Greg, Chen Bingzhang, Karaulova Maria
- Research Evaluation Vol 35 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1093/reseval/rvag015
- Deep learning identifies the climate warming signal in global ocean chlorophyll from satellite records
- Lin Lei, Dong Chen, Henson Stephanie, Chen Bingzhang
- Geophysical Research Letters Vol 53 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1029/2025GL120669
- Contrasting size responses of loricate ciliates to long-term warming : agglutinated forms decrease while hyaline forms increase
- Zhang Yunfan, Bian Wenhua, Chen Hanyue, Zhang Wuchang, Wang Chaofeng, Qiu Jichen, Sun Xiaoxia, Lin Jun, Yu Ying, Feng Meiping, Chen Bingzhang
- Marine Biology Vol 173 (2026)
- https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-026-04803-y
- The immeasurable value of plankton to humanity
- Grigoratou Maria, Menden-Deuer Susanne, McQuatters-Gollop Abigail, Arhonditsis George, Artigas Luis Felipe, Ayata Sakina-Dorothée, Bedikoğlu Dalida, Beisner Beatrix E, Chen Bingzhang, Davies Claire, Diarra Lillian, Elegbeleye Owoyemi W, Everett Jason D, Garcia Tatiane M, Gentleman Wendy C, Gonçalves Rodrigo Javier, Guy-Haim Tamar, Halfter Svenja, Hinners Jana, Horaeb Richard R, Huggett Jenny A, Johnson Catherine L, Kavanaugh Maria T, Lara-Lopez Ana, Lindemann Christian, López-Abbate Celeste, Messié Monique, Möller Klas Ove, Montes Enrique, Muller-Karger Frank E, Neeley Aimee, Olaleye Yusuf, Palacz Artur P, Poulton Alex J, Prowe A E Friederike, Ratnarajah Lavenia, Rodríguez Luzmila, Rodríguez-Flórez Clara Natalia, Rodriquez-Santiago Aurea, Rousseaux Cecile S, Saad Juan Francisco, Santi Ioulia, Soccodato Alice, Stern Rowena, Våge Selina, Varkitzi Ioanna, Richardson Anthony
- BioScience Vol 75, pp. 706-721 (2025)
- https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaf049
Research Interests
The primary focus of my research is how biodiversity affects marine ecosystem functioning such as primary production and biological carbon pump, for which the primary producers particularly phytoplankton play the pivotal role. The main questions I ask are:
i) What are the main patterns of functional traits, diversity, biomass, and productivity of primary producers including phytoplankton and macroalgae in the ocean?
ii) What are the main processes determining these patterns?
iii) What are the fundamental roles of diversity on ecosystem functioning?
One specific question that has been intriguing me during the past several years is whether there exists a difference of temperature sensitivity between autotrophs and heterotrophs. While this appears a simple/trivial question, I have found that it can be a central theme linking statistics (regression), ecology (Metabolic Theory of Ecology and trait-based approaches), and earth sciences (biological pump and Glacial/inter-glacial CO2 fluctuations).
Professional Activities
- Re-analyzing the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient of marine phytoplankton
- Speaker
- 29/6/2026
- PhD viva (Aislinn Borland)
- Examiner
- 21/5/2026
- Re-analyzing the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient of marine phytoplankton
- Speaker
- 7/4/2026
- Re-analyzing the Latitudinal Diversity Gradient of marine phytoplankton
- Speaker
- 2/4/2026
- Strong inference
- Speaker
- 23/7/2025
- Strong inference
- Speaker
- 17/7/2025
Projects
- Individual variation and its consequences for population dynamics
- Gomes, Gabriela (Principal Investigator) Kerr, Lyndsay (Academic) Chen, Bingzhang (Academic)
- Workshop co-funded by Sir David Anderson Bequest (£3,200), Edinburgh Mathematical Society (£3,000) and Glasgow Mathematical Journal Trust (£1,500).
- 06-Jan-2026 - 07-Jan-2026
- Diversity and Superdiversity of Entrepreneurship
- Gok, Abdullah (Co-investigator) Lassalle, Paul (Principal Investigator) Chen, Bingzhang (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2023 - 31-Jan-2023
- How does phytoplankton diversity affect primary production in the ocean?
- Chen, Bingzhang (Principal Investigator) Banas, Neil (Co-investigator) Heath, Mike (Co-investigator)
- 01-Jan-2021 - 31-Jan-2024
- Why phytoplankton are so diverse in the ocean desert?
- Chen, Bingzhang (Principal Investigator)
- 01-Jan-2020 - 30-Jan-2022
- Modelling phytoplankton diversity and productivity across the South China Sea continental slope
- Chen, Bingzhang (Principal Investigator)
- 04-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2022
- Life history and dispersal of the alien seaweed Sargassum muticum in Scottish coastal waters: an individual-based modelling approach
- Chen, Bingzhang (Principal Investigator) Blight, Andrew (Co-investigator) Paterson, David (Co-investigator)
- This project will address the key factors driving the expansion of the invasive seaweed Sargassum muticum in Scottish coastal waters. As invasive species tend to have negative impacts on key ecosystem services such as aquaculture, recreation and marine transportation, elucidating the mechanisms that lead to the successful invasion of Sargassum muticum will contribute to our understanding of Sargassum muticum expansion and may allow management to preserve the key ecosystem services of our coastal seas.
- 01-Jan-2019 - 31-Jan-2023
Contact
Dr
Bingzhang
Chen
Senior Lecturer
Mathematics and Statistics
Email: bingzhang.chen@strath.ac.uk
Tel: 548 3804