David L. Kirchman is the Maxwell P. and Mildred H.
Harrington Professor of Marine Studies at UD.
Photo by Bob Bowden
David L. Kirchman, Maxwell P. and Mildred H. Harrington Professor of Marine Biosciences, has published Processes in Microbial Ecology with Oxford University Press. The comprehensive textbook addresses microbial biology principles in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, with a focus on biogeochemical processes.
“I consider it one of my most important contributions,” Kirchman said.
Microbial ecology is the study of interactions among microbes in natural environments and their roles in biogeochemical cycles, food web dynamics, and the evolution of life. Kirchman’s book discusses the major processes carried out by viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and other protists. The work also describes biogeochemical processes relevant to climate change and technological advances in ecological genomics.
A leading scientist in his field, Kirchman has been a UD faculty member since 1986. He earned a doctorate from Harvard University and has conducted research from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Among his many achievements, he was honored by the American Academy of Microbiology in 2008 and received UD’s highest faculty award, the Francis Alison Award, in 2010.