Kathryn Shamberger

Kathryn Shamberger

Associate Professor

Chemical Oceanography: Ocean Acidification, Seawater Carbonate Chemistry, Coastal Ocean Carbon Cycling, Calcifying Marine Ecosystems

  katie.shamberger@tamu.edu

  (979) 845-7211

  Eller O&M 911B

Research

  • Ocean acidification
  • Seawater carbonate chemistry
  • Coral reefs
  • Coastal ocean carbon cycling
  • Ecosystem-level calcification and production
  • Impacts of climate change and multi-stressors on calcifying ecosystems 

Dr. Shamberger is a chemical oceanographer whose research focuses on the ocean carbon cycle, its alteration by anthropogenic ocean acidification, and the impacts of ocean acidification on calcifying organisms and ecosystems, namely tropical and deep-sea coral reefs, and oyster reefs. Her research involves investigating the natural cycling of carbon dioxide in coral reef and coastal ecosystems, the sensitivity of these systems to ocean acidification and other anthropogenic stressors, and controls on marine calcification. Dr. Shamberger's research is largely field based and she has worked on reefs in the Caribbean, main Hawaiian islands, northwest Hawaiian islands, Emperor Seamount Chain, American Samoa, Palau, the Great Barrier Reef, Taiwan, and the Gulf of Mexico.

Selected Publications

*Graduate student advisee. Shamberger previously published as Fagan.

Shawn M. Doyle, Miabel J. Self, Joseph Hayes, Kathryn E.F. Shamberger, Adrienne M.S. Correa, Sarah W. Davies, Lory Z. Santiago-Vázquez, and Jason B. Sylvan. 2022. Microbial Community Dynamics Provide Evidence for Hypoxia During a Coral Reef Invertebrate Mortality Event. Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 88, 9, https://doi.org/10.1128/aem.00347-22.

 Shore, Amanda, Jordan A Sims, Michael Grimes, Lauren I Howe-Kerr, Lauren Stadler, Jason B Sylvan, Kathryn E F Shamberger, Sarah Whitney Davies, Lory Z. Santiago-Vazquez, Adrienne M.S. Correa. 2021. On a Reef Far, Far Away: Anthropogenic Impacts Following Extreme Storms Affect Sponge Health and Microbiomes. Frontiers in Marine Science. 8:608036. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.608036

Steve S. Doo, *Andrea Kealoha, Andreas Andersson, Anne Cohen, *Tacey L. Hicks, Zackary Johnson, Matthew Long, Paul McElhany, Nathaniel Mollica, Kathryn E. F. Shamberger, Nyssa Silbiger, Yuichiro Takeshita, D. Shallin Busch. 2020. The challenges of detecting and attributing ocean acidification impacts on marine ecosystems. ICES Journal of Marine Science. 10.1093/icesjms/fsaa094.

*Kealoha A.K., Shamberger K.E.F., DiMarco S.F., Thyng K.M., Hetland R.D., Manzello D.P., Slowey N.C., Enochs I.C. 2020b. Surface Water CO2 Variability in the Gulf of Mexico (1996-2017). Scientific Reports. 10.1038/s41598-020-68924-0

Lentz S.J, Cohen A.L., Shamberger K.E.F., Barkley H.C. 2020. Observations and a Model of Net Calcification Declines in Palau's Largest Coral Reef Lagoon between 1992 and 2015. Journal of Geophysical Research:Oceans, 125, e2020JC016147. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JC016147

*Kealoha A.K., S.M. Doyle, K.E.F. Shamberger, J.B. Sylvan, R.D. Hetland, S.F. DiMarco. 2020. Localized hypoxia drives coral reef mortality at the Flower Garden Banks. Coral Reefs. 39, 119–132. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00338-019-01883-9

Rachel M. Wright, Adrienne M.S. Correa, Lucinda A. Quigley, Lory Z. Santiago-Vázquez, Kathryn E. F. Shamberger, Sarah W. Davies. 2019. Gene expression of endangered coral (Orbicella spp.) in Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary after Hurricane Harvey. Frontiers in Marine Science. 6:672. doi:10.3389/fmars.2019.00672

 *Kealoha A.K., Shamberger K.E.F., Reid E., Davis K.A., Lentz S.J., Brainard, R., Oliver T., Rappe M., Roark E.B., Rii S. 2019. Heterotrophy of oceanic particulate organic matter elevates net ecosystem calcification. Geophysical Research Letters. 46, 9851–9860. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019GL083726

Shamberger, K.E.F., S.J. Lentz, A.L. Cohen. 2018. Low and Variable Ecosystem Calcification in a Coral Reef Lagoon under Natural Acidification. Limnology and Oceanography, 63(2), 714-730, 10.1002/lno.10662. 

Amy R. Baco, Nicole Morgan, E. Brendan Roark, Mauricio Silva, Kathryn E. F. Shamberger, *Kelci Miller. 2017. Defying Dissolution: Discovery of Deep-Sea Scleractinian Coral Reefs in the North Pacific. Scientific Reports, 7, 5436, 10.1038/s41598-017-05492-w.

DeCarlo, T.M., A.L. Cohen, G.T.F. Wong, F.-K. Shiah, S.J. Lentz, K.A. Davis, K.E.F. Shamberger, P. Lohmann. 2017. Community production modulates coral reef pH and the sensitivity of ecosystem calcification to ocean acidification. JGR-Oceans, 122, 10.1002/2016JC012326.

Albright, R., Caldeira, L., Hosfelt, J., Kwiatkowski, L., Maclaren, J. K., Mason, B. M., Nebuchina, Y., Ninokawa, A., Pongratz, J., Ricke, K. L., Rivlin, T., Schneider, K., Sesboue, M., Shamberger, K., Silverman, J., Wolfe, K., Zhu, K., Caldeira, K. 2016. Reversal of ocean acidification enhances net coral reef calcification. Nature, 531, 362-365, 10.1038/nature17155.

Barkley, H.C., Cohen, A.L., Golbuu, Y., Starczak, V.R., DeCarlo, T.M., and Shamberger, K.E.F. 2015. Changes in coral reef communities across a natural gradient in seawater pH. Science Advances, 1, e1500328.

DeCarlo, T.M.,  A.L. Cohen, H.C. Barkley, Q. Cobban, C. Young, K. Shamberger, R. Brainard, Y. Golbuu. 2015. Coral macrobioerosion is accelerated by ocean acidification and nutrients. Geology, 10.1130/G36147.1.

Shamberger, K. E. F., Cohen, A. L., Golbuu, Y., McCorkle, D. C., Lentz, S. J., Barkley, H. C. 2014. Diverse Coral Communities in Naturally Acidified Waters of a Western Pacific Reef. Geophysical Research Letters, 41, 10.1002/2013GL058489.

Drupp, P. S., De Carlo, E. H., Mackenzie, F. T., Sabine, C. L., Feely, R. A., Shamberger K. E. F. 2013. Comparison of CO2 Dynamics and Air-Sea Gas Exchange in Differing Tropical Reef Environments. Aquatic Geochemistry, 10.1007/s10498-013-9214-7.

Massaro, R. F. S., De Carlo, E. H., Drupp, P. S., Mackenzie, F. T., Maenner-Jones, S., Shamberger, K. E., Sabine, C. L., Feely, R. A. 2012. Multiple Factors driving Variability of CO2 Exchange Between the Ocean and Atmosphere in a Tropical Coral Reef Environment. Aquatic Geochemistry, 18(4), 357-386, 10.1007/s10498-012-9170-7.

Shamberger, K. E. F., Feely, R. A., Sabine, C. L., Atkinson, M. J., DeCarlo, E. H., Mackenzie, F. T., Drupp, P. S., Butterfield, D. A. 2011. Calcification and Organic Production on a Hawaiian Coral Reef. Marine Chemistry, 127(1-4), 64-75, 10.1016/j.marchem.2011.08.003.

Fagan, K. E. and Mackenzie, F. T. 2007. Air-sea CO2 exchange in a subtropical estuarine-coral reef system, Kaneohe Bay, Oahu, Hawaii. Marine Chemistry, 106(1-2): 174-191. doi:10.1016/j.marchem.2007.01.016

E. Gaidos, B. Deschenes, L. Dundon, K. Fagan, C. Mcnaugton, L. Menviel-Hessler, N.Moskovitz, and and M. Workman. 2005. Beyond the Principle of Plenitude: A Review of Terrestrial Planet Habitability. Astrobiology, 5(2): 100-126.

Education

Ph.D. Chemical Oceanography, University of Washington, 2011

M.S. Chemical Oceanography, University of Hawaii, 2005

B.A. Marine Chemistry, University of San Diego, 2001

Awards

2022-2023 U.S. Carbon Program Leadership Award (2022)

TAMU College of Geosciences Montague-Center for Teaching Excellence Scholar (2020)

TAMU Association of Former Students Distinguished Achievement College-Level Teaching Award (2018)

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Postdoctoral Scholarship Award (2011 – 2013)

Best poster award, Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study (SOLAS) Summer School (2007)

Anderson Scholarship for internship with Mote Marine Laboratory, Center for Tropical Research (2001)

Graduated from University of San Diego with honors (2001)

Mortar Board Senior Honors Society, Alcala chapter, University of San Diego (2000 – 2001)

Alcala Leadership Program, University of San Diego (1999)

University of San Diego Honors Program (1997 – 2001)

Trustee Scholarship (academic scholarship), University of San Diego (1997 – 2001)

Courses

OCNG 251: Introduction to Oceanography

OCNG 303: Professional Communication in Oceanography

OCNG 603: Communicating Ocean Science

Additional Information

Appointments Held:

 

2021 – current                Associate Professor, Texas A&M University (TAMU)

2014 – 2021                    Assistant Professor, TAMU

2013                                Postdoctoral Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

2011 – 2013                    Postdoctoral Scholar, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

2005 – 2011                    Graduate Research Assistant, University of Washington

2003 – 2005                    Graduate Research Assistant, University of Hawaii

2002 – 2003                    Graduate Teaching Assistant, University of Hawaii

2001                                Intern, Center for Tropical Research, Mote Marine Laboratory

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