Hang Kyo Lim

Hang Kyo
Lim, Ph.D

Chair & Associate Professor
Biology Department
Knott Science Center (KNO) 333
hlim@ndm.edu
410-532-5720

Programs I Teach 

  • Ph.D. in Entomology. University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, USA  
  • M.S. in Biology. Seoul National University, South Korea 
  • B.S. in Biology. Seoul National University, South Korea 

Education

PhD in Entomology, University of Kansas MS in Biology, Seoul National University BS in Biology, Seoul National University

Biography

I have built my career around the study and teaching of chemical ecology and animal behavior, passions that began during my undergraduate studies in Korea. My fascination with animals is driven by a desire to understand their behaviors in nature and the underlying reasons for these actions, which extends to a broader curiosity about human behavior and society, including my own. I am deeply committed to student mentorship, guiding students through research that often leads to academic recognition and awards. Since the beginning of my graduate studies, as a graduate teaching assistant, I have embraced the idea that "teaching is the best way of learning," finding joy in helping students expand their understanding of nature through shared experiences. In addition to teaching, I am actively involved in professional organizations such as the Animal Behavior Society. Outside of my academic pursuits, I enjoy spending time outdoors, particularly hiking and camping, as a way to connect with nature—an interest I have had since my teenage years.

Research Interests

My research focuses on olfactory communication in foraging, mating, and reproduction, using earthworms, fishes, and insects as model systems. My work has included studying the ant-plant mutualism in Korea, exploring pheromone communication and its role in reproduction in moths in Kansas and Florida, and investigating chemical ecology and reproductive communication in Cyprinid fishes, such as goldfish, common carp, and invasive carps in Minnesota. Through these diverse projects, I aim to deepen our understanding of how animals interact with their environments and each other through chemical signals.

Publications

  1. Sorensen, P. W. and H. Lim. 2024. Extreme olfactory sensitivity of silver and bighead carp to overlapping suites of 21-carbon steroids suggests that theses species, and likely all other Cyprinoidei, employ them as pheromones. General and Comparative Endocrinology 350: 11447. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114471  

  1. Baek, M., K. M. Lawin*, C. J. Codden*, H. Lim, E. Yang, H-Y. Kim, S. I. Lee, P. Jablonski. 2020. Water strider females use individual experience to adjust jumping behaviour to their weight within physical constraints of water surface tension. Scientific Reports 10:18657. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-75564-x 

  1. Kim, C., Y. Her, Y. Kim, C. Jung, H. Lim, K. Suh. 2019. Evaluating the Effectiveness of HOCl Application on Odor Reduction and Earthworm Population Growth during Vermicomposting of Food Waste employing Eisenia fetida. Plos One 14(12): e0226229. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226229 

  1. Bae, H.-G., C. Nightingale*, D. H. Jeoung, S. Cha, H.-B. Jeon, H. Lim, H. Y. Suk. 2019. Genetic diversity and population structure of Kichulchoia multifasciata in South Korea. Conservation Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10592-019-01147-7 

  1. Sorensen, P. W., M. C. P. Rue, J. M. Leese, R. Ghosal, and H. Lim. 2019. A blend of F prostaglandins functions as an attractive sex pheromone in Silver Carp. Fishes 4(2), 27. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes4020027  

  1. Jeon, H.-B., D. Anderson*, H. Won, H. Lim, and H. Y. Suk. 2017. Taxonomic characterization of Tanakia species (Acheilognathidae) using DNA barcoding analyses. Mitochondrial DNA Part A. 29:6, 964-973. https://doi.org/10.1080/24701394.2017.1398746 

  1. Lim, H. and P. W. Sorensen. 2012. Common carp implanted with prostaglandin F2α release a sex pheromone complex that attracts male conspecifics in both the laboratory and field. Journal of Chemical Ecology 38:127–134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-012-0062-5 

  1. Lim, H. and P. W. Sorensen. 2011. Polar metabolites synergize the activity of prostaglandin F2α in a species-specific hormonal sex pheromone released by ovulated common carp. Journal of Chemical Ecology 37:695–704. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-011-9976-6  

  1. Bajer, P. G., H. Lim, M. J. Travaline, B. D. Miller, and P. W. Sorensen. 2010. Cognitive aspects of food searching behavior in free-ranging wild common carp. Environmental Biology of Fishes, 88, 295–300. https://doi.org/10.1007/S10641-010-9643-8   

  1. Lim, H. and M. D. Greenfield. 2008. Female arctiid moths, Utetheisa ornatrix, orient toward and join pheromonal choruses. Animal Behaviour, 75, 673–680. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.07.021 

  1. Lim, H., K. C. Park, M. D. Greenfield, and T. C. Baker. 2007. Perception of conspecific female pheromone generates communal calling in an arctiid moth, Utetheisa ornatrix. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 33, 1257–1271. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9291-4 

  1.  Lim, H. and M. D. Greenfield. 2007. Female pheromonal chorusing in an arctiid moth, Utetheisa ornatrix. Behavioral Ecology, 18, 165–173. https://doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arl069 

  1.  Choi M.-Y., H. Lim, K. C. Park, R. Adlof, S. Wang, A. Zhang, and R. Jurenka. 2007. Identification and biosynthetic studies of the hydrocarbon sex pheromone in Utetheisa ornatrix. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 33, 1336–1345. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10886-007-9306-1 

  1. Park, T. S., J. Jeon, H. Lim, S.-I. Lee, and J. C. Choe. 1999. Web orientation in a golden orb-web spider Nephila clavata (Aranae:Tetragnathidae). Korean Journal of Biological Sciences3: 161 - 165. https://doi.org/10.1080/12265071.1999.9647480 

  1. Buss, D. M., T. K. Shackelford, L. A. Kirkpatrick, J. C. Choe, H. K. Lim, M. Hasegawa, T. Hasegawa, and K. Bennett. 1999. Jealousy and the nature of beliefs about infidelity: Tests of competing hypotheses about sex differences in the United States, Korea, and Japan. Personal Relationships 6: 125-150.  https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-6811.1999.tb00215.x 

Presentations

21-carbon steroidal sex pheromones likely determine when and where invasive Bigheaded carps (Family Xenocyprinidae) spawn, Animal Behavior Society meeting, Portland, July 2023 

Field evaluation of Sex Pheromone Attractants to control Asian carp and development of protocols for field verification of response, American Fisheries Society 144th Annual Meeting, 2014 

Species-specific information in hormonally derived sex pheromones is conveyed by body odor and context in the carps, American Fisheries Society 142nd Annual Meeting, St. Paul, MN, 2012   

Invasive silver carp detect a unique range of steroids and F-type prostaglandins that likely function as sex pheromones, American Fisheries Society 142nd Annual Meeting, St. Paul, MN, 2012 

The use of chemical stimuli in the control of Asian carp, American Fisheries Society 142nd Annual Meeting, St. Paul, MN, 2012   

Silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) detects and appears to use novel mistures of sex steroids and F prostaglandins as hormonal pheromones, 10th International Congress on the Biology of Fish, Madison, WI, 2012 

Olfactory sensitivity and specificity of juvenile bighead carp (Hypophthalmichythys nobilis) to steroids and prostaglandins, Minnesota Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Conference, Sandstone, MN, 2011 

Hormone implants induce potent pheromonal attractant release from common carp (Cyprinus carpio), Minnesota-Wisconsin Invasive Species Conference, St. Paul, MN, 2010 

Ovulated female common carp (Cyprinus carpio) release a species-specific F prostaglandin-based pheromone complex that attracts conspecific males, International Society of Chemical Ecology, 27th annual meeting, Tours, France, 2010 

Pheromones in the common carp, American Fisheries Society annual meeting, Nashville, TN, 2009 

Integrated pest management of the common carp, American Fisheries Society annual meeting, Nashville, TN, 2009 

 

Professional Affiliations and Membership 

Animal Behavior Society American Society of Naturalists Association for Biology Laboratory Education

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