主要从事微型浮游生物的多样性与生态学研究。利用形态及分子方法，对远海及近岸各种生态系统（潮间带、河口、海湾、珊瑚礁、红树林、养殖水体等）微型浮游生物进行分类鉴定，揭示其群落结构组成；研究微型浮游生物的生物地理特征及群落形成机制，探讨各种海洋物理过程、生物地球化学过程、生态过程对其时空分布的影响 。

1.南海远岸水体浮游类纤毛虫原生动物的多样性及生物地理学，主持，国家自然科学基金面上项目，2021年1月-2024年12月

2.基于微食物网群落结构分析评价粤港澳大湾区海水养殖活动的环境效应，主持，广州市科技计划项目，2020年4月-2023年4月

3.中国科学院科技创新专项，参与，2026年1月-2027年12月

4.印太交汇区海洋环境的多尺度物理调控过程与生物生态响应，参与，国家自然科学基金重大项目，2021年1月-2025年12月

5.大湾区海洋生态系统关键生态过程及健康调控原理，参与，南方海洋科学与工程广东省实验室（广州）人才团队引进重大专项项目，2019年9月-2022年8月

1.近五年发表文章16篇。

2.代表性论文（第一作者或通讯作者）：

1). Liu W., Ye Bo., Cheng Z., McManus G., Li G., Zhou L., Qiu D., Liu J., Ke Z., Li K., & Tan Y. Linking hydrodynamic disturbances to microeukaryote biogeography: ciliate community shifts reveal freshwater plume and seawater intrusion dynamics, ISME communications, 2026, 6:ycag055

2). Wen, S., Cheng, Z., Li, G., Li, K., Tan, Y., & Liu, W. Distribution patterns and driving mechanisms of ciliate communities from continental shelf to deep basin of the Northeastern South China Sea. Journal of Plankton Research, 2025, 47(5), fbaf02. 

3). Liu W., Cheng Z., Wen S., Li G., Ke Z., Li D., & Tan Y. Effects of temporal, spatial, and environmental factors on ciliates community in northeastern South China Sea, with notes on co-occurrence patterns of environment, phytoplankton, and ciliate. Microbiology Spectrum, 2025, 13:0124724

4). Liu W., Wen S., Cheng Z., & Tan Y. Insights into ecological effects of fish and shellfish mariculture on microeukaryotic community. Environmental Research. 2024, 245:117976.

5). Song W., Jiao H., Yang J., Tang D., Ye T., Li L., Yang L., Li L., Song W., Al-Farraj S., Hines. H., Liu W., & Chen X. New evidence of consistency between phylogeny and morphology for two taxa in ciliated protists, the subclasses Oligotrichia and Choreotrichia (Protista, Ciliophora). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 2023, 188:10791. 

6). Liu W., McManus G., Lin X., Huang H., Zhang W., & Tan Y. Distribution Patterns of Ciliate Diversity in the South China Sea. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2021, 12:689688.

7). Zhu C., Liu W. (共同第一), Li X., Xu Y., & Yi Z. High salinity gradients and intermediate spatial scales shaped similar biogeographical and co-occurrence patterns of microeukaryotes in a tropical freshwatersaltwater ecosystem. Environmental Microbiology. 2021, 23:4778-4796.

8). Liu W., Shin M., Yi Z., & Tan Y. Progress in studies on the diversity and distribution of planktonic ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora) in the South China Sea. Marine Life Science & Technology. 2021, 3: 28–43