A symbiotic story: OSU Regents Professor shares her grassland research

Friday, December 13, 2024

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Gail Wilson grew up with an innate curiosity for science. Studying the charismatic animals of the world sparked her science interest, she said, but she found her passion in the unseen and dimly perceived sector of grassland fungi.

Wilson, emeritus OSU Regents professor, began her post-secondary education in 1975 as a biology student at Mercyhurst University, which led her to a master's in biology from Slippery Rock University, both located in Pennsylvania.

Wilson's research contributions began during her master's program when she explored mining site restoration and was introduced to mycorrhizal fungi and its symbiotic relationship with plants.

At the start of her career, limited insight and exploration of mycorrhizal fungi was available, Wilson said.

"If we knew anything about mycorrhizal fungi, it was mostly in trees or row crop agriculture," Wilson said.

Her knowledge of mycorrhizal fungi earned her a role as a doctoral student at Kansas State University.

Within her doctoral program, she worked in partnership with grassland research sites and became one of the first researchers to work with mycorrhizal fungi in grasslands.

Wilson's research emphasized mycorrhiza - the symbiotic relationship between fungi and plants - in grassland ecology, fire ecology, nutrient dynamics and grassland restoration. Throughout her research, she expanded upon her prior studies, researching the benefits, shifts and uses of mycorrhiza in various sectors of the discipline, Wilson said.

"Gail is a pioneer in the field of mycorrhizal fungi," said Nancy Johnson, Northern Arizona University Regents professor and Wilson's colleague. "Both of us started studying mycorrhizal fungi while getting our master's degrees, when few scientists had begun researching this symbiosis."

Johnson and Wilson worked together on a study and found fungi varied with locations, climates, soil types and plant evolution.

Wilson's roots in mining site restoration led her to apply this study's findings to disturbed grasslands, where she emphasized the vital role of placing native plants with native fungi for efficient restoration, Wilson said.

Wilson presented her findings of the mycorrhizal fungi's restorative properties to plant breeders with the motive of breeding the natural process back into plants, she said.

"We can breed plants for food security and maintain that mycorrhizal symbiosis to act as a biofertilizer," Wilson said. "It is more cost-efficient, doesn't put chemicals in the waterways, and repairs damage."

During her career, Willson contributed to 64 research grants and published 124 journal articles in relation to her grassland ecology, fire ecology, nutrient dynamics, and grassland restoration research findings.

Her research contributed to what is known about fungi for soil health, plant recovery time from grazing, insects and drought. It also showed how impactful the environment is on a plant's evolution, she said.

"Wilson has made significant progress in putting plants and fungi together, where they naturally belong," Johnson said. "Throughout her career, she has done a lot for understanding mycorrhiza in grasslands but also for mentoring the next generation."

In addition to her research, Wilson served as a professor in the OSU Department of Natural Resource Ecology and Management from 2007 to 2024. She held OSU's Sarkeys Distinguished Professorship in Rangeland Soil Ecology, was her department's graduate research coordinator from 2010-2017, and became a Regents professor in 2020 for her contributions to research, teaching, and leadership.

She taught a variety of courses at OSU related to mycorrhizal fungi, including restoration ecology, evolution of symbiosis and nutrient cycling. She mentored graduate and undergraduate students through their research projects, assisting with a total of 397 student research presentations during her role as a professor.

"Dr. Wilson gave us free rein to work on our research projects," said MaKayla Friend, 2023 OSU freshman research scholar and Wilson's student. "She helped guide us but let us be independent enough that we felt she believed in us. She made us feel like no idea was a bad idea and guided us through failures."

Friend recalls the unmatched passion Wilson displayed for her students and research when they met for the first time, she said

"I think our first conversation was three hours long," Friend said. "We talked about mycorrhiza and all the things she was researching. She was so passionate about her job."

Wilson loved working with students, especially curious undergrads who ventured into her lab, she said.

"When my undergrads got into research, they would ask 'Did I do this right?'" Wilson said. "I would answer, 'I don't know. No one knows this answer. We are finding this out and publishing it so people will know!'"

Wilson is a generous and giving mentor who truly cares about her students, Johnson said.

Her research students experienced her guidance going out to the greenhouses, working with plants, and learning about chemistry in the lab. Wilson's students also learned about soil ecology and about making a difference with their research, Friend said.

"Wilson shows a lot of love for her undergrad students," Friend said. "She had six last year that were all doing different things. She gave special attention to all of them, making sure no one felt less important."

Wilson is embarking on her next stage of life after retiring in October 2024. She can still be found working on some projects and graduate student manuscripts at OSU, but her role is now quite different from her past 17 years on campus, she said.

Going forward, Wilson hopes to see continued growth of the NREM department, she said. As a retiree, she said she plans to return to her passion for charismatic fluffy organisms by adding a puppy to her family.

Story by Quincy Thuener | Cowboy Journal

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