Gail Wilson
Associate Professor

My research interests are in plant community ecology, plant-soil microbe interactions, and plant-animal interactions, utilizing a combination of experimental field and greenhouse studies. The majority of my research has focused on mycorrhizal ecology, as dynamics within the soil community can be a major driver of the plant community. For example, our research indicates that mycorrhizal fungi contribute to community processes and functions through their establishment of linkages and feedbacks between plants and nutrient cycles. Other research I am currently involved with includes the role of fire in woody plant expansion in grasslands, the role of belowground populations of meristems at the plant population and the ecosystem level, restoration of rangelands, and the importance of resource availability (specifically soil P, N, and light) as controllers of the mutualistic function of arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis.

Jonas, J.L., G.W.T. Wilson, P.M. White, Jr., and A. Joern. 2007. Consumption of mycorrhizal and saprophytic fungi by Collembola in grassland soils. Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 39: 2594-2602.

 Wilson, J.D., D. Bechtel, G.W.T. Wilson, and P.Seib. 2007. Quality of Spelt Wheat and its Starch. Journal of Cereal Chemistry. In Press.

 Johnson, N.C., J.D. Hoeksema, L. Abbott, J. Bever, V.B. Chaudhary, C. Gehring, J. Klironomos, R. Koide, R.M. Miller, R.J. Moore, M. Schwartz, S. Simard, W. Swenson, J. Umbanhowar, G.W.T. Wilson, C. Zabinski. 2006. From Lilliput to Brobdingnag: Extending models of mycorrhizal function across scales. Bioscience. 56:889-900.

Villarreal, M., R.C. Cochran, E.G. Towne, G.W.T. Wilson, D.C. Hartnett, and D.G. Gooden. 2006. The use of pasture reflectance characteristics and arbuscular mycorrhizal root colonization to predict pasture characteristics of tallgrass prairie grazed by cattle and bison. Grass and Forage Science. 61: 32-41.

Hartnett, D.C, A.F. Potgieter, and G.W.T. Wilson. 2004. Fire effects of mycorrhizal symbiosis and root system architecture in Southern African Savanna grasses. African Journal of Ecology. 42: 1-10.

Rice, C.W., P.M. White, K.P. Fabrizzi, and G.W.T. Wilson. 2004. Managing the microbial community for soil carbon management. Supersoil 2004: Program for the 3^rd Australian and New Zealand Soils Conference, University of Sydney, Australia.

Eom, A.H., G.W.T. Wilson, and D.C. Hartnett. 2001. Effects of ungulate grazers on arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis and fungal community structure in tallgrass prairie. Mycologia. 93:233-242.

Wilson, G.W.T., D.C. Hartnett, M.D. Smith, and K. Kobbeman. 2001. Effects of mycorrhizae on growth and demography of tallgrass prairie forbs. American Journal of Botany. 88: 1452-1457.

Todd, T. C., H. E. Winkler, and G.W.T. Wilson. 2001. Interactions of Heterodera glycines and mycorrhizal fungi on soybean in Kansas. Supplement to Journal of Nematology. 33: 306-310.

Undergraduate Research Projects (Since 2000):

Krysta Hougen: The effect of fire regime on woody shrub abundance at Konza Prairie. Oral presentation, Research Experience for Undergraduate Forum. August 2005.

Tony Modzelewski: Carbon cycling in cool- and warm-season grasses with and without mycorrhizal fungi. 2005. Oral presentation, Research Experience for Undergraduate Forum. August 2006.

Matt Trager, G.W.T Wilson, and D.C. Hartnett. 2004. Interactive effects of burn regime and bison activity on tallgrass prairie vegetation. Trager, M, G.W.T Wilson, and D.C. Hartnett. American Midland Naturalist. 152: 37-47.

Melinda Williamson: Effects of water availability and trophic position on belowground meristem densities in a tallgrass prairie ecosystem. Poster presentation, North American Pathways: Research and Careers in Ecology, Environmental Issues and Conservation Conference. Haskell Indians Nation University, Lawrence, KS. Nov 2006.