Rebecca L. McCulley

Rebecca L. McCulley is a Professor and Chair in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences at the University of Kentucky, within the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment. She holds a B.A. from Rice University (1995), M.S. from Texas A&M University (1998), and Ph.D. from Colorado State University (2002). Her research focuses on grassland and shrubland ecosystems, exploring how human activities, climate change, and fungal symbionts influence nutrient cycling and ecosystem stability.

Leadership roles include serving as Director of the Tracy Farmer Institute for Sustainability and the Environment (2016–2017). Her lab investigates topics such as tall fescue endophyte impacts, litter decomposition in aridlands, and invasive species effects. Notable collaborations include global grassland studies through initiatives like the Nutrient Network (NutNet).

Research highlights include work on fungal endophyte effects on plant-microbe interactions, climate change adaptation in agroecosystems, and soil health dynamics in grazing lands. She advises graduate students like Kent Pham (soil microbial impacts of hemp integration) and postdoctoral researcher Rebecca McGrail (root phenotypes and agroecosystem function).

Her lab’s work spans field experiments, microbial community analysis, and global comparative studies, contributing to understanding ecosystem resilience under environmental change. Outputs include over 50 peer-reviewed articles, with key contributions to Nature, Ecology, and Soil Biology & Biochemistry.