Tawny Bolinas, a biological sciences graduate student at Chico State University, is shedding light on the unseen world of foliar endophytic fungi (FEF) – tiny organisms living inside plant leaves – that may play a critical role in breaking down fallen leaves and influencing the global carbon cycle.
Bolinas has recently started using U.S. National Science Foundation ACCESS allocations on the ACES system at Texas A&M University High Performance Research Computing to better understand these fungi, which are invisible to the naked eye but widely known to help plants by defending against pathogens and retaining water in harsh climates. Their role after leaves fall from trees remains a mystery, but Bolinas is determined to uncover how these fungi contribute to the decomposition of leaf litter – a process vital for nutrient recycling and carbon storage in ecosystems.
“This research requires analyzing massive datasets generated through high-throughput sequencing, which is only possible with the advanced computational power of supercomputers like the ACCESS-allocated systems,” Bolinas said. “With the help of my advisor – Gerald Cobián – we can process and analyze over 20 million sequencing reads – something standard machines can’t handle due to the data’s scale and complexity.”
She said this capability allows her to identify and quantify the diversity of fungal species in leaf litter – exploring their roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. By using ACCESS resources, she said the study could have far-reaching implications for managing ecosystems, improving carbon storage and combating climate change.
“These tiny fungi, it turns out, might play a much larger role in the health of our planet than previously imagined,” she said. “By utilizing tools like QIIME2 for quality checks, sequence alignment, taxonomic classification and functional annotation, the supercomputer at Texas A&M enables us to untangle ecological interactions and better understand the contributions of fungal endophytes.”
This integration of computational methods enhances biodiversity studies and accelerates ecological discoveries – showcasing how high-performance computing transforms environmental research.
Bolinas is part of Chico State’s Graduate Equity Fellowship Program, which was named a winner in the graduate category of the 2023 Examples of Excelencia by Excelencia in Education, the nation’s leading authority on efforts to accelerate Latinx student success in higher education. Since the program began in 1986, 93% of the program’s Latinx students have completed their master’s degrees.
“The Graduate Equity Fellowship Program has not only provided financial assistance but has also fostered a sense of belonging and inclusivity in the academic community,” Bolinas said. “Through mentorship, professional development opportunities and a strong network of peers, the program allows students like me to gain the confidence and resources necessary to excel in my studies and research, making my graduate experience truly transformative and rewarding.”
A Hispanic-serving institution since 2015, Chico State has invested in and been awarded grants for numerous programs to close equity gaps and support historically underserved students, especially those from Latinx backgrounds. In addition to the extensive work by the Graduation Initiative 2025 that is focused on undergraduate students, other programs include the Chico STEM Connections Collaborative, which provides hands-on research opportunities and mentorship; Adelante; and the Latinx Equity and Success Department.
Resource Provider Institution(s): Texas A&M (ACES)
Affiliations: Chico State University
Funding Agency: NSF
Grant or Allocation Number(s): BIO240355
The science story featured here was enabled by the U.S. National Science Foundation’s ACCESS program, which is supported by National Science Foundation grants #2138259, #2138286, #2138307, #2137603, and #2138296.