South Vancouver Island Mycological Society Monthly meeting and speaker First Thursday of the Month, most months Pacific Forestry Centre, 506 Burnside Road W, Victoria May 7, 2026 7:00pm-9:00pm Speaker: TBA Usually these meetings provide an option to attend by Zoom For details go to the website: https://svims.club
Two locations, meeting is in person and via Zoom link CAMPBELL RIVER: NIC room C270 North Island College 1685 Dogwood St, Campbell River BC VICTORIA: Pacific Forestry Centre, 506 Burnside Road W, Victoria, B.C.
“Rising from the ashes: how fungi survive and thrive after fire” ~ Monika S. Fischer What happens to an ecosystem when fire sweeps through—and what does that moment look like from the perspective of a fungus? While flames may seem purely destructive, for many fungi, fire is a signal: a sudden opening of opportunity. In the immediate aftermath, specialized “fire-following” fungi emerge almost overnight. Hidden in the soil as spores or dormant structures, they respond to heat and chemical cues, often growing rapidly through ash and charcoal. These early responders begin breaking down charred material, unlocking nutrients, and reshaping the post-fire environment. Among them, Pyronema plays a starring role. Often appearing as bright patches on burned ground, it helps jumpstart ecological recovery by stabilizing soils and accelerating nutrient cycling—laying the groundwork for plants and other organisms to return. Seen through the lens of fungi, fire is not just an ending—it’s the beginning of a dynamic and essential renewal process. ----- I am a new Assistant Professor of fungal biology at UBC Vancouver and my labs research seeks to understand the molecular mechanisms that mediate fungal interactions and drive ecological processes, especially in the context of fire. However, I wasn't always a biologist, my first passion was food and I was as a chef for several years before I got bit by the fungal bug while working at a farm-to-table restaurant in Washington. A strong desire to understand how fungi interact with each other and their environment propelled me through a biology bachelor's degree at University of Washington in Seattle, and then a microbiology PhD and postdoc at UC Berkeley in California, which is where I started studying the genetics and ecology of fire-adapted fungi. (you can also find more on my lab website: https://fischerlab.botany.ubc.ca/people/) ----
