Animals and fungi online course

This course goes for approximately 5 weeks. Each class is on a Wednesday evening, 1-2 hours long from 6:30 pm AEDT (Victorian time). All classes will be recorded and available to watch afterwards (time dependent on the presenter) for people who can't make the class or would like to revise. Learn all about the complex interactions between fungi and animals including:

• Insects that farm fungi
• Insects that live in mushrooms
• Fungi that trap insects
• Animals that eat fungi and lichen
• Birds that use fungi in their nests
• Animal and insect pathogens
• Zombie fungi
• Fungi using animals to disperse their spores

The first class on October 23 will be an introductory session including an intro to mycology for those who have not done other mycology courses.

Your teachers

Dr. Vivian Sandoval is an entomologist passionate for the taxonomy and biology of insects associated with fungi, such as leaf-cutter ants and mycetobiont beetles. Vivian works for the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries with market access and fruit fly post-harvest disinfestation research. In her spare time, Vivian is foraging for fungi in order to study the complex biology of their inhabitants, with the support of the QLD Mycological Society. She is also the artist behind "Bugs and Beads", a gift shop specialised in insect/fungi inspired accessories, jewellery, stationary and educational resin blocks. Vivian wants to increase appreciation for insects and fungi, raise awareness, change negative perceptions and entomophobia with her products.

Ema Corro is a founding member and coordinator of Mycommunity Applied Mycology. She has over a decade experience cultivating mushrooms and has researched mycomaterials and their properties at RMIT. Her main area of interest is fungal ecology and how it relates to land management and has contributed to the Fungi for Land project. She also has experience using environmental DNA to monitor fungi. She is currently studying a Master of Environmental Science and Management at UNE looking at using fungivorous animal scats to promote mycorrhizal fungi and plant-health in revegetation areas.

Emily McIntyre is a graduate of a Masters of Ecosystem Management and Conservation, where her thesis explored the effect of biotic and environmental variables on soil fungi across an elevational gradient. She is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, where she is studying the diversity and ecology of hypogeous fungi in south-eastern Australia. Her research explores the distribution and diversity of these fungi and their mutualistic relationship with the endangered Long-Footed Potoroo. She is also currently undertaking research through MYCOmmunity's Wild Fungi DNA Project to examine the effect of storm damage on soil fungi within Wombat Forest. Emily is most interested in learning about the interactions that fungi have with plants, animals, and abiotic factors, to better understand how ecosystems function.

Melvin Xu Researcher at University of Melbourne on Entomopathogenic fungi, Vice President & volunteer at MYCOmmunity and Coordinator of the Fungi Group of Field Naturalist Club Victoria. Working in Council, Landcare, and volunteer groups, begun his home propagation from his own Australian Native Terrestrial Orchids and their symbiotic fungi. With his own stock of fungi and seeds hope to develop new protocols to include fungi into local nursery and future conservation of native Orchids.

Max Campbell is President of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria (FNCV) and an expert on terrestrial invertebrates.

For more info email mycommunity@myco.org.au

MYCOmmunity is an NFP and all profits from these courses help keep our community lab open and fund citizen-science projects. If you need a payment plan or other accomodation please contact mycommunity@myco.org.au