Assistant Professor
Department of Botany, Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences
Research Themes
Fungal Biology | Genetics | Community Ecology | Climate Change
Geographical Area(s) of Research
Western North America
Lab Website
Top Three Research Questions on Biodiversity Solutions and Sustainable Coexistence of People and Nature
1. How are fungi adapted to fire, and what is the diversity of adaptations across species?
2. How do fungal communities initiate post-fire regeneration?
3. How are pyrophilous fungi dispersing across the globe and what determines their biogeography?
Bio
Monika Fischer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Botany and the Department of Forest & Conservation Sciences. She is a fungal biologist and passionate about understanding the mechanisms that drive ecological processes. Her current research is focused on identifying the fungi that are uniquely responsive to fire, and then studying these fungi in the lab to better understand fire adaptations in fungi and how these fungi interact to facilitate the first steps of post-fire recovery.