May 2025 AMS virtual seminar: Aviya Naccarella, on fungal diet of mammals!

We invite you to attend our upcoming AMS virtual seminar! This month's seminar will feature Aviya Naccarella, an ecologist at Deakin University.

Generalising generalists – comparative fungal diet of translocated and remnant mycophagous mammals suggests site and species level variation

Aviya Naccarella

29 May 2025

12pm (AEST) / 2pm (NZST)

Register here

Summary

Fungal consumption facilitates spore dispersal, supporting symbiotic relationships between plants and mycorrhizal fungi. These interaction networks however are sensitive to both environmental change and the loss of mammalian species. Disentangling interactions between mammals, fungi, plants, and soil is key to understanding what ecosystem processes have been lost and what role translocated mammals could play in restoration ecosystem function. We use DNA metabarcoding to compare the fungal diet of generalist (eastern barred bandicoot and swamp wallaby) and specialist (long-nosed potoroo) mycophagous mammals within a translocation case study. We found variability in the fungal diet between mammal species, and within eastern barred bandicoots between translocation sites. In the context of restoration, we advocate for a localised understanding of these complex interactions and a more tailored site-level restoration approach to meet goals of both conserving threatened species and reinstating lost ecosystem function.

Meet our speaker - Aviya Naccarella!

Aviya is an ecologist with an interest in ecosystem processes and restoration. Her research is cross-disciplinary, and her passion lies in bringing together researchers, land managers and communities to work towards conservation goals. Aviya’s PhD at Deakin University focuses on understanding interactions between mammals, plants, soils, and fungi. Her research is working to understand the fungal diet of potoroos and bandicoots, and explore how their digging activity benefits soil health.

She was also an awardee of the Dr. Jack Warcup Memorial Prize in December 2024 for the best short talk titled "Fungi - the missing puzzle piece: What role can mycophagous mammals play in restoring ecosystem function?" in mycology at ESA 2024.

Check out Aviya's LinkedIn!