Mycologists in search of new mushroom species

Mycologists, or scientists who study fungi, are actively searching for new species of mushrooms. According to available data, there are approximately 2.5 million fungal species, but only about 150,000 have been described, which accounts for only 6% of the total. This is in stark contrast to plants, where 85% of species have been identified, and vertebrates, where 98% have been described. Invertebrates, however, lag behind with only 20% of their species known. Fungi play a crucial role in ecosystems, recycling dead organic material, benefiting plants, and facilitating the life cycle of plants and animals. They are essential for all terrestrial ecosystems and play a vital, largely unseen role. Efforts are being made to recognize fungi as an independent kingdom of life in legislation, policies, and agreements, with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP16 meeting being a key event in this regard.