10 Everyone is a Mycologist

Expert Perspective: As a biologist who has been engaged in fungi research for more than 20 years, I can tell you clearly that at least one-third of the important discoveries of modern mycosm stem from the contributions of amateurs.From the discovery of new species to the recording of distribution ranges, the eyes and notebooks of citizen scientists have become important extensions of scientific exploration.

Mushrooms are found in almost every corner of the planet—from city parks to remote wilderness, from backyard lawns to dense forests.Unlike many other biological groups, you don’t need special permissions or expensive equipment to start observing and recording fungi.

Practical Case: I remember a retired Chicago teacher who recorded 87 different mushrooms in a year within three blocks near his home alone, including two species that were not recorded in the area at the time.

Unlike microorganisms that require a microscope to observe, most mushrooms are visible to the naked eye and have obvious characteristics.This visibility allows ordinary people to make meaningful observations and records.

There are more than 14,000 known mushroom species worldwide, and scientists estimate that this may only account for 20-30% of the actual total.This diversity means that hobbyists have a real opportunity to discover species that have not been documented in science.

The seasonal appearance pattern of mushrooms provides ideal conditions for long-term monitoring.Year after year records enable valuable data sets, especially in climate change research.

Fungi lovers around the world form a passionate, knowledgeable and willing to share.Whether it is an online forum or a local fungus society, newcomers can find rich learning resources and guidance.

Professional scientists cannot cover all geographical areas and all time points.Citizen scientists’ distributed observation network fills this critical gap.

Core elements of observation record:

Main Data Platform:

Data Value and Application:

Quality Control Mechanism:

Quick Tips: Always take photos of mushrooms from multiple angles – top, bottom, side and growth environment.A coin or ruler as a reference can greatly improve the accuracy of identification.

What is phenology?Phenology studies periodic biological events and their relationship with environmental conditions.In mycology, this mainly refers to the mushroom production time, duration and abundance of mushrooms.

Record points:

The Value of Citizen Science:

It is impossible for professional scientists to visit all locations of interest every week.Citizen scientists have accumulated irreplaceable long-term data sets through localized, continuous observations over many years.

Well-known projects:

Personal Experience: I met a retired forester in Michigan. He insisted on recording the mushroom production time of 45 common mushrooms in his woodland for more than 30 years.His dataset has been cited in three scientific papers on the effects of climate change.

Rarity Species Discovered:

Amateur mushroom pickers often explore remote areas that are difficult to reach by professional scientists, giving them the opportunity to discover rare species.

Report Process:

1. Discover unusual or suspected rare mushrooms

2. Take high-quality photos and record detailed locations

3. Report through appropriate platform or contact local fungal experts directly

4. Collect specimens under the guidance of an expert if necessary (only if necessary and legal)

Fixed-point monitoring:

Volunteers regularly visit specific locations to track population changes and habitat status of known rare species, providing early warnings for conservation management.

Red Directory Contributions:

Citizen scientific data directly support the World Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessment of endangered species, providing key distribution ranges and population trend information.

Identify invasive species:

Pay attention to mushroom species that look unusual, emerging, or known as invasive.

Report Agreement:

When suspected invasive species are found, report it to the relevant authorities or experts through appropriate channels immediately.

Monitoring diffusion:

Track the cutting-edge distribution of known invasion species, collect propagation path and rate data, and support management decision-making.

Successful Cases:

Expert recommendation: Learn about the main invasive fungal species in your area.This knowledge may help you detect new invasions early and gain valuable time for control measures.

Discovery process:

Amateurs discover mushrooms that look unusual → take high-quality photos and upload them to professional platforms → attract experts' attention → experts conduct morphological and DNA analysis → confirm as a new species

Honors and Recognition:

In some cases, new species will be named after the discoverer, or the amateur discoverer becomes co-author of scientific papers.

Real Cases:

Through the iNaturalist platform alone, dozens of new fungal species have been discovered around the world, including a variety of exophagus in North America and several boletus in Europe.

Knowledge communication:

Experienced enthusiasts teach novices through workshops, mushroom picking activities and online platforms to form a virtuous knowledge transfer cycle.

Public awareness enhancement:

Promote public support for fungi protection by demonstrating the beauty and importance of fungi, and break off superstition and fear about mushrooms.

Community Engagement:

Volunteers share fungal knowledge in school lectures and community science night activities to enhance their interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.

Specimen Pavilion Contributions:

Hobbyists can donate high-quality specimens to museums and specimen halls to fill in collection gaps and provide materials for future research.

Collection Ethics:

Standard collection method:

Specimen Label:

It should include field numbers, precise locations, dates, collector names, and references to detailed descriptions and photos.

Save technology:

Dry the specimens in time (preferably on the day of collection) to ensure they are completely dry (brittle but not tough), use mothballs to prevent insects, and provide appropriate long-term storage conditions.

As the world's largest bio-observation platform, iNaturalist has become the first choice for citizen scientists due to its ease of use and strong community support.

Advantages:

Usage tips:

This platform specifically aimed at mushrooms provides more professional data recording options and is highly favored by veteran enthusiasts.

Professional Features:

Local fungal societies are an important hub for citizen scientific participation, providing:

Lost & Found Fungi (UK):

Look for species that have been recorded in history but have not been seen in years and evaluate their current status.

Fungus Red List Item:

Assessing endangered statuses of species, providing a basis for conservation priorities.

Urban Fungal Diversity Survey:

Study fungal diversity in urban environments and understand the impact of urbanization on fungal communities.

Basic Photo Group:

Advanced Details:

Metadata Integrity:

Make sure the photos contain or associate accurate dates, times, GPS coordinates, and weather conditions.

Required Information:

Value additional information:

Authoritity:

Clearly mark your identification degree."Maybe it is XX type" is far more valuable than the wrong "It is XX type".Be willing to accept corrections and regard them as learning opportunities.

Collection Ethics:

Collect only when necessary and follow the principle of "no trace" in the future.For rare or suspected rare species, only photos are taken but not collected.

Professional Collection Technology:

Use a spatula or knife to dig out the specimen intact to ensure that the underground part is not damaged.Prepare separate paper bags or containers for different species.

Tag importance:

Field tags should contain unique numbers, corresponding to detailed records.Use waterproof ink to avoid loss of information.

Save method:

Timely drying is the key to preserving quality.Food dehydrators, fan-assisted drying nets or simple ventilation paper bags are all effective methods.After being completely dried, store in an airtight container that is resistant to insects.

Online interactive etiquette:

After uploading and observing, wait patiently for identification and comments.As experience accumulates, help identify other people's observations.Always be respectful and constructive.

Local Society Participation:

Joining a local fungi society not only speeds up learning, but also provides volunteer opportunities such as event organization or beginner guidance.

Data Sharing Decision:

Understand the meaning of different data licensing options.For rare or endangered species, consider delaying location disclosure or using fuzzy coordinates to prevent over-acquisition.

Recommended Resources:

Microscopy Skills:

For enthusiasts who want to learn deeply, basic microscopy skills can open up a new world of identification.Many indistinguishable species need to be accurately identified through microscopic features.

Focus Strategy:

Turn from extensive learning to focus on specific groups (such as boletes, Amanita or Coral) or specific ecological niches (such as fecal fungi, tirulosa).

Local expert path:

Become a fungus expert in your area, build a list of local species and monitor long-term changes.

Advanced Learning Method:

Starting with common and easy-to-identify species, gradually challenge more difficult groups.

Mastering of key features:

Learn and skillfully apply key identification characteristics: spore printing color, bacterial fold attachment method, presence or absence of bacterial troughs and rings, color discoloration reaction, etc.

Resource Cross-Verification:

Not relying on a single source of information, cross-references to multiple field guides, online resources and expert opinions.

Moodiness:

Relaxed to admit uncertainty and view mistakes as part of the learning process.

Challenge: The error rate of amateur identification is high, which affects data quality.

Solution:

Challenge: Observation records are incomplete or incorrect information common.

Solution:

Challenge: Volunteer interest decreases over time.

Solution:

Challenge: Some people (such as the elderly) face technical use barriers.

Solution:

Challenge: Data tends toward easily accessible locations and conspicuous species.

Solution:

The number of new fungal species discovered through the Citizen Science Platform continues to grow.For example, a Washington state amateur mushroom hunter posted on iNaturalist photos led to the discovery of a new woodland mushroom, a species now named after his last name.

A California high school teacher insists on recording local mushroom phenology for 25 years, and her dataset provides key evidence for understanding the impact of climate change on fungal communities, supporting the publication of two important scientific papers.

In Colorado, the rare mushroom report by citizen scientists directly led to the inclusion of an important habitat into the protected area system, avoiding development damage.

An Oregon hiker discovered an invasive tree disease fungus early, prompting reporting allowed management to take prompt containment measures to avoid a wider spread.

Citizen scientific phenological data from all over North America has been adopted by several climate change research papers to help scientists understand how global warming affects the seasonal patterns of fungi.

The contributions of citizen scientists are recognized in a variety of ways:

Local and national fungal societies recognize outstanding contributors through awards, honorary membership and special recognition.

In addition to external recognition, participating in civic science also brings:

For some, hobbies can develop into career opportunities:

The future citizen science platform will integrate more advanced AI identification tools, augmented reality (AR) real-time information and automated data recording functions to lower the threshold for participation and improve data quality.

Standardized methods, cross-border cooperation and real-time data sharing will maximize the value of citizen scientific data and support mycological research on a global scale.

The role of citizen scientists will expand from pure data collection to data analysis, interpretation and even research problem design to achieve deeper scientific participation.

As data quality and quantity improve, citizen scientific data will play a greater role in protection policies and management decisions.

1. Download core applications: Start with iNaturalist or Mushroom Observer and be familiar with the interface and functions.

2. Join the local community: Find and join the fungal society or natural history organization in your area.

3. Start Record: Start with your backyard, local park, or hiking trail, record every mushroom observation.

4. System Learning: Get a good regional outdoor guide and participate in a beginner’s workshop.

5. Participate in collective activities: Participate in mushroom picking activities organized by the fungus society and learn from experienced people.

6. Continuous Practice: Establish regular observation habits, continuous recording and learning.

7. Give back to the community: As experience accumulates, help other beginners get started.

Short-term goals (first 3 months):

Medium-term target (6 months-2 years):

Long-term goals (more than 2 years):

Citizen science is not only an important part of mycology, but also a bridge connecting the general public with scientific exploration.Every enthusiast—regardless of experience—can make meaningful contributions.From documenting the first mushroom in the backyard to the possible discovery of new species, your observation is expanding human understanding of the fungal kingdom.

Join the global network of mycologists to become part of this scientific expedition.The next major discovery may come from your next field observation.Start now, the most mysterious kingdom of nature is waiting for your exploration.

Action List Now:

1. Download a Citizen Science App today

2. Do a local mushroom observation this week

3. Take a fungus-related activity or course this month

4. Master the identification of 10 common mushrooms this quarter

5. Contribute at least 50 high-quality records to the scientific database this year

Remember, in the field of mycologics, everyone can become a discoverer.Your curiosity and attention to detail may be the key to unlocking the next scientific puzzle.