What is the study of fungi called?

What is the study of fungi called? The answer is mycology. Mycology is the branch of biology that investigates fungi, including their classification, genetics, ecology, chemistry, diseases, and uses. A scientist who specializes in this field is called a mycologist.

The word mycology comes from the Ancient Greek mukēs, meaning “fungus,” combined with -logia, meaning “study.” For much of scientific history, fungi were treated as unusual plants. Modern evolutionary research places fungi in their own kingdom and shows that they are more closely related to animals than to plants.

Mycology covers organisms with very different roles. Fungi decompose wood and other organic matter, form partnerships with plant roots through mycorrhizae, produce foods and medicines, and cause diseases in people, animals, and crops. Medical mycology focuses on fungi that infect humans, while agricultural research examines fungal plant pathogens.

The field also has a long history: Pier Antonio Micheli's 1737 work helped establish systematic fungal classification, and the term mycology is traditionally associated with the nineteenth century.