Mycology
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2008-06-28T11:03:26Z
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Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/202.61.60.234|202.61.60.234]] ([[User talk:202.61.60.234|talk]]) to last version by Island
[[Image:Cuerpo a tierra - Mushrom.jpg|thumb|A mushroom is a reproductive structure of a fungus.]]
'''Mycology''' (from the [[Greek language|Greek]] μύκης, meaning "fungus") is the study of [[fungus|fungi]], their [[genetics|genetic]] and [[biochemistry|biochemical]] properties, their [[taxonomy]], and [[ethnomycology|their use to humans]] as a source for [[tinder]], [[medicine|medicinals]] (e.g., [[penicillin]]), food (e.g., [[beer]], [[wine]], [[cheese]], [[mushroom|edible mushrooms]]) and [[entheogens]], as well as their dangers, such as [[poison]]ing or [[infection]]. From mycology arose the field of [[phytopathology]], the study of plant diseases, and the two disciplines remain closely related because the vast majority of plant pathogens are fungi. A biologist who studies mycology is called a '''mycologist'''.
==Background==
Historically, mycology was a branch of [[botany]] (fungi are [[evolution]]arily more closely related to animals than to plants but this was not recognized until a few decades ago). Pioneer ''mycologists'' included [[Elias Magnus Fries]], [[Christian Hendrik Persoon]], [[Anton de Bary]] and [[Lewis David von Schweinitz]].
Today, the most comprehensively studied and understood fungi are the [[yeasts]] and [[Eukaryote|eukaryotic]] [[model organisms]] ''[[Saccharomyces cerevisiae]]'' and ''[[Schizosaccharomyces pombe]]''.
Many fungi produce [[toxin]]s, [[antibiotics]], and other [[secondary metabolism|secondary metabolites]]. For example, the [[cosmopolitan distribution|cosmopolitan]] (worldwide) genus ''[[Fusarium]]'' and their toxins associated with fatal outbreaks of [[alimentary toxic aleukia]] in humans were extensively studied by [[Abraham Joffe]]. Fungi are fundamental for life on earth in their roles as [[symbiosis|symbionts]], e.g. in the form of [[mycorrhizae]], [[insect]] symbionts and [[lichens]] as well as their potency in breaking down complex [[organic compound|organic]] [[biomolecules]] such as lignin, the more durable component of [[wood]] , as well as [[organic pollutants|xenobiotics]], a critical step in the global [[carbon cycle]].
Fungi and other organisms traditionally recognized as fungi, such as [[oomycetes]] and myxomycetes ([[slime molds]]), often are economically and socially important as some cause diseases of animals (such as [[histoplasmosis]]) as well as plants (such as [[Dutch elm disease]] and [[Magnaporthe grisea|Rice blast]]).
Field meetings to find interesting species of fungi are known as '[[foray]]s', after the first such meeting organized by the [[Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club]] in 1868 and entitled "a foray among the funguses."
Some fungi can cause disease in humans or other [[organism]]s. The study of [[pathogenic fungi]] is referred to as [[pathogenic fungi|medical mycology]].<ref name= SanBlasCalderone>{{cite book | author = San-Blas G; Calderone RA (editors). | title = Pathogenic Fungi | publisher = Caister Academic Press | year = 2008 | url=http://www.horizonpress.com/pat2 | id = [http://www.horizonpress.com/pat2 ISBN 978-1-904455-32-5 ]}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Mycotoxicology]]
* [[List of mycologists]]
* [[Pathogenic fungi]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
*Elias Magnus Fries, ''Systema mycologicum'' (1821) [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC10462820&id=5BMAAAAAQAAJ]
* Hawksworth, D. L. Mycologist's Handbook. (1974) Kew: U.K., CAB International.
== External links ==
* Professional organizations
** [[British Mycological Society|BMS]]: [http://www.britmycolsoc.org.uk/ British Mycological Society] (United Kingdom)
** [http://www.hku.hk/ecology/mycology/ Centre for Research in Fungal Diversity] (Hong Kong, China)
** [http://www.funghi-vitalia.it/ La società di micoterapia] (Italia)
** [http://vitalpilze.de/Introduction_1.html Medicinal Mushroom Society]
** [[Mycological Society of America|MSA]]: [http://www.msafungi.org Mycological Society of America] (North America)
* Amateur organizations
** [http://www.mssf.org/ Mycological Society of San Francisco]
** [[North American Mycological Association]]
** [http://www.natruffling.org/ North American Truffling Society]
** [http://www.wildmushrooms.org/ Oregon Mycological Society]
* Miscellaneous links
** [http://media.med.sc.edu/microbiology2007/ Online lectures in mycology] University of South Carolina
** [http://www.shroomtalk.com Shroomtalk Mycology Forums]
** [http://mycology.cornell.edu/ The WWW Virtual Library: Mycology]
** [http://www.mykoweb.com/links.html MykoWeb links page]
** [http://pnwfungi.org/ Pacific Northwest Fungi Online Journal]
** [http://www.ilmyco.gen.chicago.il.us/Terms/TermsFrame.html Mycological Glossary at the Illinois Mycological Association]
** [http://www.mycolog.com/fifthtoc.html The Fifth Kingdom]
**[http://www.actafungorum.org/ Acta Fungorum] (Italy)
** [http://www.tolweb.org/Fungi/2377 Fungi] in the Tree of Life web project
** [http://129.215.156.68/index.html Fungal Cell Biology Group] at University of Edinburgh, UK.
[[Category:Mycology|*]]
** [http://www.yeoldelog.com/games/mushproj/mushproj2.shtml The Mushroom Project Game] Learn to identify mushrooms using this in depth, well-structured game.
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