Fungi are the future: Realizing the potential of fungi in policy

Fungi have been an important source of food and medicine for humans for centuries and are ubiquitous in both land and ocean environments. However, fungi are understudied when compared to plants, animals, and bacteria, so far less is known about their roles in these environments. This knowledge gap results in public policies and climate change response strategies that often fail to account for fungi. This review seeks to provide an overview of the current state of knowledge of fungi in human, land, and ocean ecosystems and to outline opportunities for broadening our knowledge about fungi to better inform public policy.