Abstract
This study evaluates the utility of iNaturalist, a citizen science platform, for mycological research in Ukraine. With over 69,000 fungal observations documented since its adoption, iNaturalist presents significant potential for supplementing professional mycological surveys. This work is novel in critically analyzing the spatial distribution, taxonomic coverage, and identification accuracy of iNaturalist fungal data, focusing on social processes underlying citizen scientists' activity in Ukraine over the past five years. We explored observers' activity and compared iNaturalist records with curated checklists and additional data sources. Despite inherent biases, our analysis shows that iNaturalist effectively documents conspicuous macroscopic fungi, often surpassing traditional sources in record numbers. However, limitations such as identification uncertainty and lack of voucher specimens persist, necessitating greater professional engagement. Enhanced collaboration between amateur and professional mycologists could unlock iNaturalist’s full potential, making it a robust tool for biodiversity monitoring and research in Ukraine.