Coprophilous fungal spores, “Non-Pollen Palynomorph” parts of pollen analysis, are mainly used to reconstruct past changes in the population sizes of herbivores and intensity of pastoral activities. By systematically summarizing research examples of modern processes and paleoecological applications of coprophilous fungal spores at home and abroad, this study identified that foreign research has focused on the diversity, influencing factors, and dissemination, transportation, and deposition processes of coprophilous fungal spores. Sporormiella-type, Sordaria spp., and Podospora sp. have emerged as reliable indicators of herbivore activity; in particular Sporormiella-type coprophilous fungal spores have found widespread applications in different study areas. A strong correlation between coprophilous fungal spores and grazing activity has been found in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. International paleoecological studies have demonstrated that Sporormiella-type fungal spores effectively indicate the extinction of large herbivores and fluctuations in grazing intensity. Domestic studies have identified the suppression of human hunting activities by herbivores during the Early and Middle Holocene. Key transitional periods were identified, such as the beginning of grazing activity about 5.6 ka, an increase after approximately 4.0 ka, and a significant increase during the historical period. In future research, it will be necessary to enhance the modern processes of coprophilous fungal spores investigation to understand the production, transmission, deposition, and preservation of coprophilous fungal spores and the mechanisms involved. Additionally, to explore the relationship between coprophilous fungal spores and herbivore population sizes, vegetation status, sedimentary environment, and transport dynamics to provide valuable information for the accurate interpretation of fossil coprophilous fungal spore records of natural sedimentary strata by combining multiple indicators and employing interdisciplinary evidence. Therefore, further research regarding the modern processes and applications of coprophilous fungal spores is of great significance in understanding the histories of past human activities and their interactions with environmental changes.