Research, Biodiversity & Brazil
PT
The diversity of the Fungal Kingdom in the Atlantic Forest of Paraty.
Revealing the fascinating and essential universe of Atlantic Forest mushrooms, this book is both a visual and scientific journey through the mycodiversity of Fazenda Bananal, in Paraty (RJ). The result of expeditions and research conducted between 2021 and 2022, led by biologist Noemia Kazue Ishikawa, the work documents 102 identified species — including the groundbreaking discovery of Tulostoma paratyense — and features photographs by Rafael Estrela that capture the fleeting beauty of these organisms that sustain the forest from beneath the soil.
More than a scientific catalog, the book interweaves science, conservation, and local wisdom, highlighting the crucial role fungi play in nutrient cycling, mycorrhizal connections, and the ecological memory of the biome itself.
A true invitation to see the invisible — and to recognize that protecting the forest also means protecting what cannot be seen.
Noemia Kazue Ishikawa:
A biologist from Universidade Estadual de Londrina, she chose to study mushrooms inspired by her grandfather, Nobuo Komagome, who loved to cultivate them. She holds a Master’s in Agricultural Microbiology from Universidade Federal de Viçosa (1998) and a Ph.D. in Natural Resources from Hokkaido University, Japan (2001). Since 2004, she has been a researcher at the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), in Manaus, where she leads the Amazon Mushrooms Research Group, founded in 2007. She coauthored Ana amopö: Mushrooms – Encyclopedia of Yanomami (Sanöma) Foods, winner of the 2017 Jabuti Prize in the Gastronomy category.
Ruby Vargas-Isla:
An agronomist from Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, she holds a Master’s in Agriculture in the Humid Tropics and a Ph.D. in Botany from INPA’s Graduate Program. She currently participates in projects with the Amazon Mushrooms Research Group at INPA. She is also a researcher at the Amazon Organic Production Center, where she works on environmental consulting in mycotourism and the production of inoculum seeds for native Amazonian mushroom species. She is the lead author of Mycelia Series books: Volume 3 – Mycodiversity of Edible Mushrooms of the Amazon (2024) and Volume 5 – Atlantic Amazon – Fazenda Bacuri – Bragança – Pará (2024).
Tiara Sousa Cabral:
She holds a bachelor’s and teaching degree, as well as a master’s in Biological Sciences from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, and a Ph.D. in Genetics, Conservation, and Evolutionary Biology from INPA’s Graduate Program. She has been part of INPA’s Amazon Mushrooms Research Group since 2010, worked as a lab technician at UFAM (2022–2025), and is currently a researcher at INPA. She is the lead author of Mycelia Series Volume 4 – Gasteroid Fungi of the Amazon (2024).
Jadson José Souza de Oliveira:
He holds a degree in Biological Sciences from Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte and a Ph.D. in Environmental Biodiversity and Environment – Nonvascular Plants and Fungi (2014) from the Instituto de Botânica (now Instituto de Pesquisas Ambientais), São Paulo. He is a collaborating professor in INPA’s Graduate Program in Botany, a member of the Amazon Mushrooms Research Group, and a federal environmental analyst at IBAMA’s Regional Superintendency in Amazonas. He is the lead author of Mycelia Series Volume 1 – Amazon – Anavilhanas Jungle Lodge – Novo Airão – Amazonas (2022) and Volume 2 – Amazon – Alto Cuieiras Base – Manaus – Amazonas (2023).
Rafael Estrela de Freitas:
He earned a degree in Tourism from CIESA (Centro Integrado de Ensino Superior do Amazonas) and a specialization in Tourism and Local Development from Universidade Estadual do Amazonas (UEA). He deepened his scientific knowledge as a guide at INPA’s Bosque da Ciência and through expeditions across the Amazon. His passion for nature led him to photography, which, combined with his experience, connected him to the Amazon Mushrooms Research Group. He is currently a master’s student in the Professional Program in Environmental Conservation of Biodiversity and Sustainable Development at ESCAS (Escola Superior de Conservação Ambiental e Sustentabilidade).
Where to buy:"
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At Livraria das Marés — a meeting place of literature and warmth in the heart of Paraty: Rua Tenente Francisco Antônio, 52. Historic Center, Paraty – RJ.
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