Brazil is aware of just 10 percent of its biodiversity, very little if one considers that this giant country is home to an estimated two million species of plants and animal, representing 14 percent of the world total. The classification of species is not only slow, but the process also tends to be concentrated in the south, southeast and Amazon regions, and is very limited in identifying microorganisms, like fungus and bacteria, say Thomas Michael Lewinsohn and Paulo Inacio Prado in a new book.

Experts from the State University of Campinas, Lewinsohn and Prado's “Brazilian Biodiversity: synthesis of the current state of knowledge” summarizes a broad study that included the participation of several other scientists. The Brazilian Ministry of Environment is publishing the book.