An international research group led by Tel Aviv University and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev tried to answer the centuries-long question: why there are more animal and plant species in the tropics?

In the most comprehensive study to this date on species richness of land vertebrates, the researchers explored patterns in the number of species—all across the world—using comprehensive data for tens of thousands of species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles.

The researchers highlighted again the dominance of tropical regions close to the equator as centers of high biodiversity. When investigating the reasons behind these patterns, they found that the combination of climate and topography was key in explaining them.