From Australia to the Andes, we’re discovering new biodiversity hotspots worldwide

webguzs/Getty We share our planet with millions of plants and animals. This variety of life is known as biodiversity, a term encompassing everything from microscopic genes to entire ecosystems, such as deserts and vibrant coral reefs. Places that support a wealth of species are known as “biodiversity hotspots”. South America’s tropical Andes region – which has the world’s largest variety of amphibian, bird and mammal species – and the coastal forests of eastern Australia are just two…