Scientists developed a model to understand how different factors affect the number of species in the Cape Floristic Region in South Africa. They divided the region into small sections and looked at the species living there. By considering things like the environment and soil type, they were able to create maps showing where different species are likely to be found. Even though they only studied a small portion of the region, they were still able to make predictions for the entire area. Their model helps us see how species abundance is connected to the environment.