The Biological Underpinnings of Namib Desert Fairy Circles

Fairy circles, enigmatic patches of vegetation in the otherwise barren Namib Desert, are sustained by the activity of sand termites. Research reveals that these termites remove vegetation following intermittent rains, creating circles that collect water and support perennial plant growth at their edges. This long-term persistence of fairy circles is maintained through a feedback loop where termites thrive on the vegetation they help sustain, ensuring their survival in one of the harshest desert environments on Earth.

Juergens, N. (2013). The Biological Underpinnings of Namib Desert Fairy Circles. Science, 339(6127), 1618–1621. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1222999