Ecohydrological interactions within “fairy circles” in the Namib Desert: Revisiting the self‐organization hypothesis

Fairy circles, the distinctive circular vegetation patterns found in the Namib Desert's arid grasslands, exhibit significant hydrological heterogeneity driven by soil textural variations. Research reveals that coarser particles dominate inner bare areas, while fine sediments accumulate on vegetated edges, influenced by plant-mediated sediment trapping. This process alters infiltration and runoff dynamics, supporting the self-organization hypothesis of fairy circle formation. The study, conducted in a region devoid of sand termite activity, provides novel insights into ecohydrological processes through extensive field measurements of soil moisture, infiltration rates, grass biometrics, and sediment grain-size distribution across multiple circles and interspaces.

Ravi, S., Wang, L., Kaseke, K. F., Buynevich, I. V., & Marais, E. (2017). Ecohydrological interactions within “fairy circles” in the Namib Desert: Revisiting the self‐organization hypothesis. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 122(2), 405–414. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/2016jg003604