Researchers have been trying to solve the mystery of the “death zones” in the Namib Desert for decades, and they now seem to know why all living things die in these mysterious circles.
The fairy-tale environments of Namibia have long been famous around the world – these mysterious bald patches are located in dry grasslands on the edge of the Namib Desert. The formation of these strange fields has been studied by scientists for decades and has recently become the subject of much debate. According to SciTechDaily, researchers now believe they have finally solved this mystery.
In the new study, a team from the University of Göttingen in Germany and Ben-Gurion University in Israel conducted extensive field work. As a result, scientists were able to understand why any leaf born in this “magic circle” is doomed to die.
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Field study results show that grass is drying out in Namibia’s strange environments due to lack of water. The upper layer of the soil, 10-12 centimeters high, serves as a kind of “death zone” in which no living creature can survive for a long time. Scientists found that new grass in these environments actually died 10 to 20 days after the rain.
Note that scientists have previously suggested that termites may be the cause of “death circles” in the Namib Desert. But the new study found no characteristic damage to the soil. For the research, scientists analyzed 500 individual herbaceous plants in four regions of the Namib: The team measured the length of roots and leaves and also photographed them. Additionally, scientists conducted hundreds of soil moisture measurements during and after the 2023-2024 rainy seasons.
The results show that the top layer of local soil is very sensitive to drying. For example, during and after the rainy season, soil moisture in these places is 3-4 times lower than in the soil at a depth of about 20 centimeters. The team also found that when grass grew after heavy rains, the topsoil inside the kill circles was significantly drier than outside. Newly sprouting grasses cannot survive under these conditions; They dry out and cannot reach the deeper and more humid layers of the soil with their roots, which are approximately 10 centimeters long.
At the same time, perennial shrubs and grasses growing along the edges of the “death circles” provide access to the soil at a depth of 20-30 centimeters or more. These clumps of grass turn green quickly after rain. The first author of the study is Dr. According to Stefan Getzin, the team’s measurements showed that the physical conductivity of water was extremely high in the first 20 days after the rain, especially in the upper layers of the soil, but decreased with depth. Thus, perennial plants actually draw water from the first 10-20 centimeters of soil, leaving new grasses no chance of survival.
The authors of the study believe that the round shape of the “circles of death” was probably created by the grass itself, creating a maximum source of soil water for itself. Getzin notes that this type of self-organization can actually be described as “swarm intelligence” developed as a result of lack of resources.
Previously Focus He wrote that scientists have created an atlas of “magic circles”: they are more common than we think.
Source: Focus
Ashley Fitzgerald is an accomplished journalist in the field of technology. She currently works as a writer at 24 news breaker. With a deep understanding of the latest technology developments, Ashley’s writing provides readers with insightful analysis and unique perspectives on the industry.