dc.contributor.author |
Ramond, Jean-Baptiste
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Pienaar, Annelize
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Armstrong, Alacia
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Seely, Mary
|
|
dc.contributor.author |
Cowan, Don A.
|
|
dc.contributor.editor |
Mormile, Melanie R. |
|
dc.date.accessioned |
2014-12-10T12:35:35Z |
|
dc.date.available |
2014-12-10T12:35:35Z |
|
dc.date.issued |
2014-10-03 |
|
dc.description.abstract |
Endemic to the Namib Desert, Fairy Circles (FCs) are vegetation-free circular patterns surrounded and delineated by grass
species. Since first reported the 1970’s, many theories have been proposed to explain their appearance, but none provide a
fully satisfactory explanation of their origin(s) and/or causative agent(s). In this study, we have evaluated an early hypothesis
stating that edaphic microorganisms could be involved in their formation and/or maintenance. Surface soils (0–5cm) from
three different zones (FC center, FC margin and external, grass-covered soils) of five independent FCs were collected in April
2013 in the Namib Desert gravel plains. T-RFLP fingerprinting of the bacterial (16S rRNA gene) and fungal (ITS region)
communities, in parallel with two-way crossed ANOSIM, showed that FC communities were significantly different to those of
external control vegetated soil and that each FC was also characterized by significantly different communities. Intra-FC
communities (margin and centre) presented higher variability than the controls. Together, these results provide clear
evidence that edaphic microorganisms are involved in the Namib Desert FC phenomenon. However, we are, as yet, unable
to confirm whether bacteria and/or fungi communities are responsible for the appearance and development of FCs or are a
general consequence of the presence of the grass-free circles. |
en_ZA |
dc.description.librarian |
am2014 |
en_ZA |
dc.description.sponsorship |
The National Research Foundation (http://www.nrf.ac.za/) of South Africa: Grant N u81779, Microbial Ecology of the Namib Desert. |
en_ZA |
dc.description.uri |
http://www.plosone.org |
en_ZA |
dc.identifier.citation |
Ramond J-B, Pienaar A, Armstrong A, Seely M, Cowan DA (2014) Niche-Partitioning of Edaphic Microbial Communities in the Namib Desert Gravel Plain Fairy Circles. PLoS ONE 9(10): e109539. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0109539 |
en_ZA |
dc.identifier.issn |
1932-6203 |
|
dc.identifier.other |
10.1371/journal.pone.0109539 |
|
dc.identifier.uri |
http://hdl.handle.net/2263/42931 |
|
dc.language.iso |
en |
en_ZA |
dc.publisher |
Public Library of Science |
en_ZA |
dc.rights |
© 2014 Ramond et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Namib Desert |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Fairy circles (FCs) |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Edaphic microorganisms |
en_ZA |
dc.subject |
Vegetation-free circular patterns |
en_ZA |
dc.title |
Niche-partitioning of edaphic microbial communities in the Namib desert gravel plain fairy circles |
en_ZA |
dc.type |
Article |
en_ZA |