Evidence for a geochemical origin of the mysterious circles in the Pro-Namib desert

Journal of Arid Environments

Volumn 75, Issue 5, 2011, Pages 446-456

  Naude Y ^a   van Rooyen, M W ^a   Rohwer, E R ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA   (South Africa)

Author keywords

Fairy circle; Hydrocarbon microseepage; Mima mound (heuweltjies); Polydimethylsiloxane sorptive extraction; Termites; Vegetation stress

Indexed keywords

ALKANE; BIODEGRADATION; CARBON MONOXIDE; DESORPTION; GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY; GEOCHEMICAL SURVEY; HYDROCARBON; MASS SPECTROMETRY; RUBBER; SILICON; SOIL CHEMISTRY; SORPTION; TERMITE;

NAMIB DESERT; NAMIBIA; SOUTH AFRICA; WESTERN CAPE;

ISOPTERA;

EID: 79951767642     PISSN: 01401963     EISSN: 1095922X     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2010.12.018     Document Type: Article

References (48)

1. Abrams M. Significance of hydrocarbon seepage relative to petroleum generation and entrapment. Marine and Petroleum Geology 2005, 22:457-477.
2. Albrecht C.F., Joubert J.J., De Rycke P.H. Origin of the enigmatic, circular, barren patches ('Fairy Rings') of the pro-Namib. South African Journal of Science 2001, 97:23-27.
3. Becker T. The phenomenon of fairy circles in Kaokoland (NW Namibia). Basic and Applied Dryland Research 2007, 1(2):121-137.
4. Borgogno F., D'Odorico P., Laio F., Ridolfi L. Mathematical models of vegetation pattern formation in ecohydrology. Reviews of Geophysics 2009, 47:1-36.
5. Carte Blanche [online] Available:, (accessed 06.09.10). http://www.mnet.co.za/Mnet/Shows/carteblanche/story.asp%3FId%3D2603.
6. Cavagna S., Clari P., Martire L. The role of bacteria in the formation of cold seep carbonates: geological evidence from Monferrato (Tertiary, NW Italy). Sedimentary Geology 1999, 126:253-270.
7. Desmet P.G. Namaqualand - a brief overview of the physical and floristic environment. Journal of Arid Environments 2007, 70:570-587.
8. De Vita V. African Desert Has Its Own X-files [online] 2006, Available:, (accessed 07.09.10). http://www.iol.co.za/index.php%3Ffrom%3Drss_Travel&set_id%3D14&click_id%3D0&art_id%3Dvn20060729094938616C147804.
9. Dietz R.S. The small mounds of the Gulf Coastal Plain. Science 1945, 102(2658):596-597.
10. Eicker A., Theron G.K., Grobbelaar N. 'n Mikrobiologiese studie van "kaal kolle" in die Giribesvlakte van Kaokoland, S.W.A.-Namibië. South African Journal of Botany 1982, 1:69-74.
11. Eldmore R.D., Engel M.H., Crawford L., Nick K., Imbus S., Sofer Z. Evidence for a relationship between hydrocarbons and authigenic magnetite. Nature 1987, 325:428-430.
12. Grossi V., Cravo-Laureau C., Guyoneaud R., Ranchou-Peyruse A., Hirschler-Réa A. Metabolism of n-alkanes by anaerobic bacteria: a summary. Organic Geochemistry 2008, 9:1197-1203.
13. Hamamura N., Olson S.H., Ward D.M., Inskeep W.P. Diversity and functional analysis of bacterial communities associated with natural hydrocarbon seeps in acidic soils at Rainbow Springs, Yellowstone National Park. Applied and Environmental Microbiology 2005, 5943-5950.
14. Harbert W., Jones V.T., Izzo J., Anderson T.H. Analysis of light hydrocarbons in soil gases, Lost River region, West Virginia: relation to stratigraphy and geological structures. AAPG Bulletin 2006, 90:715-734.
15. Ingham E.R. Soil fungi [online] Available:, (Chapter 4) (accessed 01.03.10). http://soils.usda.gov/sqi/concepts/soil_biology/biology.html.
16. Jankowitz W.J., Van Rooyen M.W., Shaw D., Kaumba J.S., Van Rooyen N. Mysterious circles in the Namib Desert. South African Journal of Botany 2008, 74:332-334.
17. Jones V.T., Matthews M.D., Richers D.M. Light hydrocarbons for petroleum and gas prospecting. Handbook of Exploration Geochemistry 2000, vol. 7:133-212. Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, (Chapter 5). M. Hale, G.J.S. Govett (Eds.).
18. Joubert, A., 2008. Investigation on Selected Biotic and Abiotic Factors in the Maintenance of the "Fairy Circles" (Barren Patches) of Southern Africa. M.Sc. dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
19. Keller E.A., Duffy M., Kennett J.P., Hill T. Tectonic geomorphology and hydrocarbon induced topography of the Mid-Channel Anticline, Santa Barbara Basin, California. Geomorphology 2007, 89:274-286.
20. Liu Q., Liu Q., Chan L., Yang T., Xia X., Cheng T. Magnetic enhancement caused by hydrocarbon migration in the Mawangmiao oil field, Jianghan Basin, China. Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering 2006, 53:25-33.
21. Lovegrove B. The Living Deserts of Southern Africa 1993, Fernwood Press, Vlaeberg.
22. Macgregor D.S. Relationships between seepage, tectonics and subsurface petroleum reserves. Marine and Petroleum Geology 1993, 10:606-619.
23. Mello M.R., Babinski N.A., Gonçalves F.T., Miranda F.P. Hydrocarbon prospecting in the Amazon rain forest: application of surface geochemical, microbiological, and remote sensing methods. AAPG Memoir 1996, 66:401-411.
24. Moll E.J. The origin and distribution of fairy rings in Namibia. Proceedings of the 13th Plenary Meeting AETFAT, Malawi 1994, 1203-1209. J.H. Seyani, A.C. Chikuni (Eds.).
25. Monson, L.M., Shurr, G.W., 2003. Assessment of hydrocarbon seepage on Fort Peck Reservation, Northeast Montana: a comparison of surface exploration techniques. AAPG Annual Convention, Salt Lake City, Utah.
26. Moore J.M., Picker M.D. Heuweltjies (earth mounds) in the Clanwilliam district, Cape Province, South Africa: 4000-year-old termite nests. Oecologia 1991, 86:424-432.
27. Morikawa M., Kanemoto M., Imanaka T. Biological oxidation of alkane to alkene under anaerobic conditions. Journal of Fermentation and Bioengineering 1996, 82:309-311.
28. Noomen, M.F., Skidmore, A.K., Van der Meer, F.D., 2003. Detecting the influence of gas seepage on vegetation, using hyperspectral remote sensing. In: Third EARSeL Workshop on Imaging Spectroscopy, Herrsching.
29. Osuji L., Antia B.S. Geochemical implication of some chemical fossils as indicators of petroleum source rocks. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management 2005, 9:45-49.
30. 14C study of biogenic calcrete in a termite mound, Western Cape, South Africa, and its paleoenvironmental significance. Quaternary Research 2009, 72:258-264.
31. Rangel A., Katz B., Ramirez E., Vaz dos Santos Neto E. Alternative interpretations as to the origin of the hydrocarbons of the Guajira Basin, Colombia. Marine and Petroleum Geology 2003, 20:129-139.
32. Rietkerk M., Dekker S.C., De Ruiter P.C., Van de Koppel J. Self-organised patchiness and catastrophic shifts in ecosystems. Science 2004, 305:1926-1929.
33. Schumacher D. Hydrocarbon-induced alteration of soils and sediments. AAPG Memoir 1996, 66:71-89.
34. Schumacher D., LeSchack L.A. Surface exploration case histories, applications of geochemistry, magnetics, and remote sensing. AAPG Studies in Geology 2002, No. 48. AAPG, Tulsa, OK, USA, pp. 1-486.
35. Schumacher, D., Foote, R.S., 2006. Seepage-induced magnetic anomalies associated with oil and gas fields: onshore and offshore examples. In: CSPG-CSEG-CWLS Convention, Canada.
36. Schwarz E.H.L. Natural mounds in Cape Colony. The Geographical Journal 1906, 27(1):67-69.
37. Smith K.L., Steven M.D., Colls J.J. Use of hyperspectral derivative ratios in the red-edge region to identify plant stress responses to gas leaks. Remote Sensing of Environment 2004, 92:207-217.
38. Stone V.C.A., Fairhead J.D., Oterdoom W.H. Micromagnetic seep detection in the Sudan. The Leading Edge 2004, 23(8):734-737.
39. Summons R.E., Hope J.M., Swart R., Walter M.R. Origin of Nama Basin bitumen seeps: petroleum derived from a Permian lacustrine source rock traversing southwestern Gondwana. Organic Geochemistry 2008, 39:589-607.
40. Theron G.K. Die verskynsel van kaal kolle in Kaokoland, SuidWes-Afrika. Journal of the South African Biological Society 1979, 20:43-53.
41. Torti S.D., Coley P.D., Janos D.P. Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae in two tropical monodominant trees. Journal of Tropical Ecology 1997, 13(4):623-629.
42. Turner J.S. Trace fossils and extended organisms: a physiological perspective. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 2003, 192:15-31.
43. Van der Meer, F., Van Dijk, P., Kroonenberg, S., Yang, H., Lang, H., 2000. Hyperspectral hydrocarbon microseepage detection and monitoring: potentials and limitations. In: Second EARSeL Workshop on Imaging Spectroscopy, Enschede, The Netherlands.
44. Van der Meer F., Van Dijk P., Van der Werff H., Yang H. Remote sensing and petroleum seepage: a review and case study. Terra Nova 2002, 14(1):1-17.
45. Van Rooyen M.W., Theron G.K., Van Rooyen N., Jankowitz W.J., Matthews W.S. Mysterious circles in the Namib Desert: review of hypotheses on their origin. Journal of Arid Environments 2004, 57:467-485.
46. Walden J., White K.H., Kilcoyne S.H., Bentley P.M. Analyses of iron oxide assemblages within Namib dune sediments using high field remanence measurements (9 T) and Mössbauer analysis. Journal of Quaternary Science 1999, 15:185-195.
47. Xu D.-Q., Ni G.-Q., Jiang L.-L., Shen Y.-T., Li T., Ge S.-L., Shu X.-B. Exploring for natural gas using reflectance spectra of surface soils. Space Research 2008, 41:1800-1817.
48. Yang H., Meer F.V.D., Zhang J., Kroonenberg S.B. Direct detection of onshore hydrocarbon microseepages by remote sensing techniques. Remote Sensing Reviews 2000, 18:1-18.