According to Dr. Stephan Getzin, a researcher at the University of Göttingen in Germany, what sets fairy circles apart is the “strongly ordered pattern” between these circles. Dr. Getzin emphasized that this spatial periodicity is notably more organized than other patterns identified in the study.
Dr. Fiona Walsh, an ethnoecologist at the University of Western Australia who has previously investigated fairy circles, noted that the distribution of patterns in Australia appeared consistent with their earlier findings.
But what causes the circular patterns?
The study authors also collated environmental data from locations where these circular formations were detected.
The results indicated that circle-like patterns were more likely to emerge in extremely dry, sandy soils with high alkalinity and low nitrogen levels. These patterns also appeared to enhance ecosystem stability, bolstering resistance against disruptions like floods or severe droughts.
Experts still disagree about what exactly shapes these distinct patterns in the desert.
