Evidence for Psammotermes allocerus termite nests as refugium for plant pathogenic microbes: a contribution to generation and maintenance of fairy circles in the Namib Desert

Fairy circles are circular, barren structures in dry grasslands and the mechanisms generating maintaining them currently under intense discussion. Here, we analysed bacterial fungal communities Namib Desert fairy circle soils, tapetum lining of termite nests, gut prevailing sand Psammotermes allocerus, also neighbouring grass plants. The total active microbial were through amplicon sequencing both DNA RNA extracts, respectively, species-specific PCRs, cultivation bacteria fungi from various samples. In sandy substantially different communities, which suggested soils to be highly selective environments comparison other drylands or even temperate soils. This appears more true for as amplification genes extracts was not possible. However, observed a large diversity among cultured species species, specifically Our results support hypothesis that allocerus acts vector plant pathogenic their nests below bare patches provide refugium pathogens.