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. 2024 Dec 20;15(12):1011.
doi: 10.3390/insects15121011.

Ant-Plant Mutualism in Mauritia flexuosa Palm Peat Swamp Forests: A Study of Host and Epiphyte Diversity in Ant Gardens

Yakov Quinteros-Gómez  1 , Jehoshua Macedo-Bedoya  1   2 , Abel Salinas-Inga  1 , Flavia Anlas-Rosado  1 , Victor Santos-Linares  1 , Geancarlo Alarcon-Iman  3 , Doris Gómez-Ticerán  4 , Franco Angeles-Alvarez  1 , Sergio Olórtegui-Chamolí  5 , Julio Solis-Sarmiento  6 , Enoc Jara-Peña  7 , Octavio Monroy-Vilchis  8   9
Affiliations

Ant-Plant Mutualism in Mauritia flexuosa Palm Peat Swamp Forests: A Study of Host and Epiphyte Diversity in Ant Gardens

Yakov Quinteros-Gómez et al. Insects. .

Abstract

Mutualisms characterized by reciprocal benefits between species are a fundamental relationship of tropical ecosystems. Ant Gardens (AGs) represent an interesting ant-plant mutualism, involving specialized interactions between vascular epiphytes and ants. While this relationship has been extensively studied in various tropical regions, the available information on Peruvian ecosystems is limited. The objective of this study was to identify the ant and epiphyte species that constitute AGs. From February 2023 to January 2024, a study was conducted on two 50 × 10 m transects within the Mauritia flexuosa peat swamp forest, located within the Water Association Aguajal Renacal del Alto Mayo (ADECARAM) Tingana in San Martín, Peru. A total of 69 ant gardens were documented, comprising 18 phorophyte species, 19 epiphyte species, and three ant species. The results demonstrated that neither the height nor the diameter at breast height (DBH) of phorophytes exhibited a statistically significant correlation with the number of AGs per host. However, a positive correlation was observed between the length and width of the AGs and the number of ants per AG. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding of AG mutualism in Peruvian ecosystems.

Keywords: Azteca; Camponotus; ant-plant interaction; hymenoptera; parabiosis; phorophytes.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study area in Andean–Amazonian piedmont (San Martín) and Mauritia flexuosa peat swamp forest, showing transect locations (up) and a typical garden tree.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Dominance−diversity graph of phorophyte species in Tingana.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Dominance−diversity graph of epiphyte species in Tingana.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Epiphyte species reported in AGs: (A,B) Epidendrum imatophyllum, (C) Acianthera lanceana, (D) Aechmea angustifolia, (E) Anthurium gracile, (F) Aechmea longifolia, and (G) Clusia sp.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(A) AGs with high exposure, (B) AGs at intersection of phorophyte branches, (C) AGs collapsed by excess weight, (D) AGs show erosion, and (E,F) AGs on young leaves of Mauritia flexuosa.
Figure 6
Figure 6
NMDS analysis of epiphyte species composition in AGs: comparing transects at forest edge (red ellipse) and interior forest (blue ellipse) of Mauritia flexuosa peat swamp forest in Tingana.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Ant species in the AGs of Mauritia flexuosa peat swamp forest: (A,B) Crematogaster levior (C,D), Azteca instabilis, and (E,F) Camponotus femoratus.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Tripartite graph showing the associations among phorophytes, ant species, and epiphytic species in AGs.
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