Distribution, composition, and dispersal of ant gardens and tending ants in three kinds of central Amazonian habitats

Abstract

Ant Gardens (AGs) grow on arboreal carton-ant nests and consist of taxonomically diverse epiphytic plants specific to this substrate. I compared the densities of AGs and their component flora in three habitats: rain forest, campinarana (transition) and campina (arid). I also observed the behavior of Azteca sp. and Pachycondyla goeldii Forel 1912 ants towards the seeds of Codonanthe sp. and Anthurium gracile Engl. Densities of AGs varied greatly among habitats, being highest in the campina. Nest garden composition was highly variable. Peperomia sp. and Clusia sp. dominated in the rain forest, Codonanthe sp. in the campinarana and A. gracile and an unidentified species of Tillandsia Linnaeus 1735 in the campina. Seeds of Codonanthe sp. were very attractive to Azteca sp., which carried them to the nest. Pachycondyla goeldii rejected Codonanthe sp. seeds throwing them away, but not those of A. gracile. Removal of the seed aril promotes the germination of Codonanthe sp. seeds. © 1999 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.