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.

This study assessed the floristic composition, endemism, and conservation status of three relict Polylepis forests (“queñua”) in Oyón, Peru, located between 4000 and 4500 m a.s.l. A total of 150 vascular plant species were recorded, belonging to 100 genera and 47 families. Asteraceae (52 spp.) and Poaceae (17 spp.) were the most diverse, while herbs dominated the life-form spectrum (73%). Species richness decreased significantly with elevation (R² = 0.86, p < 0.001): Zone 3 (4000 m) hosted 100 species, Zone 2 had 52, and Zone 1 had 35. Floristic similarity (Jaccard index) revealed that Zone 3 was the most distinct, sharing as little as 6% of its species with higher zones. Endemism was notable, with 14 species (9.33%), 100% concentrated in Zone 3, which also harbored 71.4% of the 7 species categorized as threatened, including Polylepis incana (CR) and Senecio nutans (VU). These findings identify lower-elevation relicts as critical biodiversity hotspots, likely sustained by milder microclimates and greater habitat heterogeneity. However, ongoing threats from fragmentation, logging, and grazing jeopardize their persistence. Therefore, site-specific conservation strategies that prioritize these lower-altitude hotspots are urgently required.

This research focused on understanding the diversity of macrofungi in the “Tingana Conservation Concession” in San Martín, Peru, a unique flooded forest located at approximately 900 m a.s.l. in the Andean-Amazonian foothills. Three study areas were included: Sparse Aguajal, Semi-dense Aguajal, and Broadleaf Evergreen Forest. These were sampled using random transects; 19 macrofungi were identified to species level and 20 to genus level, distributed in 8 orders, 19 families, and 27 genera. The most diverse orders were Agaricales and Polyporales; the most representative families were Polyporaceae (11) and Psathyrellaceae (4). At a generic level, the most diverse was Lentinus, with a total of 5 species identified. These findings highlight the diversity and ecological importance of fungi in the decomposition of organic matter and the nutrient cycle in peatlands, which are key carbon-storing ecosystems. This study underlines the need for more research focused on inventorying fungi for the conservation of this type of ecosystem.