Devil's Garden, La Isla Escondida, Colombia

A quick snap with the smartphone of some seemingly dull scenery. Yet there's some spectacular biology going on here...

We're looking at a clearing in primary rain forest here. Yet not a man-made clearing. Which is strange, as in primary rain forests you'll be hard-pressed to find any clear area, as vegetation uses every inch of the forest floor in the battle for daylight.

This natural clearing, called a Devil's Garden or Garden of Satan, is the result of the narrow tree you see in the middle. Species in the Duroia genus are capable of biochemical reactions that inhibit the growth of other plants in its surroundings. This specific species of tree is further aided by a symbiotic relation with the Lemon Ant, who helps to suppress plant growth around the tree by injecting acid into them. Not only that, the ant aggressively defends against other ant species as well as herbivores.

The cost of this symbiotic relation to the tree is high: the Lemon ant will basically strip the tree clean of most of its leafs, as you can see in this shot.