大型钢铁厂及其周边土壤多环芳烃污染现状调查、评价与源解析

采用气相色谱-质谱联机方法(GC-MS)分析了东北某钢铁厂及周边居住区、风景区共11个采样点表层土壤样品16种多环芳烃(PAHs),结果表明,钢铁工业区16种PAHs(∑PAHs)浓度范围为3.39×103—1.54×105ng·g-1,平均浓度3.21×104ng·g-1;居住区∑PAHs浓度范围为587—6.70×103ng·g-1,平均浓度3.82×103ng·g-1;风景区千山∑PAHs浓度385 ng·g-1.∑PAHs和Bap浓度均呈工业区>居住区>风景区趋势.与国内外其他研究结果相比,该钢铁工业区及其周边居住区土壤PAHs污染相对较为严重,11个采样点中有9个采样点土壤∑PAHs为严重污染,4个采样点苯并(a)芘(Bap)浓度超过加拿大土壤质量基准.利用特征比值法(Diagnostic Rate)和主成分分析法(Principal component analysis,PCA)对钢铁工业区及其周边地区土壤进行了源解析,结果表明,钢铁工业区土壤中PAHs主要来源于焦炉、燃煤、柴油燃烧等污染源,周边地区土壤除受工业污染源排放影响外,机动车汽油、柴油污染排放也有重要影响.     

椒江口水体和生物体中典型有机污染物的浓度水平及来源初探

研究了椒江口海水、沉积物和生物体中苯胺、硝基苯、多氯联苯、多环芳烃的浓度水平及来源,评价了各种有机污染物在沉积物和生物体内的富集情况.结果表明,椒江口海水中苯胺、硝基苯、多氯联苯(PCBs)、多环芳烃(PAHs)的浓度范围分别为9.3-105.1μg·l-1,46.2-268.5μg·l-1,57.5-519.3ng·l-1和356.9-1021.4 ng·l-1;沉积物中苯胺、多氯联苯、多环芳烃的浓度(干重)范围分别为0.76-1.12μg·g-1,5.78-10.42 ng·g-1,77.5-165.4 ng·g-1;生物体中PCBs、PAHs的浓度(湿重)范围分别为19.51-20.62 ng·g-1,0.11-1.03 ng·g-1.生物体内PCBs的富集倍数高于PAHs,而沉积物中PAHs的富集倍数高于PCBs.海水、沉积物中的苯胺和硝基苯主要来自源于椒江口化工废水的排放,PAHs主要来源于台州火力发电厂的燃烧污染,PCBs主要来源于废旧电器拆解业污染物的排放迁移.     

天津市土壤多环芳烃污染特征、源解析和生态风险评价

采用气相色谱-质谱联机方法(GC-MS)分析了天津市不同功能区10个采样点表层土壤样品中16种多环芳烃(PAHs)的浓度,并对其污染特征、来源和生态风险进行了分析.结果表明:天津市土壤中16种多环芳烃的总浓度(∑PAHs)范围为142—1.49×103ng·g-1,平均浓度765 ng·g-1,Bap浓度范围7.06—118 ng·g-1,平均值37.6 ng·g-1.∑PAHs浓度均值呈工业区近郊区城区远郊区趋势.采用PAHs成分谱、污染物的特征比值和主成分分析的污染来源解析结果表明:工业区PAHs主要来源于焦化、煤和天然气的燃烧,以及机动车的污染排放;城区和郊区土壤中PAHs除来自于煤和焦炭的燃烧外,机动车污染是一个非常重要的污染源.根据荷兰土壤质量标准,所有采样点均有PAHs单体超标,其中西青、津南、北辰、汉沽、塘沽和大港采样点超过荷兰土壤标准规定的10种多环芳烃的苯并(a)芘(Bap)毒性当量浓度(TEQ Bap10)限值33 ng·g-1,说明天津近郊区和工业区土壤已受到PAHs的污染,存在潜在的生态风险.     

临汾市售蔬菜中多环芳烃污染特征及致癌风险分析

为了研究临汾市食物中多环芳烃(PAHs)的污染特征及对人群的健康影响,本研究于2015年1月采集当地居民普遍食用的9种蔬菜,利用气相色谱-质谱联用仪(GC-MS)检测蔬菜中8种多环芳烃(Nap、Ace、Acy、Fle、Phe、Ant、Flu、Pyr)。研究表明,PAHs在9种蔬菜中均有检出,PAHs的总浓度范围是24.86~82.85 ng·g~(-1),平均为44.13 ng·g~(-1)。其中PAHs含量最高的是圆白菜(82.85 ng·g-1),最低的是山药(24.86 ng·g~(-1))。通过来源分析发现来源地蔬菜中PAHs主要来源于液体化石燃料燃烧。临汾市不同人群食用蔬菜引起的终身增量致癌风险(ILCR)在1.27×10~(-6)~7.07×10~(-6)范围内,在目前蔬菜消费量下存在潜在致癌风险。     

珠江隧道多环芳烃的含量与分布特征

为研究机动车尾气排放多环芳烃的排放特征,以及其从源到汇的过程变化,该研究选取珠江隧道为研究区域,采集了2006年4月、7月和12月珠江隧道中气相和颗粒相样品,以及7月、12月份隧道附近的大气样品,并对样品中多环芳烃(PAHs)进行检测.结果表明,隧道中馪AHs范围为896.1 ng·m-3～4066.2 ng·m-3,气相中馪AHs远远高于颗粒相馪AHs.环境大气样品中馪AHs为207.9 ng·m-3～353.0 ng·m-3,远远低于隧道里馪AHs,其PAHs各组分的分布特征与隧道中样品相似,说明汽车尾气是广州市大气中PAHs的重要来源;最后通过隧道中与隧道口的馪AHs来计算汽车的排放因子,得出PAHs排放因子平均值为:2164.7 靏穔m-1妨,并且估算出2006年广州市全年汽车尾气排放出PAHs 82 t.     

北京市冬季道路沉积物中多环芳烃的污染特征和源解析

在北京城区四环以内采集了33个冬季道路沉积物样品,分析其中多环芳烃(PAHs)的含量、分布特征、来源和生态风险.结果表明,16种多环芳烃(PAHs)∑16PAHs的浓度范围为931.0—2668.7 ng·g~(-1)干重,平均浓度为1602.4 ng·g~(-1)干重,污染物的组成以4环和3环PAHs为主.通过LMW/HMW(低分子量与高分子量PAHs的比值)法、特征比值法和主成分分析法得出,道路沉积物中PAHs主要来自于煤、化石燃料的燃烧以及交通尾气的排放.由TEQBa P分析结果可知,33个采样点PAHs的∑16TEQBa P范围为58.2—324.4 ng·g-1干重,平均值为139.3 ng·g~(-1)干重;所有采样点的∑10TEQBa P范围为33.1—266.8 ng·g~(-1)干重,平均值为95.0 ng·g-1干重,均超过荷兰土壤的目标参考值,说明北京市冬季道路沉积物中PAHs存在潜在的生态风险;其中7种致癌性PAHs(Ba A、Chr、Bb F、Bk F、Ba P、IPY和DBA)的TEQBa P占∑16TEQBa P的96.1%—99.3%,平均值为98.5%,是∑16TEQBa P的主要贡献者,并且Ba P的贡献率最大.     

厦门市大气PM2.5中多环芳烃的昼夜变化特征

对厦门市冬季不同功能区大气PM2.5中多环芳烃(PAHs)的昼夜变化特征进行分析.结果表明,在检出的13种PAHs中,总浓度及其组分均呈现明显的差异.PAHs总浓度(ΣPAHs)分布在3.04-12.49ng·m-3;各功能区PAHs以菲、芘和含量相对较高,其中菲占优势,说明厦门市冬季大气PM2.5中PAHs以菲的污染为主.局部地区晚间ΣPAHs的浓度明显高于日间浓度,这可能与夜间大气混合层下降、污染物不易扩散传输、日间PAHs易光降解等有关.     

西江水体中多环芳烃的分布特征及来源

为确定西江水体中多环芳烃(PAHs)的分布特征和来源,分别在洪水期(2003年8月)和枯水期(2003年11月)对西江水体进行了两次水柱采样,利用气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)对样品中15种优控的PAHs进行定量分析,并运用分子比值法探寻多环芳烃的来源.结果表明,西江水体溶解相和颗粒相中PAHs的质量浓度分别为21.7～138 ng·L-1,和40.9～238 μg·kg-1.水体中PAHs的总质量浓度(溶解相及颗粒相),洪水季(43.9～116.9 ng·L-1)大于枯水季(25.2～34.1 ng·L-1).溶解相和颗粒相中PAHs质量浓度都表现相同的垂直变化即中层>下层>上层.从PAHs组成特点来看,溶解相以3环的PAHs为主,占总组分的80%;而颗粒相以3环、4环的PAHs为主,分别占总组分的48%和41%.西江水体PAHs的质量浓度,与欧洲其他一些低污染水域相比相对较高;而低于国内一些主要受污染河流.分子比值法表明,西江水体PAHs主要来源于高温燃烧排放.     

北京大气颗粒物中多环芳烃浓度季节变化及来源分析

使用大流量滤膜采样器,从2006年9月至2007年8月,每周同时采集北京城市大气可吸入颗粒物(PM10)和细粒子样品(PM2.5)各一次,二氯甲烷超声抽提一气相色谱/质谱分析了17种多环芳烃(PAHs)浓度,结果表明,春、夏、秋、冬四季北京大气PM10和PM2.5中PAHs总量分别为63.8±44.6ng·m-3、43.2±4.5ng·m-3、84.7±108.3ng·m-3、348.0±250.0ng·m-3和54.7±17.3ng·m-3、40.3±8.6ng·m-3、66.1±81.5ng·m-3、337.7±267.2ng·m-3;约有70%的PAHs存在于细粒子PM2.5中,其质量浓度有明显季节变化,冬季>秋季>春季>夏季;颗粒物中PAHs主要以4、5、6环存在,其中4环以上占79.4%.源解析表明,北京大气颗粒物中的PAHs主要来自燃煤,同时汽油、柴油燃烧排放也不能忽略.结合气象要素分析,温度升高和太阳辐射增强易造成多环芳烃挥发和反应,湿沉降有利于多环芳烃随颗粒物清除.     

珠江三角洲表层土壤中的多环芳烃

多环芳烃是一类主要由人类活动排放的有毒有机污染化合物,对人和生物体具有致癌、致畸和致突变效应,是评价土壤生态污染的重要内容之一。文章利用螺旋钻采样、索氏抽提、硅胶氧化铝净化和GC-MS分析,研究了珠江三角洲不同功能区(城市点、郊区点、乡村点)的76个表层土壤样品(耕作土、非耕作土)中多环芳烃(PAHs)的含量、分布特征及其影响因素。结果表明,16种优控PAHs的总质量分数范围为31.5~791.6ng·g-1(平均279.1ng·g-1,以干质量计),以萘(44.4%)、菲(13.7%)、荧蒽(8.4%)、芘(4.9%)、■(6.6%)等化合物为主。与国内外其它地区的城市相比较,珠江三角洲地区土壤PAHs的污染程度较低,在组成上也表现出亚热带地区独特的中、低环化合物为主的特征。受人类经济活动的影响,地处珠江三角洲中部的经济工业中心地带,土壤中PAHs含量相对较高。珠三角表层土壤PAHs含量和组成分布主要受大气沉降控制,而与土壤有机碳、pH的相关性较小。高温潮湿的亚热带季风气候是影响珠三角土壤PAHs的降解和迁移的重要环境因素。     

Representation of the world's biophysical conditions by the global protected area network

Protected areas (PAs) are often implemented without consideration of already existing PAs, which is likely to cause an overrepresentation of certain biophysical conditions. We assessed the representativeness of the current PA network with regard to the world's biophysical conditions to highlight which conditions are underprotected and where these conditions are located. We overlaid terrestrial and marine PAs with information on biophysical conditions (e.g., temperature, precipitation, and elevation) and then quantified the percentage of area covered by the PA network. For 1 variable at a time in the terrestrial realm, high temperature, low precipitation, and medium and very high elevation were underrepresented. For the marine realm, low and medium sea surface temperature (SST), medium and high sea surface salinity (SSS), and the deep sea were underrepresented. Overall, protection was evenly distributed for elevation across the terrestrial realm and SST across the marine realm. For 2 variables at a time, cold and very dry terrestrial environments had mostly low protection, which was also the case for low SST and low and medium SSS across most depths for marine environments. Low protection occurred mostly in the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula for the terrestrial realm and along the Tropic of Capricorn and toward the poles for the marine realm. Although biodiversity measures are of prime importance for the design of PA networks, highlighting biophysical gaps in current PAs adds a frequently overlooked perspective. These gaps may weaken the potential of PAs to conserve biodiversity. Thus, our results may provide useful insights for researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to establish a more comprehensive global PA network.     

Quantitative composition of the defensive secretion ofBledius species (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Oxytelinae) is adapted to naturally occurring predators

Summary The adaptation of defensive secretions to their target organisms was examined for the abdominal gland secretions ofBledius furcatus, B. spectabilis andB. arenarius. Therefore the target organisms of the secretion of theseBledius species (i.e. their predators) had to be identified. At the collection sites examined these were the earwigLabidura riparia, the antCataglyphis bicolor, the flyLispe candicans, different carabids of the generaPogonus, Dichirotrichus, Dyschirius, Bembidion andCalathus and the wading birdsHaematopus ostralegus andCalidris alba. The secretion of the abdominal glands contains the toxin ptoluquinone dissolved in either-dodecalactone and 1-undecene (B. furcatus andB. spectabilis) or in octanoic acid and octyloctanoate (B. arenarius). The ratio of these solvents is species-specific. Application experiments using some of the natural insect predators (L. riparia, C. bicolor, Pogonus, Di. gustavii, Dyschirius) revealed that these solvent ratios provided a more effective deterrent than other possible ratios. Thus by combining the solvents in certain ratios, the capability of cuticular penetration and therefore the effectiveness of the defensive secretions are adapted to their natural targets.     

Democracy versus development: New urban debates

The politics of development includes subtexts of choice, as underpinned by community consensus (or lack of it), against the larger backdrop of a liberal democracy, with its intricate power structures that influence the choice of concepts and often lead to complicity rather than consent. A dilemma exists between the understanding of field-level practitioners and that of academics, whose understandings of progress differ. Progress can (and often does) imply long-term change across generations whereas development is often more a matter of crisis management and delivering tangible results to end-users. This makes it a bone of contention across political systems, irrespective of local or global dynamics. Development can emerge as a tool to be wielded for power and further political mileage at the expense of progress. Progress cannot be studied as a counterpoint to development as the sense of history is often missing in development interventions. Development tends to be piecemeal as its very logic often stems from the rationale of power. This is not to suggest, however, that development is only about politics; it is definitely more than the politics of everyday life and involves all of civil society that requires its critical and immediate attention. In this sense, it has become a priority for politicians with an underlying agenda designed to out-manouevre dissent and all statements of protest.     

A framework to measure the wildness of managed large vertebrate populations

As landscapes continue to fall under human influence through habitat loss and fragmentation, fencing is increasingly being used to mitigate anthropogenic threats and enhance the commercial value of wildlife. Subsequent intensification of management potentially erodes wildness by disembodying populations from landscape-level processes, thereby disconnecting species from natural selection. Tools are needed to measure the degree to which populations of large vertebrate species in formally protected and privately owned wildlife areas are self-sustaining and free to adapt. We devised a framework to measure such wildness based on 6 attributes relating to the evolutionary and ecological dynamics of vertebrates (space, disease and parasite resistance, exposure to predation, exposure to limitations and fluctuations of food and water supply, and reproduction). For each attribute, we set empirical, species-specific thresholds between 5 wildness states based on quantifiable management interventions. We analysed data from 205 private wildlife properties with management objectives spanning ecotourism to consumptive utilization to test the framework on 6 herbivore species representing a range of conservation statuses and commercial values. Wildness scores among species differed significantly, and the proportion of populations identified as wild ranged from 12% to 84%, which indicates the tool detected site-scale differences both among populations of different species and populations of the same species under different management regimes. By quantifying wildness, this framework provides practitioners with standardized measurement units that link biodiversity with the sustainable use of wildlife. Applications include informing species management plans at local scales; standardizing the inclusion of managed populations in red-list assessments; and providing a platform for certification and regulation of wildlife-based economies. Applying this framework may help embed wildness as a normative value in policy and mitigate the shifting baseline of what it means to truly conserve a species.     

Achieving Open Access to Conservation Science

Conservation science is a crisis discipline in which the results of scientific enquiry must be made available quickly to those implementing management. We assessed the extent to which scientific research published since the year 2000 in 20 conservation science journals is publicly available. Of the 19,207 papers published, 1,667 (8.68%) are freely downloadable from an official repository. Moreover, only 938 papers (4.88%) meet the standard definition of open access in which material can be freely reused providing attribution to the authors is given. This compares poorly with a comparable set of 20 evolutionary biology journals, where 31.93% of papers are freely downloadable and 7.49% are open access. Seventeen of the 20 conservation journals offer an open access option, but fewer than 5% of the papers are available through open access. The cost of accessing the full body of conservation science runs into tens of thousands of dollars per year for institutional subscribers, and many conservation practitioners cannot access pay‐per‐view science through their workplace. However, important initiatives such as Research4Life are making science available to organizations in developing countries. We urge authors of conservation science to pay for open access on a per‐article basis or to choose publication in open access journals, taking care to ensure the license allows reuse for any purpose providing attribution is given. Currently, it would cost $51 million to make all conservation science published since 2000 freely available by paying the open access fees currently levied to authors. Publishers of conservation journals might consider more cost effective models for open access and conservation‐oriented organizations running journals could consider a broader range of options for open access to nonmembers such as sponsorship of open access via membership fees. Obtención de Acceso Abierto a la Ciencia de la Conservación     

Sexual Predators,Energy Development,and Conservation in Greater Yellowstone

Abstract: In the United States, as elsewhere, a growing debate pits national energy policy and homeland security against biological conservation. In rural communities the extraction of fossil fuels is often encouraged because of the employment opportunities it offers, although the concomitant itinerant workforce is often associated with increased wildlife poaching. We explored possible positive and negative factors associated with energy extraction in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (GYE), an area known for its national parks, intact biological diversity, and some of the New World's longest terrestrial migrations. Specifically, we asked whether counties with different economies—recreation (ski), agrarian (ranching or farming), and energy extractive (petroleum)—differed in healthcare (gauged by the abundance of hospital beds) and in the frequency of sexual predators. The absolute and relative frequency of registered sex offenders grew approximately two to three times faster in areas reliant on energy extraction. Healthcare among counties did not differ. The strong conflation of community dishevel, as reflected by in‐migrant sexual predators, and ecological decay in Greater Yellowstone is consistent with patterns seen in similar systems from Ecuador to northern Canada, where social and environmental disarray exist around energy boomtowns. In our case, that groups (albeit with different aims) mobilized campaigns to help maintain the quality of rural livelihoods by protecting open space is a positive sign that conservation can matter, especially in the face of rampant and poorly executed energy extraction projects. Our findings further suggest that the public and industry need stronger regulatory action to instill greater vigilance when and where social factors and land conversion impact biological systems.     

Comparison of the insecticidal effects of water extracted and intact aromatic plants onAcanthoscelides obtectus,a bruchid beetle pest of kidney beans

Summary Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) is one of the most damaging pests of kidney beans,Phaseolus vulgaris L. worldwide. However, aromatic plants from the families Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Poaceae can protect kidney beans by direct or delayed insecticidal effect, through increased adult mortality and inhibition of beetle reproduction (both oviposition and adult emergence). The efficiency of hydrodistillated and intact plants fromThymus vulgaris andT. serpyllum, Mentha piperata, Rosmarinus officinalis, Satureia hortensis, Eucalyptus globulus, Laurus nobilis, Origanum vulgare, andCymbopogon nardus was compared. For both extracts,Origanum vulgare had the best effect. The insecticidal effect was induced by more than the essential oils because no significant difference was noticed between distilled and intact plants extract. Inhibition of reproduction was particularly important. These results suggest that lipidic as well as non lipidic, allelochemicals, such as phenolics, or non-protein amino-acids, or flavonoids may be involved in the toxicity of aromatic plants to this beetle.     

Rapid,recurring, structured survey versus bioblitz for generating biodiversity data and analysis with a multispecies abundance model

A bioblitz inexpensively and quickly generates biodiversity data, but bioblitzes are often conducted with haphazard, unreplicated sampling. Results tend to be taxonomically, geographically, or temporally biased, lack metadata, and consist of lists of observed taxa that do not enable further analyses or correction for imperfect detection. A rapid, recurring, structured survey (RRSS) uses a structured sampling design and temporal and spatial replication to survey randomly selected sites on a conservation property. We participated in a loosely structured bioblitz and a subsequent RRSS at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve in Springville (St. Clair County), Alabama (USA) to compare observed richness derived from the 2 survey approaches. The RRSS data structure enabled us to fit models that accounted for imperfect detection to estimate abundances, occupancy probabilities, and habitat associations. The loosely structured bioblitz data could not be used in such models. We present a new integrated multispecies abundance model that we applied to avian RRSS data. Our model extension enables estimation for the community, employs data augmentation to estimate the number of undetected species, and incorporates covariates. The RRSS generated a more comprehensive and less biased list of observed taxonomic richness than the loosely structured bioblitz (e.g., 73 vs. 45 bird species and 104 vs. 63 insect families from the RRSS vs. loosely structured bioblitz, respectively). Models fit to the RRSS data identified seasonal patterns in avian community composition and allowed for estimation of habitat–occupancy relationships for insect taxa. The RRSS protocol has potential for broad transferability as a standardized, quick, and inexpensive way to inventory biodiversity and estimate ecological parameters while providing an outreach opportunity.     

Compliance with and ecosystem function of biodiversity offsets in North American and European freshwaters

Land-use change via human development is a major driver of biodiversity loss. To reduce these impacts, billions of dollars are spent on biodiversity offsets. However, studies evaluating offset project effectiveness that examine components such as the overall compliance and function of projects remain rare. We reviewed 577 offsetting projects in freshwater ecosystems that included the metrics project size, type of aquatic system (e.g., wetland and creek), offsetting measure (e.g., enhancement, restoration, and creation), and an assessment of the projects’ compliance and functional success. Project information was obtained from scientific and government databases and gray literature. Despite considerable investment in offsetting projects, crucial problems persisted. Although compliance and function were related to each other, a high level of compliance did not guarantee a high degree of function. However, large projects relative to area had better function than small projects. Function improved when projects targeted productivity or specific ecosystem features and when multiple complementary management targets were in place. Restorative measures were more likely to achieve targets than creating entirely new ecosystems. Altogether the relationships we found highlight specific ecological processes that may help improve offsetting outcomes.     

Some polyphagous Homoptera gain protection from their natural enemies by feeding on the toxic plantsSpartium junceum andErythrina corallodendrum (Leguminosae)

Summary Interactions were studied among alkaloid-containing legumes (Erythrina corallodendrum andSpartium junceum) and non-toxic plants (Citrus sinensis, Cucurbita moschata andEuphorbia tirucalli), several polyphagous homopterans,Aphis craccivora (Aphididae),Icerya purchasi, I. aegyptiaca (Margarodidae),Lepidosaphes ulmi (Diaspididae) andPlanococcus citri (Pseudococcidae), and some major natural enemies of these homopterans. Significant reductions in survival due to negative effects of alkaloid containing as compared with non-alkaloidal plants were recorded for the predatorsRodolia cardinalis andChilocorus bipustulatus, but not forCryptolaemus montrouzieri (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae),Chrysoperla carnea (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) andSympherobius sanctus (Neuroptera: Sympherobiidae). The development time of the larvae or pupae ofR. cardinalis, C. carnea andS. sanctus was longer on the toxic plants than on the non-toxic ones. The percentage of parasitism ofA. craccivora collected from the non-alkaloidal plantsVicia palaestina andMelilotus albus was much higher than that onS. junceum. The parasitoid complexes ofA. craccivora differed between both plant groups. The nutritive value of honeydew ofI. purchasi andA. craccivora, as expressed by the life span ofEncyrtus infelix (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) adults, was also investigated. Life spans were significantly longer when the wasps fed on honeydew produced on non-alkaloidal plants (C. sinensis andPittosporum tobira) than on alkaloid containing plants whenI. purchasi — but notA. craccivora — was the producer. It is suggested that the chemical defense ofE. corallodendrum andS. junceum is exploited by polyphagous phytophages to reduce predation. In nature, population growth and density of four of the investigated homopterans are conspicuously high when they developed on the alkaloid containing plant species, and very low on non-alkaloid plants. The efficiency of their natural enemies may be reduced by sequestration of alkaloids (or other toxic plant compounds) or their transfer into excreted honeydew. Therefore it is assumed that a generalist phytophagous homopteran may be protected from its natural enemies, although at different rates of efficiency, if it can safely sequester the host allelochemical when it develops on toxic species within its host range.