转基因植物入侵性评价指标初探

从生态学(种子水平和成体水平)和生理生化(酶表达、蛋白检测、光合能力等)层次，探讨转基因植物(GMP)可能形成入侵性的一些特性，尝试建立GMP入侵性的评价指标体系，为进行转基因植物的安全性评价提供借鉴。     

二氧化碳浓度升高对植物入侵的影响

从入侵植物和入侵植物群落两个方面,综述了大气二氧化碳浓度升高对植物入侵的影响。二氧化碳浓度升高,可以增加C3植物的入侵性,提高入侵植物的生物量、资源利用率以及繁殖能力,直接影响植物入侵;还可以通过改变土壤水分、氮循环、干扰体系等其它环境因子间接地影响植物入侵。此外,二氧化碳浓度升高,对入侵群落的初级生产量、组成与结构以及群落动态产生重要影响,改变群落的可入侵性。今后应当着重从群落水平,结合其它全球变化因子的共同作用研究二氧化碳浓度升高对植物入侵的影响,同时深入探讨其作用机制以及不同植物类群对二氧化碳的响应,为入侵种的预防和控制提供理论指导。     

外来植物入侵机制研究进展与展望

从植物入侵的内因、外因、驱动力和入侵过程等方面综述了植物入侵机制的研究进展:(1)外来植物由于预适应性较强或由于杂交和多倍体化而具有较强的侵染力:(2)外来植物由于逃脱原生区域的自然天敌,或由于土著种竞争较弱、生物多样性较低、植食动物或疾病较少等导致的生物抵抗力较低,或因良好的资源可获得性及入侵植物的化感作用等造成新栖息地可侵人性的增加;(3)自然或人为引入外来植物及对新栖息地的扰动是植物入侵的驱动力;(4)外来植物可能通过基于事件的入侵、入侵崩溃和协同入侵等人侵过程机制实现其成功入侵,分析了各入侵机制对入侵植物防控、生态学和进化学研究意义以及待解决问题.结果表明,植物入侵机制高度复杂,不同的外来植物种、新柄息地类型及植物入侵的不同阶段,各入侵机制可能单独或共同作用,为针对性地设计植物入侵防控方案提供了理论支撑.最后对植物入侵机制理论及其在植物入侵预测、危险性分区和防控中的应用研究等进行了展望.     

杂草五爪金龙对入侵地植物群落和土壤肥力的影响

五爪金龙（Ipomoeacairica）是粤东地区入侵性极强的外来杂草。在野外调查的基础上,选取5个被五爪金龙种群重度入侵地作为样地,并以5个相邻的无五爪金龙和其他外来植物入侵的地段作为对照,采用样方法对样地内的植物进行群落学调查并计算多样性指数,采集样地内的土壤样品进行土壤酶活性与理化指标测定,探讨五爪金龙入侵地生态因子间的相互作用关系,评价五爪金龙入侵对入侵地生态系统的影响。结果表明,与未入侵对照样地比较,五爪金龙入侵导致入侵地植物丰富度和多样性显著或极显著下降（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）,对本土植物的排斥效应明显;除森林公园样地外,其余样地与土壤肥力密切相关的土壤蔗糖酶、脲酶、磷酸酶及硝酸还原酶4种酶活性均明显升高,增幅为26．91％～55．52％;五爪金龙种群的入侵明显提高了其入侵地土壤全氮、碱解氮、全钾及有效钾含量,降低了全磷、有效磷及有机质含量,且与对照样地间差异均达显著或极显著水平（P〈0．05或P〈0．01）。推测五爪金龙可能通过改变其入侵地的植物群落结构,改善土壤酶活性及养分水平,从而形成对自身生长发育和种群扩张有利的微生态环境。     

长芒苋入侵对弃耕地土壤种子库群落特征的影响

为阐明外来入侵植物长芒苋(Amaranthus palmeri)对土壤种子库群落特征的影响,选取长芒苋不同入侵压力下的弃耕地土壤种子库为研究对象,通过野外调查和萌发试验,揭示弃耕地土壤种子库群落对长芒苋入侵的响应,旨在为入侵植物的科学防控提供依据。结果表明：(1)土壤种子库共计出现30种植物,隶属于17科30属,以一年生草本为主。与轻度入侵区组相比,重度入侵区组土壤种子库物种多样性指数和种子密度都显著降低;土壤种子库物种多样性指数对土层深度的响应不明显,且入侵压力与土层深度之间无交互作用。(2)土壤种子库NMDS排序及PERMANOVA分析结果进一步表明,轻度入侵区组与重度入侵区组群落结构差异显著;重度入侵区组长芒苋已在该地建立长久性土壤种子库,影响本地生态系统的稳定性。(3)种间相关分析结果表明,轻度入侵压力和重度入侵压力均会对大豆(Glycine max)、狗尾草(Setaria viridis)和碱蓬(Suaeda glauca)3种植物产生负面效应。     

贵州草海湿地空心莲子草入侵迹地植物群落结构数量特征

草海湿地是中国西南地区极为重要的喀斯特高原高寒湿地生态系统,也是中国黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)等珍稀水鸟重要的越冬场所之一。空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)已在草海环湖消涨区、航道、码头等地形成入侵趋势,造成湿地植物群落物种多样性降低、破坏湿地生态系统稳定,严重威胁草海湿地生态安全。本研究选择贵州草海湿地空心莲子草入侵迹地植物群落作为研究对象,采用标准样地调查法分别在草海湿地上游、中游、下游设置轻度、中度、重度调查样点,对空心莲子草入侵迹地植物群落组成种类、种群密度、重要值等数量特征进行分析,提出空心莲子草清除后湿地植物群落培育方向,为草海湿地入侵植物迹地修复提供参考。研究结果表明,(1)草海湿地空心莲子草入侵迹地植物群落包括9个科,15种植物,其中禾本科(Gramineae)植物4种,莎草科(Cyperaceae)植物3种,蓼科(Polygonaceae)植物2种,菊科(Asteraceae)、苋科(Amaranthaceae)、香蒲(Typhaceae)、睡菜科(Menyanthaceae)、唇形科(Labiatae)、木贼科(Equisetaceae)植物各1种。(2)草海湿地上游入侵迹地植物群落总密度随入侵程度增加呈升高趋势,而草海湿地中游和下游入侵迹地植物群落密度随入侵程度增加呈降低趋势。(3)空心莲子草入侵迹地次优种、伴生种均以禾本科的李氏禾(Leersi ahexandra)、茭白(Zizania latifolia),莎草科的水葱(Scirpus validus)、荆三棱(Scirpus fluviatilis)为主。空心莲子草清除后的植物群落培育应以李氏禾、水葱、荆三棱、茭白为主要建群种。     

城市化影响下北京市外来入侵植物特征及其分布

通过文献资料分析和实地调查相结合的方法,对北京市外来入侵植物的种类、生活型、起源地、引入途径和分布等特征进行了分析,结果表明:该地区共有48种外来入侵植物,隶属39属19科,其中菊科、禾本科、苋科和大戟科植物为优势科,占到了所有入侵植物总数的60.4%.除火炬树外,其余47种植物均为草本植物,以起源于美洲的居多(70.8%),多为伴随种子苗木运输无意引进.入侵植物分布受城市化水平和人口密度影响显著,城市功能扩展区分布有最多的入侵植物,就入侵种分布密度而言,城市功能拓展区和城市核心区均明显高于近郊区和远郊区.目前北京入侵植物主要分布于农田、绿地、花圃等半人工生态系统,尚处于可控范围之内,但北京的自然地理条件及城市化进程使其仍存在较高的入侵风险,在将来的防治工作中应采取更加严格的检疫措施.     

秦岭中段外来植物入侵现状及风险评价研究

作为中国重要生态安全屏障的秦岭,随着经济社会的不断发展,大量人为活动穿梭其中,使得外来植物得以侵入并迅速蔓延和扩张,势必影响当地生物多样性保护,然而这些外来种的入侵现状、危害与风险等信息还缺乏全面详细的研究,为秦岭生物多样性保护埋下巨大“安全隐患”,因此亟待全面系统地研究秦岭林区外来植物的相关现状信息,并对其进行科学有效的入侵风险评估。通过野外调查秦岭中段南北坡外来植物的种类、分布现状、生境类型、扩散趋势等,采用层次分析法构建秦岭外来植物入侵风险评价体系,对该区外来植物进行风险等级划分并提出防范管控措施。结果表明：1）秦岭外来植物有131种,隶属33科87属,主要集中在菊科（Asteraceae）、苋科（Amaranthaceae）、禾本科（Poaceae）、豆科（Fabaceae）,其中菊科植物数量最多（35种）,占总种数的26.7%;2）秦岭外来植物传入年限主要集中在50-150 a之间（54.2%）,大部分通过有意引入和无意引进带入国内（75.6%）;3）秦岭外来植物入侵风险评价体系涵盖外来植物入侵性、已入侵分布现状、扩散性和危害与影响4个方面,共设置了13个指标。131种外来植...     

入侵植物对洪泽湖湿地杨树林土壤微生物特性和酶活性的影响

以洪泽湖湿地杨树林的入侵植物飞机草(Chromolaena odorata)、狗尾草(Setaria viridis)、黄顶菊(Flaveria bidentis)和鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)为研究对象,研究不同入侵植物对本土植物土壤理化性质、酶活性、微生物数量的影响并探讨其入侵机制。结果显示,(1)土壤含水量、电导率和总孔隙度基本呈一致的变化规律,均表现为飞机草鬼针草狗尾草黄顶菊,土壤容重、pH值和全盐含量基本呈一致的变化规律,均表现为飞机草和鬼针草低于狗尾草和黄顶菊。(2)入侵植物改变了土壤微生物结构,不同入侵植物土壤微生物数量以细菌最多,其次是放线菌,真菌最少;土壤细菌和放线菌数量表现出一致的变化趋势。(3)不同入侵植物土壤纤维素酶、硝酸还原酶、转化酶和蔗糖酶活性表现出一致的变化趋势,均表现为飞机草和鬼针草显著高于狗尾草和黄顶菊(P0.05),飞机草和鬼针草土壤纤维素酶、硝酸还原酶、转化酶和蔗糖酶活性差异不显著(P0.05)。;(4)相关性分析显示,除了土壤容重、电导率和总孔隙度外,其他土壤理化性质均与土壤酶活性及微生物数量之间具有较强的相关性,表明土壤系统内部因子处于动态平衡,它们作为相互影响的整体表现出统一性和同步性。主成分分析表明,土壤含水量和微生物量碳、氮是植物入侵过程中土壤微生物和酶活性变化的主要影响因子。综合分析表明,不同入侵植物可以改变土壤微生物特性和酶活性,创造对自身生长有利的土壤环境,并借此增强其竞争能力。     

金沙江下游乌东德和白鹤滩电站库区外来入侵植物组成和分布

外来入侵植物对金沙江流域生物多样性和生态系统稳定性构成了较大威胁,但对其本底状况知之甚少.为掌握金沙江下游乌东德和白鹤滩电站库区外来入侵植物的组成特征和分布格局,进而为外来入侵植物的防治提供科学依据,基于83个调查点位上的757个群落样方调查数据进行研究.结果表明,库区共有外来入侵植物103种,隶属28科70属,并以菊科（24种）、豆科（15种）和茄科（10种）为主.区系组成上,科、属表现出较强烈的热带分布性质,并有63种外来入侵植物原产地为北美洲.引入途径分析结果显示,62种被有意引入,占比60.19%.从入侵等级来看,65种具有明显入侵性,包括19种恶性入侵种和26种严重入侵种.三叶鬼针草（Bidens pilosa Linnaeus）、白苞猩猩草（Euphorbia heterophylla Linnaeus）、赛葵[Malvastrum coromandelianum (L.) Gurcke]等10种入侵植物重要值较高,是优势入侵物种.在空间分布方面,乌东德电站库区外来入侵植物种类数（87种）多于白鹤滩电站（59种）.库区海拔800-1 200 m范围内入侵植物种类数最多,并随...     

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.     

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     

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.     

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.