滇池沉积物生物炭的热稳定性及化学稳定性特征

在200和500℃制备滇池沉积物(泥炭土和草海底泥)生物炭,采用热重分析法和氧化剂氧化法,分别研究其热稳定性和化学稳定性,为判断沉积物生物炭的寿命、指导其应用提供数据和理论基础.研究显示,泥炭土和草海底泥中有机组分的损失主要发生在500℃烧制过程(分别为40%和30%);泥炭土和草海底泥热解后灰分含量分别从44.35%、58.25%升高到58.78%、70.05%(500℃),且脂肪性减弱而芳香性增强.随烧制温度提高,碳结构更加致密,沉积物生物炭热稳定性显著提高.不同温度生物炭的化学稳定性未表现出明显差异,是因为大量的灰分对有机组分提供了较强的保护作用,致使原料和低温生物炭也具有较强的化学稳定性.草海底泥及其生物炭因为灰分含量较高、芳香性较强,热稳定性高于泥炭土.本研究指出,沉积物生物炭稳定性规律不同于传统生物质生物炭,灰分可以明显提高生物炭抵抗环境老化的能力.     

氧氟沙星和诺氟沙星在磷酸改性生物炭上的等温吸附行为

本研究考察了不同制备温度下(200℃、350℃、500℃、650℃),磷酸改性前后生物炭的理化性质,及其对氧氟沙星(OFL)和诺氟沙星(NOR)的等温吸附行为.采用N2物理吸附、扫描电镜、热重及元素分析等表征,对离子型抗生素在磷酸改性的生物炭上的等温吸附行为进行了研究.结果表明,随着制备温度的增加,改性生物炭的总孔体积不断增大,孔隙结构广泛形成,比表面积急剧增加.磷酸改性有助于提高生物炭的产率以及保留生物炭的极性官能团.OFL和NOR在改性生物炭上的吸附显著高于原始生物炭,且350℃下制备的改性生物炭具有最大吸附量,其吸附机制归因于吸附剂的大比表面积和孔隙填充作用.由于孔隙的利用率降低和炭的疏水性增强,OFL和NOR在更高温度改性生物炭上的吸附量逐渐降低.因此,在处理以上两种污染物时,350℃可作为磷酸改性生物炭的最佳裂解温度,且有利于减少能耗,节约资源.     

花生壳和松木屑制备的生物炭对Cu~(2+)的吸附研究

为了深入了解生物炭施用对重金属环境行为和风险的影响,研究了生物炭吸附Cu~(2+)的机理。以花生壳和松木屑为原料,采用限氧升温炭化法,在200~500℃热裂解制得8种生物炭,并通过元素分析仪、傅立叶变换红外光谱分析(FITR)和扫描电镜-能谱分析(SEM/EDS)对其进行了表征。同时,采用批试验方法研究了生物炭对Cu~(2+)吸附行为。研究结果表明,(1)热解温度越高,灰分含量越多,p H增大,生物炭芳构化程度越高,比表面积更大;(2)Cu~(2+)在生物炭上的吸附动力学划分为快吸附和慢吸附两个一级动力学阶段,其中快室是生物炭表面含氧官能团如羧基(-COOH)、酚羟基(-OH)等与重金属离子相互作用的吸附,慢速室是生物炭通过颗粒内扩散作用被生物炭吸附;(3)FM模型更适合于对花生壳和松木屑制备的生物炭吸附Cu~(2+)的数据进行拟合,所得非线性指数(n)的值在0.23~0.67之间且随热解温度升高n值越来越小;(4)在热解温度为200~500℃,花生壳生物炭对Cu~(2+)的吸附量先下降后增加且PS5对Cu~(2+)的吸附性能最佳;而松木生物炭对Cu~(2+)的吸附量没有明显的规律性变化,但PC2对Cu~(2+)的吸附性能最佳。     

生物炭中溶解性有机质对污染物环境行为的影响

生物炭的广阔应用前景吸引了研究者的广泛关注。生物炭中具有显著流动性的溶解性有机质(Biochar-derived dissolved organic matter,BDOM)作为一种高效的吸附载体,对污染物迁移的影响显著,是了解生物炭环境效应的关键。然而,原料来源及热解温度与BDOM的特性之间的关联性,以及BDOM与污染物相互作用的机制尚未明确。因此,文章通过综述原料及热解温度对BDOM特性的影响,以明确BDOM影响污染物环境行为机制的研究现状。有关研究表明:(1)生物质原料中木质素含量越高,BDOM C含量越高,官能团种类更加丰富,芳香性更强,而产率则越低;(2)随热解温度的升高,BDOM中C含量增加、芳香性增强,而产率及含氧官能团种类降低;(3)BDOM与疏水性有机污染物形成致密的类胶体结构,使疏水性有机污染物的溶解度提高,从而使疏水性有机污染物更容易被降解;(4)BDOM通过增加土壤中溶解性有机质的含量,从而形成新的吸附位点(如羧基官能团),以促进土壤对重金属或有机污染物的固持;(5)BDOM与重金属发生络合或氧化还原作用,影响重金属形态,从而改变土壤中重金属的毒性和生物有效性。该文可为全面评估生物炭在土壤污染修复应用中的功能提供参考。     

生物炭吸附有机污染物的研究进展

生物炭(biochar)是指生物质在缺氧条件下热裂解产生的一种产物.由于其精致的孔隙结构和独特的表面化学性质,对环境介质中的有机污染物有超强的吸附能力,进而影响污染物的迁移与归宿.近年来生物炭对有机污染物的吸附特性及机理研究已成为环境科学领域的研究热点之一.本文从生物炭的典型性状、吸附有机污染物的机理、影响因素以及对土壤中有机污染物生物可给性的影响等方面进行了综述,并提出生物炭吸附有机污染物未来的研究方向.     

三维多孔生物炭吸附剂的制备及其对菲的吸附行为

以生活中常见的丝瓜络为原材料,在氮气保护和不同温度(600、700、800、900℃)的条件下热解制备了三维多孔丝瓜络生物炭(LSBC600、LSBC700、LSBC800、LSBC900)。表征了丝瓜络生物炭的理化性质,通过动力学吸附实验和等温线吸附实验研究了不同热解温度条件下制备的丝瓜络生物炭对菲的吸附动力学特征和吸附等温线特征,探讨了可能的吸附机理,评估三维多孔生物炭对菲的去除能力,为水生态系统保护和饮用水安全提供科学依据。结果表明,热解温度会影响生物炭的表面官能团组成,进而影响其芳香性。丝瓜络生物炭呈现多管束堆叠的三维多孔结构,随着热解温度的升高,挥发性物质减少,丝瓜络生物炭的表面变得粗糙,比表面积增大,芳香结构增加;LSBC900的比表面积达到了467 m²·g^-1。吸附动力学结果说明,丝瓜络生物炭对菲的吸附是复杂和多阶段的,主导吸附速率的是液膜扩散过程,其次是颗粒内扩散过程。在600-900℃范围内,随着热解温度的升高,丝瓜络生物炭对菲的平衡吸附量升高,吸附速率加快。吸附等温线结果说明,热解温度升高可以提高丝瓜络生物炭对菲的吸附容...     

不同温度和时间炭化茶树枝生物炭理化特征分析

为揭示不同温度和时间炭化的生物炭理化性质差异,以茶树枝为原材料,研究炭化温度(300、450和600℃)和时间(1和3h)对茶树枝生物炭特性及元素组成的影响.结果表明,茶树枝生物炭呈多孔、高比表面积结构,较为完整地保留了茶树枝的组织结构.茶树枝生物炭产率随炭化温度的升高和时间的延长而降低,灰分含量、pH值、有机碳、全磷、全钾、全钙、全镁含量和C/N比升高,而全氮含量则呈降低趋势.生物炭pH值与灰分含量呈极显著正相关(P＜0.01),灰分含量是茶树枝生物炭碱性的主要贡献因素.炭化条件对茶树枝生物炭理化性质具有明显影响,炭化温度的影响作用大于炭化时间.此外,探讨了茶树枝生物炭在茶园的应用前景,为茶树枝生物炭的应用提供了参考.     

氮改性对生物炭理化性质的影响及其对废水中铜离子的吸附特性

原状生物炭对废水中污染物的去除效果有限,改性是提高其吸附能力的重要途径.本文以水稻秸秆为对象,尿素为改性剂,在700℃无氧热解条件下分别制备了原状秸秆生物炭（RSBC）和氮改性秸秆生物炭（N-RSBC）,采用扫描电子显微镜（SEM）、比表面积分析仪（BET）、元素分析仪（EA）、Zeta电位、X射线衍射（XRD）、傅里叶红外光谱（FTIR）以及X射线光电子能谱（XPS）对RSBC和N-RSBC的形貌、比表面积、元素组成、矿物类型和官能团进行表征,考察溶液初始pH值、离子类型和离子强度对生物炭吸附Cu²⁺的影响,并结合吸附等温线和吸附动力学实验、吸附后表征结果探究生物炭对废水中Cu²⁺的吸附性能和机理.结果表明,氮改性导致了生物炭的比表面积和孔体积的降低,而生物炭的官能团类型却更加丰富,特别是含氮官能团.当溶液初始pH值从2.0增加到6.0,生物炭对于Cu²⁺的去除率逐渐增加.对RSBC而言,Na⁺、K⁺、Ca²⁺、Mg2+的存在能略微增加其对Cu^...     

动植物来源生物炭对水体中Cd~(2+)的吸附特性

以动植物来源(鸡粪便和小麦秸秆)的生物质为原料,在350和650℃条件下慢速热解制备生物炭并表征其理化性质,采用批量吸附试验研究不同吸附时间、溶液pH值和Cd~(2+)浓度条件下生物炭对Cd~(2+)的吸附特性。结果表明,随着热解温度升高,生物炭的pH值和灰分含量升高,芳香性和疏水性增强,极性减弱。相同热解温度条件下,动物来源的鸡粪炭pH值和灰分含量比植物来源的小麦秸秆炭高,芳香结构更完备。生物炭对Cd~(2+)的吸附动力学过程均符合准二级动力学模型(R20.99),吸附在12 h时达到平衡,吸附过程均由外部液膜扩散、表面吸附和颗粒内扩散共同控制,且后者是主要限速步骤。随着溶液pH值的升高(2.0~6.0),生物炭对Cd~(2+)的吸附量均逐渐增加。Langmuir模型能很好地描述植物来源的小麦秸秆炭对Cd~(2+)的吸附行为(R2为0.970 3~0.981 5),Freundlich模型更适用于动物来源的鸡粪炭(R2为0.971 7~0.976 9),动物来源的鸡粪炭对Cd~(2+)的吸附效果优于植物来源的小麦秸秆炭。阳离子-π作用和沉淀作用是650℃生物炭吸附Cd~(2+)的主要机制。     

腐殖酸负载对萘和1-萘酚在生物炭上吸附动力学的影响

进入环境的生物炭对有机污染物的吸附过程受到普遍共存的溶解性有机质的影响.本研究将两种腐殖酸组分负载在以玉米秸秆为原料、不同炭化温度下(200、400、600℃)制得的生物炭上,考察极性和非极性有机污染物萘和1-萘酚在原始和腐殖酸负载生物炭上的吸附动力学,分别应用拟一级、拟二级和双室一级3种动力学模型对实验数据进行拟合.结果表明,拟二级和双室一级动力学模型均能较好地描述动力学吸附过程.腐殖酸负载对生物炭上萘和1-萘酚的吸附动力学有显著影响,使得平衡吸附量(Q_e)下降,而表观吸附速率提高.致密的芳香碳组分和纳米级孔隙主要对萘和1-萘酚在生物炭上的慢吸附单元起作用,腐殖酸负载降低了生物炭的芳香化程度和孔隙度,慢吸附对总吸附的贡献(f_(slow))降低.生物炭内部有机碳的致密性降低,使得萘和1-萘酚分子容易扩散进入生物炭颗粒内部,加之表面积和孔隙度减少,缩短吸附平衡时间,两种化合物的慢吸附速率常数(k_(slow))均提高.负载腐殖酸后,两种化合物的快吸附速率常数(k_(fast))的变化却不同.腐殖酸负载向生物炭表面引入含氧极性官能团,阻碍萘分子向表面疏水吸附位点扩散,使得萘的k_(fast)下降;而由于1-萘酚是极性有机物,除了疏水作用,其结构中的—OH能通过氢键与生物炭表面相互作用,其k_(fast)反而升高.     

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.