太湖梅梁湾磷化氢气体浓度和通量日变化

以太湖梅梁湾湖区为研究对象,考察水面上空磷化氢浓度和水-气界面磷化氢释放通量的习变化.结果表明,白天大气中磷化氢浓度(7.39±7.00)ng·m-3显著低于夜间(37.05±22.74)ng·m-3,光照是影响大气中磷化氢浓度的主要因素.磷化氢通量全天正负交替,白天平均通量(11.41±23.76)ng·m-2·h-1,水体为磷化氢的释放源;夜间平均通量为(-37.62±26.45)ng·m-2·h-1,水体表现为磷化氢的汇;一天内平均日变化为(-13.11±35.04)ng·m-2·h-1,磷化氢总体为从大气向水体迁移的过程.磷化氢通量与水温显著正相关,而与大气中磷化氢浓度显著负相关.相关性分析表明磷化氢与温室气体(甲烷、二氧化碳和氧化亚氮)均呈现负相关.     

夏、秋季长江口外海域沉积物-水界面溶解无机碳的交换通量

沉积物-海水界面是海洋中溶解无机碳(DIC)转移和储存的重要场所，长江口外海域拥有特定的沉积物-水界面交换的空间格局，研究其沉积物-水界面DIC的交换过程对于碳的循环和转化具有重要意义.本研究于2021年8月和2021年10月在长江口外海域采集沉积物样品及原位底层海水，通过实验室模拟培养法计算了该海域沉积物-水界面DIC的交换通量，并研究了沉积物间隙水-上覆水的DIC浓度差、温度、盐度和pH对DIC交换通量的影响.结果表明，夏季和秋季研究海域沉积物-水界面DIC交换通量平均值分别为(432.45±190.78)μmol·m^-2·h^-1和(223.05±110.39)μmol·m^-2·h^-1.夏季交换通量高于秋季，DIC扩散方向均由沉积物向上覆水释放，表明沉积物表现为DIC的“源”.此外，交换通量会随着DIC浓度差或温度升高而升高，随着盐度或pH升高而降低.     

太湖水土界面氮磷释放通量的流动培养研究

运用一种新的水土界面释放通量研究方法--流动培养法,对太湖不同湖区不同季节条件下水土界面氮磷释放通量进行研究.结果表明,太湖水体沉积物是其上覆水体氮磷的内源,不同湖区间铵态氮、磷酸盐交换速率差异显著,其中,受入湖河道污染输入影响较大的梅梁湾北部、竺山湾、西部沿岸带湖区铵态氮释放速率[(103.35±13.17)mg·m-2·d-1]显著高于太湖其他湖区[(11.87±12.03)mg·m-2·d-1].磷酸盐空间释放规律与铵态氮相似,但释放的高值还出现在西南沿岸带、贡湖湾和东太湖.与静态培养方式下获得的结果相同,流动培养方式下梅梁湾铵态氮和磷酸盐释放速率也表现出季节性和空间差异,即夏季水土界面氮磷释放速率高于春、秋季,且污染严重湖区的释放速率高于其他湖区.由于流动培养的气密性减少了上覆水铵态氮以NH3的形式挥发,使得铵态氮释放速率高于敞口的静态培养方式;而就非挥发性磷酸盐释放速率而言,2种培养方式下得到的结果基本一致.     

流速对雨水管道中沉积物-水界面磷的释放及其释放速率的影响

通过实验室模拟研究了进水流速对雨水管道中沉积物-水界面间磷释放规律的影响,得出不同流速条件下沉积物-水界面磷交换的平衡时间,拟合出上覆水磷的平均浓度和沉积物中磷最大累积释放量与流速的关系曲线,并采用连续函数计算方法通过现场采样和实验分析进行不同流速下雨水管道沉积物-水界面磷交换速率的研究,最后根据实验得出的交换速率值,以一条雨水管线为例估算了不同进水流速下沉积物中磷释放总量.结果表明,流速的增大会促进沉积物中磷的释放,且上覆水总磷平均浓度及磷释放最大量随流速的增大而呈指数式增长,对应的指数方程分别为y=1.2194e0.5983x和y=0.436e0.7928x.在实验工况下,流速为0.3、0.5、0.7、0.9和1.1 m.s-1对应的磷平均释放速率分别为0.62、1.04、2.51、2.85和4.09 mg.m-.2min-1;对应的磷释放总量的估算值分别为3410.00、5720.00、27610.00、31350.00和61861.25 mg.     

南四湖表层沉积物重金属的赋存形态及底部界面扩散通量的估算

采用"SOFIE"模拟装置,研究了南四湖污染程度不同的两个湖区(南阳湖及独山湖区)表层沉积物中重金属元素的形态组成,间隙水及界面上覆水中重金属浓度的变化特征.结果表明,南阳湖区沉积物间隙水及界面上覆水中Cr,Cu,Ni,Zn和Pb的浓度均高于独山湖区,这与沉积物中重金属元素的有效结合态含量变化一致,主要与人为污染有关.南阳湖及独山湖区沉积物-水界面±0.5 cm范围内重金属元素具有较高的浓度梯度,间隙水中Fe与Mn浓度明显高于界面上覆水;Cu,Ni,Zn,Pb的浓度均低于界面上覆水;独山湖区沉积物间隙水中Cr浓度与界面上覆水相似,而南阳湖区沉积物间隙水中Cr浓度略高于界面上覆水.采用Fick第一定律,计算得到南阳湖及独山湖区沉积物-水界面附近Cu,Ni,Zn,Pb的扩散通量,分别为-0.23,-1.47,-2.57,-0.04 mmol.m-.2d-1和-0.34,-0.67,-0.48,-0.01 mmol.m-.2d-1,沉积物表现为重金属元素的"汇";而Cr的扩散通量分别为0.03 mmol.m-.2d-1和-0.02 mmol.m-.2d-1,说明污染较重的南阳湖区沉积物中Cr已表现出向上覆水体扩散的特征.     

洱海入湖河口湿地沉积物氨氮释放潜力研究

罗时江河口湿地运行10 a后,沉积物中N含量不断增加,存在较大释放风险。通过现场原位定点监测,探索上覆水、沉积物中N的时空分异特征;采用原柱样连续流动培养方法室内模拟5 d,研究湿地沉积物NH_4~+-N释放通量变化规律及影响因素。结果表明:(1)湿地上覆水中ρ(TN)和ρ(NH_4~+-N)较高,分别为3.11～5.13和0.32～0.62 mg·L~(-1),自入水口向出水口呈递减趋势。表层沉积物w(TN)和w(NH_4~+-N)分别为1 264.83～2 554.48和13.56～63.42 mg·kg~(-1),呈入水口高于其他监测点的特点。(2)湿地沉积物的NH_4~+-N释放通量为270.60～747.58 mg·m~(-2)·d~(-1),平均为482.95 mg·m~(-2)·d~(-1),湿地沉积物主要表现为NH_4~+-N的"源"。在为期5 d的连续流动培养实验过程中,湿地沉积物NH_4~+-N释放通量呈先减少再增加的趋势,在培养第3天时达到最低值。研究结果可为洱海流域人工恢复湿地设计、管理等提供科学依据。     

鄱阳湖沉积物中磷吸附释放特性及影响因素研究

沉积物是氮磷营养盐的主要蓄积库,它不仅是外来污染物的归宿地,同时其自身营养盐的释放也可对水环境产生重大影响。针对鄱阳湖存在的沉积物磷释放问题,关键环境因子对基质磷吸附的影响规律进行了探讨。通过控制在不同环境因素条件下,上覆水中磷的变化规律探讨,阐明磷在上覆水-底泥界面迁移转化的规律和环境因素对迁移转化过程的影响。研究结果表明,吸附初始阶段,两者含量相差较大,起始吸附速率很高;随着反应时间的推进,两者含量差随之减小;当吸附时间达到30 min时,此时上覆水的平衡质量浓度为8.648 mg·L^-1,两者含量达成平衡。由磷的吸附等温试验同样可看出,随着平衡质量浓度逐渐增加,土壤吸磷量刚开始增加较快,随后增加趋势逐渐减缓直至磷饱和。pH越小,上覆水质量浓度越低,沉积物对磷的吸附作用越强;pH越大,上覆水中TP质量浓度越大,强碱条件下,TP吸收量剧减。在好氧条件下,沉积物对磷的吸附远远高于厌氧条件下沉积物的吸附。好氧条件下,反应在4 h内,沉积物对磷的吸附速率最高,随后吸附量很小直至逐渐饱和。厌氧条件下,吸附作用不明显;当反应时间达到24 h后,上覆水磷质量浓度保持不变,此时沉积物磷吸附达到饱和。高溶解氧水平对于控制底泥向上覆水体释放磷,维持水体较低总磷是必要的。温度为30℃,20℃和5℃3种条件下,当反应24 h后,三者均达到吸附平衡。因此,当上覆水的磷质量浓度较低时,高温条件下基质的磷释放速度会高于低温条件下的磷释放速度。研究结果旨在为正确认识、合理评估环境因素对湖泊水体磷的影响提供更为充分恰当的试验依据和理论解释。     

黄河上中游水体沉积物对磷酸盐的吸附/释放行为

研究了黄河上中游8个沉积物磷酸盐的吸附/释放动力学,比较了不同沉积物吸附磷的差别,分析了沉积物磷形态对磷吸附特征的影响.结果表明,沉积物对磷酸盐的吸附与释放均主要在前8 h内完成,在前0.5 h内对磷的吸附和释放速率均最快,在24 h内吸附基本达到平衡;沉积物对磷的等温吸附曲线既符合线性方程和Freundlich模型,同时也较好地符合Langmuir模型.据Langmuir模型计算得出沉积物对磷的最大吸附容量为0.095～0.272 mg·g-1,且最大吸附容量与沉积物总磷、可交换态磷和有机质含量呈显著正相关;沉积物在相应的上覆水中对磷酸盐的吸附过程存在一个吸附/解吸平衡点,对应的吸附/解吸平衡质量浓度为0.009～0.031 mg·L-1,均大于相应上覆水体中磷浓度,说明沉积物有向上覆水释磷的趋势.     

运河(杭州段)沉积物中Cu和Zn的释放特征

采用模拟试验研究了运河（杭州段）沉积物中Cu和Zn的释放规律，以及投加石灰、曝气等地表水治理手段对其释放规律的影响，结果表明，沉积物中Cu的释放速率很快，在1-2d内沉积物-上覆水间Cu的分配即达到平衡，而Zn的释放速率较慢，在21d的模拟试验中上覆水Zn的浓度仍在增加，运河沉积物的释放尽管不会导致上覆水中Cu和Zn浓度超过地表水的二类标准，但显著超过了渔业水质标准，对运河的水生生态系统构成威胁，采用投加石灰和水体曝气可以有效降低上覆水中Cu和Zn的平衡浓度。     

长江中下游浅水湖泊沉积物磷释放动力学

在室内模拟条件下,通过沉积物磷释放动力学实验,研究了长江中下游浅水湖泊13个沉积物的磷释放动力学特征,并分析了沉积物组成特征对磷释放动力学的影响,结果表明:(1)指数动力学模型可以很好地拟合长江中下游浅水湖泊沉积物磷释放动力学特征,前20h为快反应,磷释放速度较大,随后进入慢反应,逐渐达到最大释放量;(2)沉积物磷释放动力学特征与其组成有关,其中与总氮、总磷和有机质含量呈显著正相关,与沙粒含量呈显著负相关,而与粘粒含量没有达到显著水平,与Olsen-P(0.5mol·L-1NaHCO3,pH8.5提取的磷)和易解吸态磷(RDP)含量达极显著正相关水平;(3)可以根据总磷和有效磷含量来比较和预测湖泊沉积物磷释放动力学特征,且根据有效磷含量可以得到比根据总磷含量更可靠的结果。研究成果可为系统揭示浅水湖泊富营养化发生机制提供依据。     

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.