人为干扰对江油地区马尾松人工林群落结构和物种多样性的影响

物种多样性是群落功能复杂性和稳定性的重要量度指标,人为干扰对森林群落的影响可以通过群落结构和物种多样性的变化而直接显现,不同干扰强度下的森林群落结构和物种多样性特征不同。采用典型样地法,对比研究两种人为干扰强度（干扰强和弱）对江油地区的马尾松（Pinus massoniana）人工林群落的物种组成、群落结构和物种多样性的影响,采用物种丰富度指数D值、Shannon-wienner指数H值、Simpson优势度指数H′值和均匀度指数Jsw值来综合衡量群落的物种多样性水平。结果表明,（1）在总面积3200 m2的8个样地中记录到124个物种,隶属于105属56科,干扰强的群落各层次物种数均低于干扰弱的群落。（2）不同强度人为干扰下马尾松人工林的群落结构不同,干扰弱的群落径级结构呈近正态分布,在径级Ⅵ（7 cm≤d〈9 cm）处出现数量的峰值26株,群落结构较稳定;干扰强的群落径级结构不呈正态分布,在径级Ⅶ（13 cm≤d〈15 cm）处出现峰值43株。干扰弱和干扰强的群落高度级结构与其径级结构具有相似性,干扰弱的群落的个体主要集中在低中高度级（3≤H〈17）;干扰强的群落的个体数在各高度级分布不均匀,主要分布在中高高度级（H≥13）;干扰强的群落的个体数在各径级和高度级分布相对不均匀,群落结构趋于不稳定。（3）人为干扰对马尾松人工林群落造成负面影响,随着人为干扰强度的增加,物种丰富度指数D值、Shannon-wiener多样性指数H值、均匀度多样性指数Jsw值降低,Simpson优势度指数H′值增大,物种多样性呈下降趋势。     

元宝山两类森林群落的乔木物种多样性

对元宝山保存的广西最古老、最原始、最完整的常绿落叶阔叶混交林和针阔混交林进行了乔木层物种多样性研究．结果表明：1)两类群落的物种多样性特征和群落各物种的重要值变化以及群落优势度反映出来的特征相一致；2)物种重要值和个体数作为测度指标所得结果相近；3)随着面积由500～3000m^2的变化，物种多样性指数差异不大，标准差和变异系数均较小，在不受面积大小影响，正确反映群落多样性方面，Shannon—Wiener指数优于Simpson指数；4)常绿落叶阔叶混交林和针阔混交林的多样性指数均较高，Shannon—Wiener指数分别为5．3507和4．5395，与北热带季节性热带雨林、南亚热带季风常绿阔叶林和中亚热带典型常绿阔叶林物种多样性比较，未表现出明显的纬度梯度特征．图4表4参20     

扁刺栲-华木荷群系次生林林下物种多样性分析

对四川中亚热带扁刺栲(Castanopsis platyacantha)—华木荷(Schima sinensis)群系人工杉木林、水杉林、日本落叶松林和天然次生林林下植物进行了群落调查和物种多样性分析。结果表明：(1)杉木林、水杉林、日本落叶松林和次生扁刺栲—华木荷林(20a)的物种丰富度分别为62，59，53和32；Simpson多样性指数分别为7．95，7．08，9．24和5．38；Shannon—Wiener多样性指数分别为3．67，3．3l，3．64和2．46。(2)人工林林下植物群落之间的群落系数和相似度系数分别为0．45～0．60和0．62～0．82；人工林林下植物群落与次生阔叶林林下植物群落之间的群落系数和相似度系数分别为0．19～0．53和0．55～0．77。(3)人工林林下物种多样性比次生林高的主要原因可能是风倒木和站干死木导致人工林乔木层郁闭度减小，增加了林下的光照，从而改蛮了林下的微生境。表6参19。     

太行山中段植物群落物种多样性与环境的关系

通过丰富度指数、物种多样性指数和均匀度指数,结合TWINSPAN、DCCA排序及相关分析,研究了物种多样性及其变化机制,把植物群落分为8个群落类型;物种多样性指数变化的总体趋势是随着海拔的降低(从群落Ⅰ到群落Ⅷ)而降低(Simpson指数除外),对于某一个群落,这些指数都反映出基本一致的趋势;物种多样性指数的DCCA第一轴基本上反映了海拔变化引起的土壤水分的变化,第二轴基本上反映了人类对群落的干扰程度,物种多样性指数随土壤水分的增加而增大,随人类干扰程度的增加而减小.环境因子中,氮、有机质、海拔与第一轴呈负相关,其余因子与第一轴呈正相关,而铜、pH值与第一轴夹角很小,说明它们和水分梯度有显著的正相关,而锰、电导率与第二轴夹角小,说明它们与第二轴相关性大,而磷和第二轴却呈显著负相关.图3表1参12     

重庆四面山杉木群落物种多样性研究

通过对重庆四面山杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)林样地的调查,运用丰富度指数、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、Simpson多样性指数和Pielou均匀度指数,分析了该地区杉木群落物种多样性特征,将该地区现存杉木群落划分为2个群系组(杉木林和杉木针阔混交林),8个群系,10个群丛。结果表明,杉木群落可分为乔木层、灌木层和草本层。在杉木林群系组中,丰富度指数、多样性指数和均匀度指数均表现为灌木层>草本层>乔木层。在杉木针阔混交林群系组中,丰富度指数表现为灌木层>乔木层>草本层;多样性指数多数表现为灌木层>乔木层>草本层;均匀度指数变化较为复杂,没有统一规律。杉木群落各层的丰富度指数随海拔高度的升高总体上呈下降趋势。群落各层的多样性指数随海拔高度的升高在特定区间内表现出一定规律性:在海拔1180m以下低海拔区域,随海拔高度的升高呈下降趋势;在海拔1180～1351m范围内,随海拔高度的升高呈波动状态;而在海拔1351m以上高海拔区域,又呈下降趋势。群落各层的均匀度指数随海拔梯度变化较为复杂,未表现出明显规律。     

三江平原典型环型湿地生物多样性

以三江平原典型环型湿地为研究对象，在前人研究的基础上，结合野外调查，研究环型湿地生境多样性和物种多样性的现状及其形成原因，并探讨2者之间的关系。研究表明，三江平原环型湿地生境较为复杂，生境多样性高，生境多样性主要是由水文和地貌在不同层次的时空尺度上相互作用而形成和维持的；由环型湿地中心向边缘，湿地植物的丰富度指数和多样性指数呈先增加后减少的趋势，在塔头苔草(Carex casiocaepa)群落处达到最大值，而漂筏苔草(Carex pseudocuraica)群落和沼柳一越菊柳(Salix brachypoda—Salix myrtilloides)群落较低。湿地动物物种多样性丰富，大型土壤动物多样性与均匀性以芦苇-苔草群落为最高而其优势度最低，中小型土壤动物的均匀度和多样性以小叶章(Calamagrostics angustifolia)沼泽化草甸最高而其优势度最低；三江平原环型湿地物种多样性和生境多样性关系密切。     

南亚热带森林群落演替过程中结构多样性与碳储量的变化

选择鼎湖山处于演替初期的马尾松林(Pine massoniana forest,PF)、演替中期的针阔混交林(Pine massoniana and broadleaved mixed forest,MF)及演替顶级的南亚热带常绿阔叶林(Evergreen broad-leaved forest in South China,BF)为研究对象,以样地每木调查为基础,分析群落演替过程中物种、结构多样性及碳储量的动态变化规律,旨在全面评估南亚热带森林演替过程中群落结构及碳汇功能的协同变化,指导区域低质马尾松人工林近自然改造。结果表明,(1)物种丰富度、群落结构多样性指数及碳储量随群落正向演替而增加,物种丰富度较碳储量的增加幅度大。(2)3种不同胸径(diameter at breast height,DBH)等级:小(1 cm≤DBH10 cm)、中(10 cm≤DBH30 cm)和大(DBH≥30 cm)径级个体的碳储量随群落演替的变化:从PF演替至MF过程中的共有种,各径级的个体数比例和碳储量比例均呈下降趋势;从MF演替至BF过程中的共有种,小径级个体数比例下降,而大径级个体数比例(由MF的2.1%上升至BF的33.4%)与碳储量比例均上升(由MF的7.3%上升至BF的64.4%)。(3)南亚热带森林演替过程中共有种的重要值、个体数量及占群落碳储量的比例均呈现由前一个演替阶段向后一个演替阶段下降的趋势;而新增种呈相反的变化趋势,随演替的正向进行,重要值、个体数量及占群落碳储量的比例呈增加的趋势。锥栗(Castanopsis chinensis)、荷木(Schima superba)是MF发展至BF过程中主要的共有种,二者对MF及BF碳储量的贡献之和分别为MF的76.3%,BF的50.5%,远大于其他种群,表明在马尾松低质人工林改造中可以引入区域常见阔叶树种锥栗、荷木,以达到提高群落的物种多样性、优化群落结构、提升植被碳储量的目的。     

海拔对藏北高寒草地物种多样性和生物量的影响

高寒草地是青藏高原生态系统的主体,高寒草地物种多样性和生物量沿海拔梯度的空间分布格局在气候变化及人为干扰的双重影响下已发生重大变化。为明晰海拔对物种多样性和生物量的影响,以藏北地区那曲市罗玛镇高寒草地为研究对象,于2018年8月采用样方调查法对不同海拔梯度高寒草地植物高度、盖度、地上生物量及物种多样性沿海拔变化进行调查和统计分析,探讨藏北高寒草地物种多样性和地上生物量在海拔上的变化规律及二者的关系。研究表明:(1)植物盖度和地上生物量分别由海拔4 600 m的89.0%和64.7 g·m~(-2)降至4 800 m的67.3%和41.8 g·m~(-2),即植物盖度和地上生物量随海拔的升高呈线性降低的趋势;(2)不同海拔梯度间植物物种组成存在较大差异,高海拔段中旱生禾本科植物逐渐被耐寒喜湿植物取代;(3)物种丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数沿海拔呈单峰分布格局,而E.Pielou均匀度指数则呈U型分布格局;(4)物种丰富度和Shannon-Wiener指数与地上生物量呈负二次函数关系;地上生物量与土壤温度呈指数增长趋势,与土壤湿度呈指数降低的趋势。研究结果初步揭示了藏北高原高寒草地不同海拔梯度物种多样性及其生物量的垂直分布差异,以及不同海拔梯度间水热组合差异对物种多样性及其生物量的影响。     

岷山北坡高海拔区草本植物群落特征及主要植物功能群C、N、P含量分析

海拔是影响物种多样性格局的决定性因素之一,对生态系统格局与过程起着重要作用。运用回归分析、相关分析、Duncan多重比较和Pearson相关系数检验对岷山北坡高海拔2300—2900 m草本群落特征、群落初级生产力及不同植物功能群进行分析。结果表明:样地共调查出草本植物20科35属44种,菊科、百合科和蔷薇科的物种数分别占总物种数的比例为25%,14%和11%,表现出明显的优势性。草本群落的生物量均与海拔梯度的相关性不显著(P>0.05),且随海拔升高均表现出先增后减的总体趋势;植物盖度、物种丰富度、密度均与海拔表现出极显著负相关关系(P<0.001),而植物高度与海拔表现出极显著正相关关系(P<0.01)。从功能群的角度分析,随着海拔梯度的不断升高,禾本科、菊科以及杂类草3个植物功能群的叶碳含量(LCC)和根碳含量(RCC)整体呈上升趋势;叶磷含量(LPC)整体都呈下降趋势,而禾本科的根磷含量(RPC)呈上升趋势,菊科和杂类草表现出先升后降的趋势;叶氮含量(LNC)禾本科呈下降趋势,菊科呈上升趋势,杂类草呈先上升后下降的变化趋势,根氮含量(RNC)禾本科和杂类草的呈上升趋势,而菊科表现出先上升后下降的趋势。研究结果初步揭示了岷山北坡不同海拔梯度草本植物群落特征及其生物量的变化特征,以及物种多样性和主要植物功能群碳、氮、磷元素在海拔梯度上的分布差异,为今后岷山北坡草本群落分布格局和生物地球化学循环的研究提供科学依据。     

彭州白水河国家级自然保护区植物群落α多样性的海拔梯度变化

白水河国家级自然保护区位于四川省彭州市境内,地处龙门山脉东南部,从海拔1400～4800 m依次覆盖着常绿阔叶林、常绿落叶混交林、落叶阔叶林、亚高山针叶林、高山亚高山灌丛、高山草甸和流石滩植被.通过对白水河保护区山地东南坡不同海拔高度的样方调查,研究了该区域植物群落α多样性及其沿海拔梯度的变化规律.结果表明,乔木层物种的丰富度及Shannon指数随海拔上升呈明显的线性下降趋势;灌木层和草本层物种丰富度及Shannon指数随海拔上升呈抛物线下降趋势.乔木物种从海拔1400 m的12种至林线下降为2种;灌木和草本植物分别从35种和38种至山顶下降为5种和20种.乔木层物种的均匀度在2800～2900 m由于出现单一的冷杉群落而突然降低;灌木层和草本层物种的均匀度则较为一致,波动不大.乔木层物种的优势度随海拔升高而逐渐上升,并在2900m急速升高;灌木层和草本层的优势度呈浅波状变化.乔木层物种随海拔升高在不同群落类型间出现明显的物种替代现象,表明海拔梯度包含了多种环境因子的梯度效应,影响着植物群落的分布、结构及物种多样性.图4表1参20     

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.