黄杜鹃叶提取物对桔二叉蚜的毒力及其毒理研究

黄杜鹃(Rhododendron molle)叶提取物对桔二叉蚜(Toxoptera aurantii)有较强的毒杀作用．黄杜鹃叶的乙醇总提物对桔二叉蚜无翅成蚜的半致死浓度(LC50)为1558mg/L在黄杜鹃叶提取物的4种萃取物中，乙酸乙酯萃取物对桔二叉蚜的毒力最强，其LC50为364mg／L，表明黄杜鹃叶含有的杀虫活性物质主要存在于乙酸乙酯萃取物中．实验表明，黄杜鹃叶乙酸乙酯萃取物对桔二叉蚜的乙酰胆碱酯酶(AchE)和羧酸酯酶(CarE)有一定的抑制作用．桔二叉蚜经10000mg/L的黄杜鹃叶乙酸乙酯萃取物溶液处理24h后，其体内的乙酰胆碱酯酶的活性为对照组的0．6543倍，羧酸酯酶的活性仅为对照组的0．4021倍．图2表4参10     

短叶对齿藓可培养内生细菌的分离及其发酵产物对宿主植物的影响

采用传统培养法分离内蒙古黄土丘陵区生物结皮的藓类植物优势种——短叶对齿藓(Didymodon tectorum)的内生细菌,并观察代表菌株的发酵产物对宿主植物孢子萌发及原丝体生长的影响.共分离出68株内生细菌,基于16S r DNA序列同源性分析及构建的系统发育树显示,它们分属于芽孢杆菌属(Bacillus)下的7个种,其中优势种为枯草芽孢杆菌(B.subtilis).枯草芽孢杆菌菌株DT-1和蜡样芽孢杆菌菌株DT-9的石油醚相、乙酸乙酯相和正丁醇相萃取物在1μg/m L、10μg/m L及100μg/m L三种浓度下对孢子萌发均无显著影响;石油醚相萃取物在3种浓度下不同程度地抑制原丝体生长;而乙酸乙酯相和正丁醇相萃取物则促进原丝体的生长.本研究表明苔藓植物原丝体阶段的生长发育与内生细菌的次生代谢物密切相关,可为干旱、半干旱区藓类生物结皮人工促建提供参考资料和实验依据.     

几种萃取剂对土壤中重金属生物有效部分的萃取效果

采用6种萃取剂:pH=7的0.01mol/L CaCl_2、pH=7.3的0.005mol/L DTPA+0.1mol/L TEA(三乙醇胺)+0.01mol/L CaCl_2O.1mol/L NaNO_3、0.43mol/L HOAc、pH=7的0.05mol/L EDTA和pH=4.65的0.5mol/L NH_4OAc+0.02mol/L EDTA浸取液.对污染土壤中的重金属Cu、Zn、Cd、Pb、的进行了萃取,并比较了萃取剂的萃取能力。实验结果表明,HOAc、EDTA以及NH_4OAc-EDTA萃取各种重金属的能力远远大于其它几种萃取剂的萃取能力,是比较理想的萃取剂。     

纤维素酸解副产物对Clostridium acetobutylicum CICC8012发酵的影响

为确定纤维素酸解副产物对C.acetobutylicum CICC8012发酵生产纤维燃料丁醇的影响,选择乙酸根、甲酸、葡萄糖醛酸、氯化钠、硫酸钠、糠醛、羟甲基糠醛(HMF)、香豆酸、阿魏酸、丁香醛、香草醛等纤维素酸解副产物,研究其对菌种发酵的影响.结果表明:甲酸和酚类物质的抑制作用强烈,0.5 g/L的甲酸、阿魏酸或香豆酸存在时对丁醇的抑制率分别为88.1%、22.1%、82.4%,丁香醛(≥0.5 g/L)、香草醛(≥2 g/L)可使发酵的延滞期变长,但抑制作用小于阿魏酸和香豆酸;1 g/L的糠醛、HMF、葡萄糖醛酸存在时对丁醇的抑制率分别为9.8%、4.6%、7.3%,10 g/L乙酸钠存在时对丁醇的抑制率为4.8%,这4种物质对丁醇发酵的抑制作用不大;硫酸钠、氯化钠质量浓度大于5 g/L时对发酵产生抑制作用,浓度达到20 g/L时菌体几乎不能生长.当各抑制物混合时,若抑制物的含量超过临界点,各抑制物间存在相互促进的作用;小麦秸秆水解液的发酵结果表明,水解液成分复杂,抑制作用更为强烈.     

溴虫腈在土壤的残留动态

通过超临界流体萃取技术结合气相色谱法,研究了土壤中溴虫腈的残留降解动态。正交试验L9(33)结果表明,在流量25~27 m3.h-1,夹带剂甲醇1 mL.g-1样品时,最佳萃取条件为压力25 MPa,温度39℃,时间30 min。超临界萃取试验结果表明,主要影响因素对溴虫腈回收率的影响高低程度依次为萃取温度,萃取时间,萃取压力。验证试验表明,在上述最佳萃取条件下,溴虫腈添加量为10μg、100μg、200μg时,回收率分别是105.00%、80.33%、102.33%,变异系数分别是7.32%、4.58%、4.95%。降解动态试验表明溴虫腈在土壤中的消解动态方程为Ct=0.097 2e-0.4501 t,R2=0.973 7,t1/2=2.4 d。溴虫腈10%悬浮剂(商品名除尽)在推荐剂量50 mL.(667 m2)-1或100 mL.(667 m2-)1使用2~3次,3~7 d后在土壤中残留量为6.44~23.58μg.kg-1,消解速度较快,属于易降解农药,可合理使用于无公害蔬菜生产。     

一株踝节霉菌的培养特性及其在污泥生物淋滤中的应用

于实验室嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans)淋滤处理城市污泥酸性废液中分离出一株踝节霉菌ZJ-1,并对其进行了摇瓶液体培养特性研究.单因素试验结果表明:该菌株的最适碳源和氮源分别为葡萄糖和酵母膏,最适温度为28℃,最适转速为140 r/min,最适初始pH值为5.0.正交试验优化得到碳、氮源的最优水平分别为葡萄糖70 g/L,酵母膏15 g/L.采用HPLC对该菌株PDA培养液中的有机酸进行了分析,发现其中含有丙酮酸.初始PDA培养液中丙酮酸含量为0.039 g/L,接菌培养d 5.5时其含量达0.106 g/L.为探讨踝节霉菌ZJ-1对嗜酸氧化亚铁硫杆菌淋滤污泥过程的影响,在生物淋滤起始阶段接种10%A.ferrooxidans和4%踝节霉菌ZJ-1,以仅接种10%A.ferrooxidans作为对照.结果表明A.ferrooxidans和踝节霉菌ZJ-1的复合菌组与对照组相比,淋滤耗时由7 d缩短至4 d,淋滤处理时间缩短了43%.     

荒漠草原4种典型植物群落夏季土壤呼吸及枯枝落叶分解释放CO2贡献量

采用动态密闭气室分析法测定了沙蒿(Artemisia desertorum)群落、赖草(Leymus secalinus)群落、甘草(Glycyrrhizauralensis)群落和冰草(Agropyron crisatum)群落4种典型荒漠草原植物群落土壤呼吸和枯落物分解的CO2释放速率(RS+L)、土壤呼吸CO2释放速率(RS),利用推导法估算得到了枯落物分解的CO2释放速率(RL)及其对总释放的贡献。得到了如下结论:(1)4种群落的RS+L差异较大,其平均值大小排序分别为冰草群落>赖草群落>甘草群落>沙蒿群落,且各群落的RS+L在1 d中是不稳定的,均表现为不对称的单峰曲线形式;土壤基础呼吸大小排序分别为冰草群落>甘草群落>赖草群落>沙蒿群落,且土壤基础呼吸高的土壤,其土壤养分状况较好。(2)RS相对于气温具有时滞性,4个群落的平均值大小为冰草群落>赖草群落>沙蒿群落>甘草群落。(3)RL平均值大小排序分别为冰草群落>甘草群落>赖草群落>沙蒿群落;对RS+L的贡献率大小排序为甘草群落>冰草群落>沙蒿群落>赖草群落,表明RL值大的,其对RS+L的贡献率不一定大,两者之间不存在正相关关系。不同植物群落枯落物对土壤呼吸的贡献与枯落物量、温度因子的相关关系并未表现出一致性,但与15 cm处的地温相关性最高。夏季RL对RS+L的平均贡献量(以CO2计)在0.05~0.16 g.m-2.h-1之间,平均贡献率在12.88%~35.33%,是大气CO2的一个重要的排放源。     

荒漠草原4种典型植物群落夏季土壤呼吸及枯枝落叶分解释放CO2贡献量

采用动态密闭气室分析法测定了沙蒿（Artemisia desertorum）群落、赖草（Leymus secalinus）群落、甘草（Glycyrrhizauralensis）群落和冰草（Agropyron crisatum）群落4种典型荒漠草原植物群落土壤呼吸和枯落物分解的CO2释放速率（RS＋L）、土壤呼吸CO2释放速率（RS）,利用推导法估算得到了枯落物分解的CO2释放速率（RL）及其对总释放的贡献。得到了如下结论：（1）4种群落的RS＋L差异较大,其平均值大小排序分别为冰草群落〉赖草群落〉甘草群落〉沙蒿群落,且各群落的RS＋L在1 d中是不稳定的,均表现为不对称的单峰曲线形式;土壤基础呼吸大小排序分别为冰草群落〉甘草群落〉赖草群落〉沙蒿群落,且土壤基础呼吸高的土壤,其土壤养分状况较好。（2）RS相对于气温具有时滞性,4个群落的平均值大小为冰草群落〉赖草群落〉沙蒿群落〉甘草群落。（3）RL平均值大小排序分别为冰草群落〉甘草群落〉赖草群落〉沙蒿群落;对RS＋L的贡献率大小排序为甘草群落〉冰草群落〉沙蒿群落〉赖草群落,表明RL值大的,其对RS＋L的贡献率不一定大,两者之间不存在正相关关系。不同植物群落枯落物对土壤呼吸的贡献与枯落物量、温度因子的相关关系并未表现出一致性,但与15 cm处的地温相关性最高。夏季RL对RS＋L的平均贡献量（以CO2计）在0.05~0.16 g.m-2.h-1之间,平均贡献率在12.88%~35.33%,是大气CO2的一个重要的排放源。     

4种重金属离子对克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkii)NAGase活力的影响

研究了Ag+、Pb2+、Zn2+、Hg2+等重金属离子对克氏原螯虾(Procambarus clarkia)N-乙酰-β-D-氨基葡萄糖苷酶(NAGase)活力的影响,结果表明:4种重金属离子对酶活力均有不同程度的可逆抑制作用,其中Hg2+、Zn2+对酶的抑制作用较强,表现为反竞争性抑制,对结合酶(ES)的抑制常数KIS分别为0.07 mmol/L和22.04 mmol/L;而Ag+、Pb2+对酶有先激活后抑制的作用,其中Ag+对酶的抑制作用类型表现为反竞争性抑制,其抑制常数KI为1.08 mmol/L,Pb2+对酶的抑制作用类型表现为非竞争性抑制,其抑制常数KI为26.17 mmol/L.     

漂白废水白腐菌脱色的条件

碳源、氮源、Mn^2 浓度及pH值对F7菌漂白废水脱色有较大的影响,最佳培养基组成为：ρ（葡萄糖）10g/L,ρ（NH4Cl）0．13g/L,ρ（Mn^2 )20mg/L,随葡萄糖和NH4Cl添国量的增加,菌体生物量增加,但高浓度的NH4Cl对F7菌脱色有抑制作用,F7菌适宜生长pH值为4－5,适宜脱色pHwfhgo 3-6,最适脱色pH值为5．0另外,经脱色处理的漂白废水的毒性明显下降。     

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.