基于相对湿润度指数的西南春季干旱10年际演变特征

基于相对湿润度的干旱指数分析方法,应用中国西南1958—2012年气候资料,分析近55年中国西南春季干旱10年际时空分布和演变特征。结果表明:1958—2012年西南春季干旱发生频率呈东北向西南递增分布特征,春季干旱发生频率80%以上区域分布于云南高原、川西高原和川西南山地区域;川西高原和川西南山地的部分区域几乎每年春季均会出现轻度干旱。重旱和特旱主要分布于川西高原南部、川西南山地和云南高原北部区域。西南春季轻旱、中旱和重旱以上干旱平均发生区域占研究区域总面积分别为42%~45%、16%~29%和1%~8%,春季轻旱发生面积呈波动变化,中旱和重旱发生面积呈略减少趋势。云南高原、川西高原和川西南山地春季干旱强度大,但干旱强度振荡幅度小,年际波动小;川东盆地、贵州高原春季干旱强度虽然相对较小,但干旱强度振荡幅度大,年际波动大。西南春季干旱变化经历了5个明显的变化阶段,即20世纪60年代,干旱强度逐渐增强;70年代,干旱强度逐渐减弱;80年代到90年代初,干旱强度又一次加强;在90年代中期到2004年,干旱强度再次减弱。西南春季干旱指数存在显著的2~3 a和7~8 a周期振荡,春季轻旱发生面积呈波动变化,中旱和重旱发生面积呈略减少趋势。2005年后干旱指数累积距平呈负增长趋势,干旱强度逐渐增强,预计未来10年干旱强度可能将增强。     

山西省近50年无霜期变化特征研究

根据山西省108个地面站近50 a（1959—2008年）的初霜日、终霜日和无霜期系列数据,采用非参数Mann-Kendall检验法,对山西省近50 a无霜期的变化特点进行了研究。计算结果表明,全省108个地面站的平均无霜期在124.6~232.9 d之间。Mann-Kendall检验结果显示,在所有地面站中,77个站初霜日推后,78个站终霜日提前,87个站无霜期延长,其中35个站显著延长。全省初霜日显著推后（＋1.41 d/10 a）,终霜日显著提前（-2.57 d/10 a）,无霜期显著延长（＋3.72 d/10 a）。初霜日推后和终霜日提前对无霜期延长的贡献约分别为1/3和2/3。Pearson相关分析证明,在全省范围内,初霜日、终霜日和无霜期与年平均气温、纬度和海拔具有密切关系。直线回归分析显示,气温每升高1℃,初霜日迟4.7 d,终霜日早4.1 d,无霜期延长8.8 d。纬度每北移1o,初霜日早6.1 d;终霜日迟4.5 d;无霜期短10.6 d。海拔每升高100 m,初霜日早3.4 d;终霜日迟2.8 d;无霜期短6.2 d。对初霜日、终霜日和无霜期这些特点的认识,对本区自然和人工生态系统管理、生态恢复和生态工程实施等具有重要意义。     

基于标准化降水蒸发指数(SPEI)的东北干旱时空特征

东北地区是我国重要的粮食作物和经济作物的生产基地,易受异常降水和干旱的影响。随着全球气候变暖,东北地区温度增高、降水量减少,干旱事件发生频繁。但是目前国内对东北地区干旱的研究较少、结果存在分歧,且主要关注干旱的时空变化特征和干旱的影响,较少研究关注干旱的区划研究。依据1961─2013年东北地区月平均气温和降水资料,运用标准化降水蒸发指数（SPEI）分析了东北地区的干旱趋势,并根据主成分分析和聚类分析研究东北地区干旱的时空特征,研究结果表明：东北地区在1961─2012年期间干旱发生频率呈现波动增加的趋势;在1961─1999年期间,东北地区干旱发生频率低、持续时间短,干旱危害较小;而2000年以后,东北地区干旱事件频发,干旱持续时间长、强度大,出现了2000─2002和2007─2008年2个连续干旱期。从空间分布来看,2000─2010年是东北地区干旱发生频率和影响范围最大的时期,尤其是东北地区的中部和西部,其干旱频率分别达到42.86%和33.34%。根据主成分析和聚类分析的结果将东北划分为8个干旱相似区。研究结果对于实现东北干旱监测、评估,为减轻该区域干旱损失,指导区域水资源管理和农业生产具有重要的现实意义。     

黄土高原陆地表层最大可能蒸散量的变化特征

基于黄土高原1961—2008年月平均气温、最高气温、最低气温、相对湿度、降水量、风速和日照百分率等气候要素资料,应用修订的Penman-Monteith（P-M）模型计算了最大可能蒸散量,分析其时空分布、异常分布特征和次区域时间演变特征。结果表明：1961—2008年间,黄土高原最大可能蒸散量多年平均在400~800 mm之间,大部分区域650~750 mm之间。一致性异常分布是黄土高原最大可能蒸散量的最主要空间模态。黄土高原最大可能蒸散量的异常空间分布可分为以下3个关键区：高原西北部区、高原东北部区和高原东南部区。高原西北部区域最大可能蒸散量呈显著增加趋势,且发生了突变现象;高原东北部区域最大可能蒸散量呈显著下降的趋势,也发生了突变;而高原东南部区域下降趋势不显著,未发生突变。黄土高原最大可能蒸散量的3个空间分区中,3 a的周期振荡表现得比较显著。     

黄土高原陆地表层最大可能蒸散量的变化特征

基于黄土高原1961—2008年月平均气温、最高气温、最低气温、相对湿度、降水量、风速和日照百分率等气候要素资料,应用修订的Penman-Monteith(P-M)模型计算了最大可能蒸散量,分析其时空分布、异常分布特征和次区域时间演变特征。结果表明:1961—2008年间,黄土高原最大可能蒸散量多年平均在400~800 mm之间,大部分区域650~750 mm之间。一致性异常分布是黄土高原最大可能蒸散量的最主要空间模态。黄土高原最大可能蒸散量的异常空间分布可分为以下3个关键区:高原西北部区、高原东北部区和高原东南部区。高原西北部区域最大可能蒸散量呈显著增加趋势,且发生了突变现象;高原东北部区域最大可能蒸散量呈显著下降的趋势,也发生了突变;而高原东南部区域下降趋势不显著,未发生突变。黄土高原最大可能蒸散量的3个空间分区中,3 a的周期振荡表现得比较显著。     

论绿化太行山的重要意义

一、问题的提出 太行山区总面积达17,000万亩,由南向北绵亘五百余里,地域辽阔,纬度相差近五度。南部年平均气温为14℃左右,北部只有3℃左右;全区10℃积温,南部达到4,500℃,而北部仅2,800℃;无霜期南部为180天,北部仅为120天;年降雨量平均在500—600毫米之间,最多的五台山可达900毫米,且多集中在6—8月份。     

近53年山东省霾季节性特征的年代际变异

为了进一步认识山东省霾日长期变化特征,从而为政府决策和空气质量预报提供科学依据,基于山东省80 个气象站53 年（1961-2013）的观测资料分析,利用多项式及线性回归拟合、定义表示随季节和年际变化程度的变量如季节变化率、年际变化率等多种统计方法分析了近53 年来山东省霾日季节性的年际、年代际长期变化及空间分布规律,结果表明,山东上个世纪明显的冬季霾高发的典型季节性特征演变为本世纪模糊的季节差异,即霾多发时段随年际增长逐渐由冬季蔓延至秋季,夏季和春季.全省平均霾日的季节变率从60 年代的84.0%,70-80 年代的72.4%~73.6%,到90 年代跌至56.4%,而在本世纪的13 年低达42.3%,体现了山东霾日变化季节性的年代际特征,即近53 年季节差异在不断减小,霾趋于常年化发生的大气污染事件.霾日季节性的空间分布及年际变化特征还表明：近53 年山东霾日呈持续上升趋势,1990 年之前呈显著的增长趋势,1990 年之后上升缓慢,但维持霾高发的水平.霾日高发区域主要集中在济南地区,济宁-泰安-莱芜一带,枣庄-临沂一带,青岛地区和聊城西部地区,其中,高中心依次为济南的80.9 d·a^-1,临沂的78.2 d·a^-1 和青岛的69.0 d·a^-1.山东中东部的霾日年增长率整体高于西部地区,鲁中、鲁南及半岛南部地区是霾日年际增长高值区.山东省霾日年际变化趋势以夏季增长率最高,大部分地区的年际增长率都在4.5%·a^-1 以上,其次是秋季、春季霾日年际变化趋势,冬季霾日年际变化趋势普遍增长率最低,且大部分地区的变化率值为1.5%·a^-1 以上,近53 年来山东大部分地区出现了霾日模糊季节性变异.     

1961—2011年珠三角城市群度日变化特征

根据1962—2011年珠三角城市群9个气象观测站逐日平均气温资料,采用度日模型和基准温度21．8℃,分析了珠三角城市群冷度日和热度日月际、年际及年代际的变化特征。结果表明,珠三角城市群冷度日集中在4一10月,以7月份最大,热度日集中在11月一次年3月,以1月份最大,各站冷度日和热度日的最大值差别均较小;冷度日呈明显的上升趋势,上升速率在18．8～87．900·d·10a。之间,最小值出现在1976年,最大值出现在1998年之后,热度日呈明显的下降趋势,下降速率在28．7～60．7℃-d-10a-1之间,最小值多出现在21世纪10年代,最大值多出现在1969年,20世纪80年代以来,冷度日上升和热度日下降的趋势均加快,佛山、深圳尤为明显。CDD与年平均气温的变化呈显著的正相关,HDD与年平均气温的变化呈显著的负相关。CDD、HDD的这些变化特征可能与年平均气温的上升有关,也可能与当地经济的快速发展有关。     

内蒙古荒漠草原两种草地型植物生态类群变迁及其气候变化特征分析

气候变化与植被之间的相关关系研究多集中在全球和区域尺度上,而对小尺度区域的长时间序列研究则较少。将研究区限定在苏尼特右旗朱日和镇,在大量搜集气象和植被相关数据资料的基础上,采用线性回归与趋势分析方法,针对该地区荒漠草原分布较广的短花针茅(Stipa breviflora)、冷蒿(Artemisia frigida)、无芒隐子草(Cleistogenes songorica)草地型和小针茅(Stipa klemenzii)、无芒隐子草草地型近60年来的植物生态类群变迁及其局地性气候变化特征进行了深入研究,旨在为了解和深入研究该地区生态环境变迁驱动机制提供参考依据。结果显示:近60年来,朱日和镇年均气温呈波动上升趋势,其上升速率为0.045 5℃·a~(-1),每个年代平均递增了0.438℃,80年代中后期以来增温十分明显;夏季各年代平均气温增幅最大,平均递增了0.4℃;年降水量呈波动减少趋势,其减少速率为0.698 mm·a~(-1),每个年代平均减少了12.43 mm;夏季各年代平均降水量减少幅度最大,每个年代平均减少了10.39 mm;牧草生长季(4—10月)每个年代平均降水量减少了10.38 mm;两种草地型草原种减少、荒漠草原种增加。朱日和镇气候逐年旱化、温暖化,旱灾增多、周期缩短,尤其在牧草生长季节干旱越来越严重,其草地植被逐年趋于旱生化和荒漠化。     

淮河流域南部作物生长季农业气候资源特征分析

为了提高农业气候资源利用率、降低农业生产风险、确保粮食安全,利用淮河流域南部33个站点1971—2015年逐日气象资料,采用Mann-Kendall突变检测和气候倾向率方法,分析淮河流域南部主要粮食作物生长季的农业气候资源时空分布特征。结果表明,(1)作物生长季45 a热量资源均呈北少南多,山区多于平原的空间分布,淮北北部、东部以及西部的部分地区热量资源增加相对缓慢,淮北西北部和东北部局部以及沿淮中部为显著增加区。冬小麦Triticum aestivum生长季上世纪90年代末增暖趋势更加显著,夏玉米Zea mays和一季稻Oryza sativa生长季的增暖趋势则在本世纪00年代中期达到极显著趋势。(2)初霜日呈北早南迟、平原早山区迟的分布特点,随年代有推迟趋势;终霜日的时空分布与初霜日相反,使得无霜期呈增加趋势,初终霜日在本世纪00年代中期的推迟、提前趋势更加显著。(3)作物生长季45 a降水量均呈明显的纬向分布(北少南多),气候倾向率呈微弱的增减趋势,随年代变化趋势不明显,但波动较大。冬小麦生长季降水变率除山区明显偏小外,其他差异不明显,2000年以前呈增加趋势,其后大多年份基本稳定在15%左右;夏玉米和一季稻生长季降水变率呈西部大中东部小、平原大山区小的分布特点,2005年以前呈增加趋势,其后呈下降趋势。(4)作物生长季45 a辐射资源呈北多南少、西部和山区少的分布特点,大部分站点的气候倾向率呈下降趋势,其中西部地区下降速率高于其他地区;冬小麦生长季辐射资源下降趋势不明显,年代际间变化不大;夏玉米和一季稻生长季下降趋势明显,本世纪00年代以后更加显著。     

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.