淡水水生态基准方法学研究:繁殖/生殖毒性类化合物水生态基准探讨

繁殖/生殖毒性类化合物由于特殊的毒理作用模式(mode of action,MOA),通过影响生物繁衍影响到种群和群落,因此依靠基于急、慢性毒性测试终点和传统基准推导方法推导的水生态基准值并不能够为水生生物群落结构提供足够的保护。本文根据文献资料,分析了推导此类化合物水生态基准时的关键科学问题,包括繁殖/生殖毒性类化合物MOA,毒性数据类型,受试物种选择,以及不同生命阶段、多代毒性测试和测试终点的判别和选择。并用所收集的壬基酚数据,尝试推导了基于水生生物生殖毒性的水生态基准值。研究得出基于生殖毒性的壬基酚预测无观察效应浓度(PNEC)值为0.12μg·L-1,其数值比美国环境保护局根据传统基准方法推导的基准持续浓度(CCC)的6.59μg·L-1低了近50倍。因此,基于其繁殖毒性(包括产卵量、受精率、孵化率、多代效应以及种群变化等)的实验结果更适合用于具有繁殖/生殖毒性污染物水生态基准的推导。     

黄河(兰州段)水环境中壬基酚及壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚污染的初步研究

对黄河(兰州段)4个排污点的水样和6个断面各个介质(包括水体、悬浮颗粒物和沉积物)中壬基酚(NP)及壬基酚聚氧乙烯醚(NPnEO)的污染调查结果表明,4个排污点水样中分别含有浓度不等的NP,NPnEO(n=1—11);6个断面采样点中,大分子的NPnEO(n>2)在各个介质中均未检出,水样中NP在0.24—2.10μg·l-1之间,NP1EO在0.060-0.35μg·l-1之间,NP2EO在0.039—0.26μg·l-1之间,说明NPnEO在黄河水体发生了有效降解,但是NPnEO小分子降解产物,特别是NP,持久性加强,在不同断面检测到不同程度的污染;在悬浮颗粒物和沉积物中也检测到了相应的NP,NP1lEO和NP2EO,其浓度均大于水体,而悬浮颗粒物对NP,NP1EO和NP2EO的富集大于沉积物对它们的富集.     

椒江口水体和生物体中典型有机污染物的浓度水平及来源初探

研究了椒江口海水、沉积物和生物体中苯胺、硝基苯、多氯联苯、多环芳烃的浓度水平及来源,评价了各种有机污染物在沉积物和生物体内的富集情况.结果表明,椒江口海水中苯胺、硝基苯、多氯联苯(PCBs)、多环芳烃(PAHs)的浓度范围分别为9.3-105.1μg·l-1,46.2-268.5μg·l-1,57.5-519.3ng·l-1和356.9-1021.4 ng·l-1;沉积物中苯胺、多氯联苯、多环芳烃的浓度(干重)范围分别为0.76-1.12μg·g-1,5.78-10.42 ng·g-1,77.5-165.4 ng·g-1;生物体中PCBs、PAHs的浓度(湿重)范围分别为19.51-20.62 ng·g-1,0.11-1.03 ng·g-1.生物体内PCBs的富集倍数高于PAHs,而沉积物中PAHs的富集倍数高于PCBs.海水、沉积物中的苯胺和硝基苯主要来自源于椒江口化工废水的排放,PAHs主要来源于台州火力发电厂的燃烧污染,PCBs主要来源于废旧电器拆解业污染物的排放迁移.     

红霉素对连续3个世代多刺裸腹溞存活和生殖的影响

红霉素是一种常用的大环内酯类抗生素,其对多刺裸腹溞连续世代生活史参数的影响尚不得而知。本文以连续3个世代的多刺裸腹溞为对象,研究了不同浓度(0.02、0.2、2、20、200和2 000μg·L~(-1))的红霉素对其平均寿命、首次生殖年龄、生殖窝数、窝卵数和总后代数等的影响。结果表明,红霉素浓度对多刺裸腹溞的平均寿命、首次生殖年龄、生殖窝数、窝卵数和总后代数的影响在多刺裸腹溞世代间均存在着明显的差异。与空白对照组相比,红霉素浓度对多刺裸腹溞F0代平均寿命的影响表现出"低(0.02μg·L~(-1))促高(2~2 000μg·L~(-1))抑"的剂量-效应关系,暴露于20μg·L~(-1)红霉素溶液中的多刺裸腹溞F0代的生殖窝数显著减小了55.76%,但暴露于各浓度红霉素溶液中的多刺裸腹溞F1和F2代的平均寿命和生殖窝数均未出现显著性差异;暴露于各浓度红霉素溶液中的多刺裸腹溞F0代的首次生殖年龄也未出现显著性差异,但暴露于0.2、20~2 000μg·L~(-1)红霉素溶液中的F1代的首次生殖年龄显著减小了4.90%~15.69%,暴露于0.2~2 000μg·L~(-1)红霉素溶液中的F2代的首次生殖年龄显著减小了5.00%~16.00%;暴露于20和200μg·L~(-1)红霉素溶液中的多刺裸腹溞F1代的窝卵数分别显著增加了28.87%和10.18%,但暴露于各浓度红霉素溶液中的F0和F2代的窝卵数未出现显著性差异;暴露于2~200μg·L~(-1)的红霉素溶液中的多刺裸腹溞F0代的总后代数显著减少了43.99%~62.21%,而暴露于20和200μg·L~(-1)红霉素溶液中的F1代的总后代数分别增加28.56%和37.17%,红霉素浓度对多刺裸腹溞总后代数的显著性影响在F2代中消失。本研究结果表明,多刺裸腹溞对不同剂量红霉素多代暴露表现出适应性或耐受性。     

应用概率物种敏感度分布法研究太湖重金属水生生物水质基准

目前广泛使用的水质基准推导方法—物种敏感度分布法存在曲线拟合模型不确定、曲线拟合效果不佳、种内差异欠考虑、基准值不准确等诸多问题,概率物种敏感度分布法可有效解决上述问题。应用概率物种敏感度分布法构建了太湖水体中5种重金属Ag、Pb、Cd、Hg和Zn的概率物种敏感度分布曲线,在此基础上得到了保护水生生物的急性水质基准分别为1.079μg·L~(-1)、637.973μg·L~(-1)、19.465μg·L~(-1)、8.729μg·L~(-1)和105.506μg·L~(-1),慢性水质基准分别为0.108μg·L~(-1)、63.797μg·L~(-1)、1.947μg·L~(-1)、2.340μg·L~(-1)和52.753μg·L~(-1);不同类群间生物对重金属的敏感度存在差异,不同重金属对同一类群生物的毒性也存在差异;通过与国内外已有的重金属水质基准值比较,发现水质基准具有明显的区域性,目前基于国外水质基准或我国整体水域特点来制定的太湖水质标准,往往造成对太湖水生生物欠保护或过保护的状况。     

离子色谱-质谱联用测定瓶装水中的高氯酸盐和溴酸盐

以高容量、强亲水性的IonPac AS20(2mm)为分析柱,ESI-MS-MS串联质谱为检测器,同时测定瓶装水中的高氯酸盐和溴酸盐.该方法对高氯酸盐和溴酸盐的检出限(S/N=3)分别为0.01μg·l-1和0.1μg·l-1,线性相关系数分别是r＝0.9990(0.05-100μg·l-1)和r＝0.9998(0.5-100μg·l-1).对某样品连续进样7次,高氯酸盐和溴酸盐的相对标准偏差(RSD)分别为1.2%和0.9%.运用该方法测定瓶装水,并加标回收,高氯酸盐和溴酸盐的加标回收率分别在101.0%-116.5%之间和87.5%-118.9%之间.     

三丁基锡对孔雀鱼的毒性效应研究

采用静态暴露方式研究三丁基锡氯化物(TBTCl)对孔雀鱼的毒性效应.当幼鱼暴露于1.25-7.90μg·l-1的TBTCl 后,出现明显的急性中毒症状,96h的半致死浓度(LC50)为5.82μg·l-1; 成鱼在0.14-3.56μg·l-1浓度下暴露10-30d,TBTCl能诱导雌鱼的肝体指数升高,并使肝脏和脾脏组织的显微结构发生明显的病理变化,毒害作用具有明显的剂量-效应和时间-效应关系.表明肝体指数以及肝脏、脾脏等组织的病理学变化可以作为评估三丁基锡等环境污染物的生物指标.     

影响银淡水生物水质基准的环境因素分析

水质基准是制定水环境质量标准,以及评价、预测和控制与治理水体污染的重要依据。为了系统分析水体硬度、物种门类和地域条件对水质基准的影响,本研究筛选了6门20科25种水生生物的毒性数据,用毒性百分数排序法推导了中国银的淡水生物水质基准。研究结果表明,银的基准最大浓度(CMC)与水体硬度呈幂函数关系,等式为CMC=0.85×e[0.62ln(水体硬度)-4.28]μg·L-1,基准连续浓度为0.02μg·L-1。中国和美国2个不同生物区系研究都表明低等生物(无脊椎动物)比高等生物(脊椎动物)对银离子的毒性更为敏感。由地域条件引起的生物区系和敏感物种差异及基准推导方法的不同也会影响水质基准值。     

壬基酚在蛋白核小球藻和大型溞体内的富集与传递

为探究壬基酚(nonylphenol,NP)在水生生物中的富集传递效应,选择以蛋白核小球藻(Chlorella pyrenoidosa)和大型溞(Daphnia magna)为研究对象,开展蛋白核小球藻对NP的富集效应实验,及NP在蛋白核小球藻和大型溞体内的传递效应实验。研究结果表明,NP对蛋白核小球藻的96 h半数效应浓度(96 h-EC50)为3.13 mg·L~(-1),对蛋白核小球藻的生长和叶绿素含量的影响呈现明显的剂量-时间效应。NP对大型溞的48 h半数效应浓度(48 h-LC50)为37.41μg·L~(-1),属于高毒类化合物。蛋白核小球藻暴露于0.05 mg·L-1NP 4 h后,其生物富集系数(BCF)为5 144.93,富集量为252.2μg·g~(-1),在12 h内对NP的生物富集系数(BCF)最高达12 053.64,富集量为1 181.73μg·g~(-1)。以0.05 mg·L-1NP中暴露4 h后的蛋白核小球藻为饵料投喂大型溞7 d后,大型溞体内NP富集量最高达3.6μg·g~(-1)。0.05 mg·L~(-1)NP直接暴露组大型溞暴露10 d后,大型溞体内NP富集量最高达4.02μg·g~(-1)。蛋白核小球藻对NP具有较强的富集能力,能够通过摄食过程将NP传递到大型溞,经传递的NP能够显著抑制大型溞的生长、繁殖、摄食等生命活动。论文为评估NP在水生生态系统中的污染风险和富集传递效应提供了一定的参考依据。     

中国典型河湖水体铅的水生生物安全基准与生态风险评价

采用物种敏感度排序法(SSR)对我国铅的淡水水生生物安全基准进行推导,并以太湖为例进行了流域水生生物安全基准推导。对于难以获得的本土生物毒性数据,开展了相应的毒性试验。获得了我国国家与太湖流域铅的水生生物安全基准值,基准最大浓度(CMC)分别为63.92、104.26μg·L-1,基准连续浓度(CCC)分别为1.21、4.06μg·L-1。同时,对我国主要河流以及太湖流域进行了铅的生态风险评价,联合概率曲线法显示影响5%水生生物种类的概率分别为66.22%和43.19%,熵值法则显示中国主要河流存在较大的铅暴露风险,因此,我国铅的潜在生态风险较大,主要河流与太湖流域存在铅污染问题。     

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.