稻壳生物炭基质中添加壳聚糖对辣椒、番茄生长质量的影响

为探究稻壳生物炭育苗基质中添加不同量壳聚糖对辣椒、番茄穴盘育苗效果的影响,以稻壳生物炭、蛭石、珍珠岩、发酵鸡粪按7∶1∶1∶1比例配成育苗基质,设4个不同添加量壳聚糖处理,测定辣椒、番茄幼苗生长质量及生理代谢指标,并计算壮苗指数和G值.结果表明在该复合基质中,壳聚糖添加量8 g/L时,辣椒、番茄幼苗株高、茎粗、叶绿素、可溶性糖含量等显著高于其他处理,辣椒、番茄幼苗壮苗指数分别比对照提高56.57%和57.75%.因此,在该稻壳生物炭基质中,适量添加壳聚糖可促进辣椒、番茄幼苗生长发育,以8 g/L添加量育苗效果最佳.     

枫杨种子和幼苗对地下水位及埋藏深度的响应

通过室内试验研究不同地下水位(0、-2、-4、-6、-8和-10cm)和不同埋藏深度(0、1、2、3、4、5和6cm)条件下枫杨(Pterocarya stenoptera)种子的萌发特性以及幼苗的建成状况.结果表明,种子萌发的最适水位为0～-4 cm;幼苗定植与生长的最适水位为-6cm.随埋藏深度增加,枫杨出苗率下降,出苗时间推迟,幼苗的生物量根冠比增大.试验第11周,各埋藏深度条件下幼苗的地上株高无显著差异,埋藏深度对幼苗的生长也无显著影响.枫杨种子萌发及萌发后幼苗生长的最适埋藏深度为1～3cm.     

丛枝菌根真菌与复硝酚钠在番茄育苗中的应用

研究了温室盆栽条件下接种丛枝菌根(Arbuscular mycorrhizal,AM)真菌以及添加复硝酚钠稀释液对番茄育苗的影响.结果发现,在灭菌条件下接种AM真菌处理番茄根系AM真菌侵染率自2周起即保持在45%左右,且其地上部生物量在3周后一直显著高于不接菌对照(P<0.05),在接菌基础上添加1.8%复硝酚钠不同倍数(1×106、5×106和10×106)稀释液对番茄生长具有一定促进作用,其中以稀释5×106倍效果最佳;育苗6周后将对照、接种AM真菌处理以及在接菌基础上添加1.8%复硝酚钠5×106倍稀释液的幼苗各2株分别移栽到未灭菌土壤中,继续培养16周后发现,对照苗被土著AM真菌侵染,但结实率为0;菌根化苗AM真菌侵染率与土壤碱性磷酸酶活性均显著升高(P<0.05),番茄结实率达到50%;添加复硝酚钠稀释液的菌根化苗AM真菌侵染率显著高于普通菌根化苗(P<0.05),且与对照苗相比,土壤pH显著降低、电导率显著升高(P<0.05),番茄结实率达到75%.结果表明,接种AM真菌对番茄育苗具有较好的促进作用,在接菌基础上添加1.8%复硝酚钠5×106倍稀释液对番茄幼苗生长和移栽后结实均具有更好的促进效果,具有推广应用价值.     

2℃低温下冬小麦幼苗质膜Ca~(2 )-ATPase的活性变化

用氯化铈 (CeCl3 )沉淀的电镜细胞化学方法 ,对常温下及 2℃低温处理后的冬小麦 (TriticumaestiviumL .)幼苗质膜Ca2 ATPase活性进行定位 .结果显示 :(1)常温下生长的冬小麦幼苗 ,质膜上有部分Ca2 ATPase活性反应 .(2 )冬小麦幼苗经 2℃低温处理 1h ,质膜上Ca2 ATPase活性增加 .处理 3h ,活性进一步加强 .2℃下处理 12h ,有强的酶活性反应 .处理 2 4h后 ,活性反应达到最强 .2℃处理 3d ,Ca2 ATPase活性有所下降 ,但仍高于CK .细胞结构完整 .据结果推测 ,质膜Ca2 ATPase活性受细胞内Ca2 浓度反馈调节 .图 1参 10     

Cu2+、Cd2+、Zn2+对两种单胞藻的毒害作用

分别用不同浓度 (c =0 .0 1～ 2 .34mmol/L)的Cu2 + 、Cd2 + 、Zn2 + 处理亚心型大扁藻 (Plztymonassp.)和小球藻(Chlorelavulagris) ,观察了重金属离子对其生长、呼吸及其被富集的情况 .结果表明 :① 3种离子的毒性强度的顺序为Cu2 + >Cd2 + >Zn2 + ;亚心型大扁藻的耐受力大于小球藻 ;②Cu2 + 对生长的抑制最强 ,两种藻的c(EC50 ,72h)分别为 0 .2 11mmol/L和 0 .2 89mmol/L ;Cd2 + 对生长的抑制稍弱 ,两种藻的c(EC50 ,72h)分别为 0 .4 38mmol/L和 0 .2 4 1mmol/L ;Zn2 + 对生长的抑制最弱 ,其c(EC50 ,72h)分别为 0 .75 4mmol/L和 0 .30 8mmol/L ;③在c(EC50 )毒害浓度下 ,两种单胞藻均提前进入生长静止期 ,缩短了种群生长周期 ;呼吸作用先增强后降低 ;④在c(EC50 )毒害浓度下 ,两种藻对Cu2 + 、Zn2 + 的富集量为 4 5 82～ 4 12 83.7mgkg-1,对Cd2 + 的富集量 5 0 0～ 2 72 3.6mgkg-1.图 2表 3参 8     

菹草石芽萌发及幼苗生长对光、温因子的响应

试验分冬夏2季进行.冬季采用盆栽试验方法,研究了菹草石芽在弱光环境下的萌发和幼苗生长以及弱光对菹草叶片光合效率的影响.冬季试验共设6个光照处理,即:2×104～5×104(对照,晴天中午最大[光]照度)、350～450、160～260、60～80、30～50、0～30 lx,试验时间为67 d.夏季试验在光照培养箱内进行,研究高温条件下石芽萌发的[光]照度阈值.夏季试验设6个光照处理,即:1 400、970、660、450、160、120 lx.结果表明:(1)冬季试验,栽培45 d时菹草石芽全部萌发,光照对石芽萌发无显著影响;夏季水温(32±1) ℃条件下,石芽萌发的[光]照度阈值为120～160 lx,[光]照度达到1 400 lx,石芽就能够达到自然萌发率.(2)菹草幼苗生长前期,5个弱光处理菹草株高生长速率(约1.20 cm·d-1)快于光照较充足的对照(0.92 cm·d-1);幼苗生长后期,对照菹草生长速率(3.15 cm·d-1)快于5个弱光处理菹草生长速率(1.09 cm·d-1),且各处理叶片数并未随株高的增加而增加.(3)冬季试验,菹草石芽萌发后的第39天,对照及各处理菹草幼苗的PSⅡ最大光化学效率(Fv/Fm)、PSⅡ光量子产量(ΦPSⅡ)、光化学淬灭系数(qp)随着[光]照度的减弱而下降,弱光对菹草幼苗光系统Ⅱ(PSⅡ)产生显著影响;非光化学淬灭系数(qn)随[光]照度的减弱而增加,对菹草幼苗叶片PSⅡ有一定的保护作用.(4)从快速光响应曲线可以看出,长期光照不足导致菹草植株的光响应能力显著降低.     

沼液浸种对水稻种子萌发及幼苗生长的影响

为探讨沼液对水稻早期萌发和幼苗生长的影响,以不同浓度沼液对日本晴水稻(Oryza sativa)种子浸种24 h后催芽,分析其种子萌发及幼苗生长情况.结果表明,2％沼液浸种可增加水稻幼苗根数和芽生物量,但降低了幼苗根生物量,该浓度沼液浸种对种子萌发率、萌发速率、幼苗芽长、茎粗及总根长没有显著影响(P＞0.05).更高浓度的沼液浸种对水稻种子萌发和幼苗生长均产生抑制作用.沼液浸种对根生物量的影响大于芽生物量,从而导致各浓度沼液处理组芽/根生物量比值均大于对照.对呼吸速率的分析结果进一步佐证了沼液处理对萌发后期水稻种子具有不利影响.建议水稻早期生产中慎用沼液.     

不同生境内厚朴种子萌发和幼苗生长研究

为揭示厚朴(Houpo9a officinalis)种群实生更新方式和影响因素,在遂昌县桂洋林场内选择针叶林、针阔混交林和阔叶林3个不同生境,设置种皮和铁丝网罩交叉处理试验,研究不同生境内厚朴种子萌发和幼苗生长特征。结果显示,不同生境和不同处理间厚朴种子萌发率均有显著差异(P0. 05),在针叶林内去除假种皮且罩铁丝网时厚朴种子萌发率最高,而保留假种皮时厚朴种子萌发率均为0。厚朴在幼苗前期(4~8周)死亡率最大,之后趋于稳定,在针叶林内幼苗存活率最高,但不同生境间差异未达到显著水平。不同生境内厚朴幼苗苗高与地径生长均表现出显著差异(P0. 05),表现为针叶林针阔混交林阔叶林。林中空气温度、湿度、光照强度和枯枝落叶厚度对厚朴种子野外萌发有显著影响,其中温度、光照强度、土壤水分和养分对厚朴幼苗生长影响最大。针叶林最适合厚朴种子萌发和幼苗生长,假种皮、动物取食和生境异质性是造成厚朴种子野外萌发率低和死亡率高的主要原因。     

生物邻体和生境异质性共同驱动乔木幼苗存活动态

以长白山原始阔叶红松林样地为平台,样方中胸径小于1 cm的乔木幼苗为研究对象,基于2012-2014年连续3年的幼苗调查数据,利用广义线性混合模型分析影响群落乔木幼苗存活的生物邻体和生境异质性,探讨阔叶红松林幼苗存活影响因素及物种共存机制.结果显示:(1)生物邻体和生境异质性对幼苗存活都有显著影响,适宜大树生长的局域生境可能同样也适宜幼苗的存活,幼苗在林冠开阔度较高和土壤中含有较高有效氮、全磷和全钾的区域存活率较高.(2)幼苗个体之间存在明显的竞争,较多的幼苗邻体会显著降低幼苗的存活率.2年生幼苗存活分析中同种幼苗邻体与幼苗存活呈显著负相关,表明存在负密度制约效应.(3)随着存活年龄的增加,生境异质性对幼苗存活的影响逐渐增大.本研究验证了负密度制约效应和生境异质性对该温带森林乔木幼苗存活有着重要影响,各个因子的相对重要性随着种子传播方式、年龄级以及物种而发生变化,证明群落多样性维持和物种共存会随着个体发育过程的不同而变化.     

不同生境薇甘菊土壤种子库与幼苗库的特征

通过野外定点取样与萌发试验相结合的方法,研究云南德宏州陇川县不同生境薇甘菊入侵地区的土壤种子库与幼苗库的特征.结果表明,根据土壤种子库萌发后的植物鉴定结果,橡胶林、林地、灌丛、草地和河岸边这5种生境共统计到40种植物,隶属18科.不同生境薇甘菊入侵群落的物种组成、种子萌发特性与空间分布及其幼苗库存在明显差异,橡胶林、林地、灌丛、草地和河岸边的薇甘菊种子密度分别为75、109、165、124和53粒·m-2,且各生境间差异显著(P＜0.05).室内萌发试验表明,薇甘菊土壤种子库萌发时间持续8周,其中第3～5周的萌发速度最快;土壤垂直方向上,0～2、＞2～5、＞5～10 cm深度土层薇甘菊种子分别占0～10 cm土层种子总数的81％、17％和2％.野外薇甘菊土壤幼苗库萌发时间持续6个月(5-10月),其中6-8月萌发速度较快.     

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.