Found one of them, this is probably the best one to read and is backed up by Dr Charles Watson fron CSU who researched the stuff for 25 years+
http://www.abc.net.au/science/scribblygum/march2004/ Quote:
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David says mistletoe is now ten times more abundant in south-east Australia than it was before white settlement, certainly a new force to be reckoned with. Mistletoes particularly target trees isolated in paddocks or by the sides of roads, making them all the more obvious to us. But David argues that mistletoe infestations are a symptom, not a cause of a much bigger problem. Changes in fire frequency and intensity, clearing trees and a reduction in native animals have all contributed. Mistletoe is killed by fire, and many areas are burnt far less often than before. Native animals such as possums, gliders and even koalas eat mistletoe, as do certain butterfly larvae. Once these species disappear from an area, there is nothing to keep the mistletoe in check. |