| Abstract: | Abstract The effect of mistletoes Amyema preissii on the survival of fast growing trees of Acacia victoriae was investigated in arid central Australia. Trees with different levels of experimentally induced mistletoe infection were monitored for 4 years. Analysis of covariance failed to reveal a treatment effect of infection on host survival. Loss of trees early in the experiment reduced the statistical power of the analysis, and variable infection success and the establishment of bird-dispersed mistletoes on experimental trees blurred the distinction between treatments. However regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the volume of mistletoe and tree mortality. The implications for the design of future experiments are discussed. |
