Ecology: Dieback
Dieback is the death of the outer part of the crown of a tree and has many causes such as drought, increased soil salinity, soil pathogens and insect attack. At the Yellingbo Reserve eucalypt dieback is associated with psyllids. When bell miners dominate a patch of habitat, they exclude many other birds. The different feeding habits of the miners may allow the psyllid population to increase, leading to tree decline.
Research continues as to whether bell miners cause dieback (by allowing the number of psyllids to increase) or are attracted to dieback affected areas. Photograph by P. Menkhorst.