The Rod fungus basically strangles the tree from the inside out.Within two weeks the tree is completely dead (hence the name Rapid Ohia Death).Complete browning of all leaves of the canopy with in a very short time (2 to 3 days).The ROD fungus can infect an Ohia tree for up to one year before it shows any symptoms. Scientists are baffled that the chances of two strains showing up at the same time and both infecting Ohia as the perfect host is 1 in a trillion! Think about the odds of that!! One strain came over from the Caribbean and the other came over from Asia. There are actually two different varieties of the Ceratocystis (ROD) fungi that arrived on Big Island over the last 15 to 20 years. Scientists are projecting that this ROD epidemic is the worst extinction crisis the State of Hawaii has ever faced. It is very important to take immediate precautions to prevent the spread of ROD Ceratocystis inter-island. So far Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death has not been detected on any other island. This Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death fungus is spreading rapidly to all areas of Big Island where Ohia trees grow. So far 54,000 acres (10%) has been killed. There is a fungus called Ceratocystis that is destroying native Ohia forests on the Big Island. If all Ohia disappear, the watershed could collapse. Ohia Lehua is the Keystone Species of the Hawaiian Watershed. How familiar are you with Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death? Not only do we want to help educate our audience about the background of this awful epidemic, but we will also inform you how you can get involved to help make a difference! If you are off-island or choose to help in a financial way we will also provide an option for guests to donate a small portion upon booking your upcoming zipline tour!
While our choice this month may not be a specific organization, we believe this cause is essential to bring awareness to and support. For April our focus is on Rapid ʻŌhiʻa Death of the Ohia Lehua tree. With every new month in 2017 comes a chance for Skyline to highlight and give back to a new organization.
0 kommentar(er)
