Soil test experiment

The Problem

As the challenge conservation x states, two newly discovered invasive fungal pathogens are killing hundreds of thousands of ʻŌhiʻa trees (Metrosideros polymorpha) on Hawaii island. Hundreds of thousands of trees have been wiped out by the fungi, which chokes the water veins within the tree until the tree withers and dies. It is recalled that the means of transmission of the ROD fungus has not been known but by scientific estimation of already at task researchers it is believed that the means of transmission may be airborne. This is because of it easy for the pathogens to enter through open wounds of Ohia tree, yet no evidence has been shown that soil and stream may or may not also be the media. This will hold us back big time from finding out the cure and understanding the ROD fungus itself.

Our Proposal

This project is testing the fungus Ceratosistis huliohia and Ceratocystis lukuohIa media is soil or underground. The best way of doing this is by isolation testing. This means by selecting unaffected Ohi’a tree among infected Ohi’a tree and Isolating the soil area in which the healthy Ohi’a tree site and see if the healthy Ohia tree becomes infected or not. We build a small structure that can support a tree having a closed box to isolate the roots and carry soil. This structure is installed between multiple infected Ohi’a trees. After some time if the tree is negative of the ROD fungus means of transmission is soil. And if the tree is found positive the means of transmission is wind. To increase our chance we purposely wound the tree so that if the means of the ROD tree is wind it will have more chance of entering to the tree. The risk of rainwater will be avoided because the roots are way above ground, no concern on the length of the roots, easier to supervise measuring of the soil minerals and nutrients to supply it when it lucks anything After some time, when we do the test if the Ohi’a tree is found to be positive of the ROD fungus then the Means of transmission is wind and if it is found to be negative the media must be soil or underground. The project has no chance of showing a false positive or false negative.

We Assume that...

I am assuming that the experiment is allowed by the culture of the Hawaiian peoples.

Constraints to Overcome

This proposed solution makes a significant contribution in advancing the Environmental Pathway Identification, Including Predictive Assessment. The on task scientists do not fully understand how trees become infected, the potential reservoirs for the pathogen, and how the disease spreads through the environment. This experiment will fill in this knowledge gap by either confirming that the soil is the means of transmission or the air is. The solution does not have any negative impact on the tree. The solution can be used at any time the client wishes to use or test because all is needed it to build the structure which holds the tree, select location that will be tested and do the experiment. If the tree is affected by the ROD after some time, this confirms that the air is the means of transmission and if the test results show negative for the ROD the means of transmission is the soil. Either way, we will have a useful experiment.

Current Work

This solution is very tangible and realistic because it connects two known and proved science facts together in a very simple way. The on task scientists do not fully understand how trees become infected, the potential reservoirs for the pathogen, and how the disease spreads through the environment. This experiment will fill in this knowledge gap by either confirming that the soil is the means of transmission or the air is. So, combining those will create a new method to prevent the ROD fungus enters into the tree. There will not be a negative impact on the tree caused by the solution. The solution can be used at any time the client wishes to use or test because there it does not take any prototype device. All required is building the structure, select testing location and do the experiment.

Current Needs

I will need sitemap in order to figure which part of the tree is suitable for the test. I need funding and collaboration to do the experiment.