Ohia trees are dying rapidly, Why?

[Carey]

Also there are some studies (the links I have given) on the fact that many of the diebacks were cohort base (ie, a lot of trees of the same age are growing up at the same time, using up resources at the same rate, competing for the same sunshine & new nutrients...something that is not as evident on old soils in old forests, but is very common in areas of high natural disturbance, and the biggie for most ohia , as they are normally all starting up at once in an area of virgin lava flow) and the soil cation work that is being studies, all of these are natural, long studies & not as easy to totally explain...but seem to be a very real part of the ohia, making it truly a Metrosideros polymorpha.... a true plant of many forms (poly morph)