New research shows that more than 90 per cent of sunflower sea stars off the West Coast have died over the past decade, and the species is close to extinction. The study, led by Oregon State University, the Nature Conservancy and over 60… Read More ›
Seastars
Warming Oceans Threaten Starfish
According to Rebecca Vega Thurber, an associate professor of environmental microbiology at Oregon State University, who was not involved in the study, “What’s really exciting about this paper is the really strong correspondence between this temperature anomaly that occurred during that year when the sea stars started dying.”
Everywhere the warming went, the sunflower stars sickened and died.
The study showed a correlation between warming temperatures and the spread of the disease, not a direct cause. But it corroborates a hypothesis that was initially questioned because the virus that researchers think is responsible also shows up in healthy sea stars.
Researchers Identify Virus Attacking Sea Stars
From Mexico to Alaska, starfish have been mysteriously melting for more than a year. When a starfish first gets sick, its arms pretzel up and white lesions form on its skin. Next, the starfish, normally plush with water absorbed to… Read More ›
Sea Stars Continue Die Off
SITKA, AK — It’s early morning in southeast Alaska. Stars have yet to fade from the night sky. A group of scientists sets out in search of a different kind of star. Sea stars, commonly known as starfish, have been… Read More ›
Sea Stars Dying from Warming Waters?
ORCAS ISLAND, Wash. — Drew Harvell peers into the nooks and crannies along the rocky shoreline of Eastsound on Orcas Island. Purple and orange starfish clutch the rocks, as if hanging on for dear life. “It’s a lot worse than… Read More ›
Seastar Wasting Disease Now in San Luis Obispo County
Editor’s note: Visit http://www.seastarwasting.org for more information Starfish dying from disease in SLO County tide pools By David Sneed dsneed@thetribunenews.comFebruary 18, 2014 Updated 9 hours ago Read more here: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/2014/02/18/2932233/starfish-disease-tide-pools-death.html#storylink=cpy Starfish in San Luis Obispo County are suffering from a… Read More ›