Wildlife

Disease decimates sunflower sea star population in the Salish Sea

Sea star wasting disease broke out in 2013, causing large-scale population decline in several species of sea stars along the west coast of North America, from Mexico to Alaska. Previous research on the disease has mainly focused on intertidal populations, and little is known about how the disease impacts sea stars living below the low tide water line.

Scientists investigated the impact of sea star wasting disease on species in the Salish Sea, which straddles the U.S.-Canada border and is home to a diverse number of sea star species. They found dramatic declines in the populations of sunflower sea stars, Pycnopodia helianthoides, along with several other sea star species.