Vibrio Pectenicida Identified as Cause of Sea Star Disease Affecting Billions
9 months ago
- #epidemiology
- #marine biology
- #climate change
- A bacterium named Vibrio pectenicida has been identified as the cause of sea star wasting disease, which has killed billions of sea stars over the past decade.
- The disease has affected over 20 species of sea stars along the Pacific Coast of North America, with sunflower sea stars suffering a 90% mortality rate, pushing them to critically endangered status.
- Warmer ocean temperatures are linked to more severe outbreaks of the disease, suggesting a possible connection to climate change.
- The loss of sunflower sea stars has led to a boom in sea urchin populations, which in turn has caused widespread destruction of kelp forests, crucial for marine ecosystems.
- Researchers conducted over 20 experiments from 2021 to 2024, identifying V. pectenicida in all infected sea star samples and confirming its role through exposure tests.
- Future research aims to determine if the pathogen affects other species and to breed disease-resistant sea stars for reintroduction into the wild.