99% of California's sunflower sea stars vanished; a colony may offer hope
Ten years ago, sunflower sea stars faced near extinction due to a devastating marine epidemic, leading to unchecked sea urchin populations that destroyed essential kelp forests. Recently, a newly identified colony of these sea stars has rekindled hope for ecological restoration. Researchers are examining their resilience to diseases, which could greatly benefit efforts to reintroduce these vital…
California's sunflower sea stars nearly vanished a decade ago, but a newly discovered colony offers hope for the region's kelp forests. These massive, predatory sea stars, which can grow up to 24 arms and three feet wide, dominated the ocean floor until a marine heatwave and a deadly epidemic wiped them out in 2013. The loss of these sea stars allowed purple sea urchins to overpopulate and decimate kelp forests, which in turn affected numerous marine species and coastal communities.
After years of searching, scientists have found a small colony of sunflower sea stars, providing a glimmer of hope for restoring the ecosystem and its vital kelp forests.
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