When Stars Fall from the Sea: The Crisis Facing Our Ocean’s Constellations
Imagine if the stars in our night sky began to dim, flicker, and vanish one by one. The awe-inspiring constellations we depend on for navigation and wonder would be lost, leaving us in darkness. A similar tragedy is unfolding beneath the waves, where the sea’s own stars, the sea stars, are disappearing at an alarming rate due to a mysterious and devastating condition known as Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS).
Sea Star Wasting Syndrome, often abbreviated as SSWS, took the ocean by storm as early as June 2013 on along the Pacific Northwest. It is a condition that affects various species of sea stars, leading to their rapid decline and horrific sights. The symptoms are alarming: lesions appear on the body of the sea star, followed by tissue decay, limb detachment, and ultimately, death. On top of the deadly symptoms, the disease is also highly contagious through direct and indirect contact between stars. In some cases, the disease progresses so quickly that entire populations can be decimated within days.
With over a decade of research on the matter, the exact cause of SSWS remains elusive. Scientists have proposed several theories, including the suggestion that a virus could be the culprit in this mass destruction. Others believe that environmental factors such as rising sea temperatures and the multiyear Eastern Pacific marine heatwave in 2014-2016 may have weakened the sea stars’ immune systems and made them more susceptible to infections. Additionally, pollution and habitat destruction could be contributing to the spread and severity of the disease.
One of the most affected species is the Sunflower Star, Pycnopodia helianthoides, the world’s largest sea star species and a vital player in the marine ecosystem. Sunflower Stars and key predators, helping to maintain the balance of marine life by controlling the population of sea urchins and other invertebrates. With their decline and predator role, there has been a surge in sea urchin populations, which in turn destructively graze through lush kelp forests creating desolate urchin barrens. The loss of Sunflower Stars in 2013/2014 is strongly correlated to the loss of 96% of California’s kelp cover in the last decade. Kelp forests can be compared to redwood forests, sheltering and providing food for over 1,000 species of animals and plants. They also provide vital ecosystem services by supporting fisheries and ecotourism, reducing coastal erosion, and sequestering carbon. Roughly half of the oxygen in the atmosphere is produced by photosynthetic marine organisms, including kelp. The domino effect from losing Sunflower Stars to SSWS disrupts the entire ecosystem, leading to the loss of biodiversity and degradation of marine habitats.
Vince Christian, co-founder of the Sunflower Star Laboratory (and heart of the program), says, “I’ve been diving in Monterey since we moved here in the 1990’s, and [the Sunflower Star] used to be really common. They were so common, I kinda took them for granted. Then all of a sudden, they were gone!” Being an underwater photographer in the Monterey Bay, Vince has had a frontrow view of the changes following the disappearance of these stars. “I started seeing the effects of that. It was quick. The next few years you can kinda see the urchins starting to take over, and then you started seeing the kelp forests go. What used to be some of my favorite dive sites were now urchin barrens. That was kinda the big reason why I wanted to start this project.”
In response to this crisis, there was the creation of the Sunflower Star Lab, a non-profit conservation aquaculture facility based in Moss Landing, California. The team grows larval and juvenile sunflower stars to aid in the recovery of this critically endangered species. Their work includes caring for larvae and newly settled sunflower stars and using multi-year ecological and genetic monitoring to understand the short-term evolutionary responses of sunflower stars to the 2013/2014 wasting event, recovery, and laboratory effort. The lab also collaborates with other institutions to coordinate captive rearing efforts and engages the public through citizen science initiatives, encouraging people to report sightings and conditions of sea stars along the coast.
While the situation is dire, there is hope. The efforts of dedicated scientists and conservationists are paving the way for a better understanding of SSWS and how to mitigate its impact. By raising awareness and supporting these initiatives, we can help ensure that the sea stars, the ocean’s own constellations, continue to shine brightly beneath the waves.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Melissa Andrade
Melissa, a former intern at the Sunflower Star Lab and graduate of UC Santa Cruz, is passionate about marine conservation. In her work, she highlights the devastating impact of Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS), a crisis that has decimated sea star populations, including the vital Sunflower Star. Melissa advocates for urgent action to combat SSWS and restore balance to marine ecosystems, emphasizing the critical work being done at the Sunflower Star Lab to protect these oceanic "stars."
