Disease epidemic and a marine heat wave are associated with the continental-scale collapse of a pivotal predator (Pycnopodia helianthoides)

Harvell, C. D.; Montecino-Latorre, D.; Caldwell, J. M.; Burt, J. M.; Bosley, K.; Keller, A.; Heron, S. F.; Salomon, A. K.; Lee, L.; Pontier, O.; Pattengill-Semmens, C.; Gaydos, J. K.

doi:10.1126/sciadv.aau7042

i

Disease epidemic and a marine heat wave are associated with the continental-scale collapse of a pivotal predator (Pycnopodia helianthoides)

2019
By Harvell, C. D. ; Montecino-Latorre, D. ; Caldwell, J. M. ; ...

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Journal Title:

Science Advances
Personal Author:

Harvell, C. D. ; Montecino-Latorre, D. ; Caldwell, J. M. ; Burt, J. M. ; Bosley, K. ; Keller, A. ; Heron, S. F. ; Salomon, A. K. ; Lee, L. ; Pontier, O. ; Pattengill-Semmens, C. ; Gaydos, J. K.
NOAA Program & Office:

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; NESDIS (National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service) ; NWFSC (Northwest Fisheries Science Center) ; STAR (Center for Satellite Applications and Research)
Description:

Multihost infectious disease outbreaks have endangered wildlife, causing extinction of frogs and endemic birds, and widespread declines of bats, corals, and abalone. Since 2013, a sea star wasting disease has affected >20 sea star species from Mexico to Alaska. The common, predatory sunflower star (Pycnopodia helianthoides), shown to be highly susceptible to sea star wasting disease, has been extirpated across most of its range. Diver surveys conducted in shallow nearshore waters (n = 10,956; 2006–2017) from California to Alaska and deep offshore (55 to 1280 m) trawl surveys from California to Washington (n = 8968; 2004–2016) reveal 80 to 100% declines across a ~3000-km range. Furthermore, timing of peak declines in nearshore waters coincided with anomalously warm sea surface temperatures. The rapid, widespread decline of this pivotal subtidal predator threatens its persistence and may have large ecosystem-level consequences.
Source:

Science Advances, 5(1), eaau7042.
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aau7042
Document Type:

Journal Article
Rights Information:

CC BY-NC
Compliance:

Submitted
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:918c9dec516ef4049f9c0f6d80e37df8ca69c27e00033cd88e8fa3726bd00144
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/20132/noaa_20132_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 941.68 KB ]

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