After a devastating disease threatened to wipe it out, an important species appears to be experiencing a remarkable comeback on the Oregon coast.
As The Oregonian reported in late October, a study recently published in the journal Ecosphere found that the ochre sea star — or starfish — is in the midst of a “baby boom” projected to restore its population to pre-crisis levels. In 2013, the species was devastated by a widespread wasting illness with an exceptionally high mortality rate.
“After declines in sea star numbers of up to 84 percent in 2014,” study lead author Sarah Gravem told the news outlet, “we quickly saw an 8,000 percent increase in young sea stars landing on shore.”
Some scientists have theorized that warming seas are intensifying disease outbreaks, impacting marine life worldwide. But researchers aren’t precisely sure what has brought this species back.
Fortunately, sea stars have a reproductive cycle that facilitates a massive surge in population. They breed via broadcast spawning — females lay eggs, which are fertilized by males releasing sperm into the water column. One female can lay up to 40 million eggs in just one breeding season.
Meanwhile, the ochre sea star isn’t just a keystone species but the keystone species. That is, the very idea that a single species can play such an outsized role within an ecosystem began with the ochre sea star in the 1960s.
That’s when Bob Paine, an ecologist, observed over several years the ecological impacts of removing the starfish from a study site. Without ochre sea stars, tide pools became overrun by the mussels they normally fed on, pushing out other marine species. Paine’s theory has since evolved into something more nuanced, but the ecological and historical importance of the ochre sea star speaks for itself.
A species’ recovery is always welcome news and underscores the resilience of nature in the face of existential threats. Sometimes it takes a helping hand from locals, and sometimes it’s just a case of establishing protections and giving a species space to recover. Regardless, a positive story can be a good starting point for a productive discussion about the environment — and conversations with friends and family can be the cornerstone of successful conservation efforts.
The Oregonian’s social media post about the study brought several comments from pleased readers. “This comeback has been incredible to witness in real life,” wrote one. Another theorized, “These are the offspring of the resilient few who survived. Evolution in action.”
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