After 10 years of mystery, a team of researchers from British Columbia discovered the cause of an epidemic that has decimated almost 90% of the sunflower starfish on the west coast of North America
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More than 5.8 billion seaslle has been decimated by this terrible disease in 10 years, or almost 90% of the world’s world population.
The starfish starfish appears on the red list of critical endangered species of the International Union for Nature Conservation.
A silent massacre
The mystery has been hovering since 2013 on this phenomenon that touched the sunflower starfish (Pycnopodia helianthoides) in the Pacific Ocean, formerly abundant.
This affection, called the “syndrome of the starving of the starfish” (sdem), causes lesions, the loss of arms, deformations, then the disintegration of the body of the starfish in a kind of whitish paste.
Photo AFP
Then, the researchers discovered a strong bacterial strain in sick starfish, but absent in the healthy starfish, the Vibrio pectenicida.
The results, which were published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution On Monday, a major progress mark in the fight against this marine epidemic.
“Identify the pathogen finally gives us a starting point to act,” explained The Guardian Doctor Alyssa Gehman, co-director of the study with Doctor Melanie Prentice, both affiliated to the Hakai Institute, in British Columbia.
Research made it possible to link the bacteria to the disease thanks to the analyzes of the ladies, the blood of the starfish in a way, in which was detected a strong presence of the Vibrio pectenicida in sick individuals.
Consequences on biodiversity
The identified strain, nicknamed FHCF-3, proliferates in particular in warm waters, suggesting a possible link with the warming of the oceans, according to The Guardian.
The decline of this kind of starfish has nevertheless caused an upheaval in marine balance. The sunflower starfish are large sea urchin predators, who themselves feed on Varech, seaweed that swarms on the shores.
Photo taken from Facebook, Sargassus Sargassum Seaweed Mexico and Punta Canada
Without their natural predators, sea urchins multiply and attack the forests of Varech. These ocean lungs house thousands of species, protect the ribs, store carbon and support the human communities that use it.
Recovery of starfish
Although the SDEM epidemic is still in progress, this discovery revives hope. Scientists are already considering concrete tracks, such as breeding of stars resistant in captivity or the introduction of probiotics in ecosystems.
“Now that we know what we are dealing with, we can act more targeted,” said Alyssa Gehman. [Et] accelerate recovery efforts. “
