Article: Dive dry with dr. Bill #563: Wasting away

[drbill]

You can view the page at http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/content.php?r=706-Dive-dry-with-dr-Bill-563-Wasting-away

 

[TSandM]

It's really extremely sad up here. In two days of diving this weekend, I have seen one, small sunflower star, where they used to carpet the sea floor. The ochre stars are wasting, too. It's hard to envision what the changes in our ecosystem will be, with one of the most active and abundant scavengers just about completely gone.

Luckily, the reports we are getting from our technical divers is that this may be a shallow water phenomenon, and the population that can regenerate may be doing okay in the deeper water. Either that, or whatever effect is causing the die-off is slower to get to the deep water.

 

[drbill]

That would surely be great news if there is a deep water refugium for your stars, Lynn. So far I have not heard reports of any wasting noticed here off Catalina. Many of our stars are more common at deeper depths (especially bat stars).

 

[Vegan Shark]

Practically all the sunflower stars have vanished in Monterey and Carmel, a real tragedy. Hope all the affected species make a swift comeback.

 

[pterantula]

I noted the remains of several "wasted" stars, on 11/23 along Wharf 2, in Monterey (part of Del Monte Beach); they appeared to be short-spined sea stars, but may have been very badly degraded ochres. I did not notice any wasted remains later that day slightly farther north, at the Breakwater...
I usually see an abundance of sunflower stars as well, but didn't notice many around. Ton of brown jellies though.

 

[azshohan]

Not the most uplifting article, but essential nonetheless.
Thanks for highlighting.

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