Starfish Dying? Mystery in the North Atlantic

The article that I read this week was entitled, "Massive Starfish Die-off baffles Scientists," and it was published on September 9, 2013. The author was Carrie Arnold for National Geographic's Weird and Wild section. This article grabbed my attention because of the repercussions that a massive die-off of marine life could cause. The starfish is part of the marine habitat's ecological system; therefore, a large number of the creature dying is seen as a major issue. 

A healthy Sunflower Starfish

Initial Problems:

The article explains how the dying species of Sunflower Starfish were found by a diver, Jonathan Martin. He thought at first that it could be a mistake, but after seeing many dead or dying starfish he began to find the situation alarming. He contacted a researcher at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. for further information. 

A Sunflower Starfish with multiple missing limbs and dying

 

Hypothesis:

Christopher Mah at the Smithsonian Institute told Jonathan Martin that there was no clear evidence as to what is causing the numerous starfish deaths. One hypothesis is that there is a parasite that could be harming the starfish. Another hypothesis states that because of the overpopulation, the starfish are just naturally undergoing selection. 

However, these hypotheses do not explain why the southern neighbor to the Sunflower Starfish, the Morning Sun Star, is also producing a large number of unexplained deaths. The article goes on to explain the next steps that researchers and concerned citizens are going to take to figure out the cause of the Starfish deaths. 

A healthy Morning Sun Starfish

Reaction:

I chose this article because the beach is my favorite place. This may sound corny, but it is true. I care about what happens in my oceans, at my beaches, and to the organisms that inhabit the coastal areas. I grew up finding starfish on the coast of South Carolina and learning that they are not just part of Ariel's Disney princess world. They are living organisms, and they are often overlooked as important. This is a vast understatement as starfish are an integral part of the oceanic ecosystem. 

The starfish eat sea urchins and other poisonous ocean dwellers that harm human beings. If there were a huge depletion of starfish, there would be a large burst in the number of sea urchins. Imagine running into the ocean and stepping on a sea urchin: It would hurt very bad. Starfish and other organisms that we take advantage of actually help us in a multitude of ways; therefore, if there is an unnatural reason for the deaths of these starfish, we as responsible human beings should care and investigate. 

A South Carolina Beach Walkover

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2013/09/09/massive-starfish-die-off-baffles-scientists/