Oregon State University
CORVALLIS, Ore. – The “baby boom” of ochre sea stars that followed a population crash a decade ago is enabling the species to recover on the Oregon Coast, according to new research by scientists at Oregon State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.
The study, published in Ecosphere, does not determine whether the boom was triggered by the wasting disease epidemic that pushed ochre sea stars to the brink of extinction in Oregon, or simply a fortunate coincidence.
But either way, a study of multiple sites along the coast revealed many encouraging signs for ochre sea star populations…