Sea star wasting disease (SSWD) first appeared in Oregon April 2014, and by June had spread to most of the coast. Although delayed compared areas north south, SSWD was initially intense central southward. Up 90% individuals showed signs from June-August 2014. In rocky intertidal habitats, populations dominant sea Pisaster ochraceus were rapidly depleted, with magnitudes decline density among sites ranging -2x -9x (59 84%) biomass -2.6x -15.8x (60 90%) September The frequency symptomatic...

The prevalence of disease-driven mass mortality events is increasing, but our understanding spatial variation in their magnitude, timing and triggers are often poorly resolved. Here, we use a novel range-wide dataset comprised 48 810 surveys to quantify how sea star wasting disease affected Pycnopodia helianthoides , the sunflower star, across its range from Baja California, Mexico Aleutian Islands, USA. We found that outbreak occurred more rapidly, killed greater percentage population left...

The recent collapse of predatory sunflower sea stars ( Pycnopodia helianthoides ) owing to star wasting disease (SSWD) is hypothesized have contributed proliferation urchin barrens and losses kelp forests on the North American west coast. We used experiments a model test whether restored populations may help recover through their consumption nutritionally poor purple urchins Strongylocentrotus purpuratus typical barrens. consumed 0.68 S. d −1 , our sensitivity analysis shows that magnitude...

Climate change threatens to destabilize ecological communities, potentially moving them from persistently occupied "basins of attraction" different states. Increasing variation in key processes can signal impending state shifts ecosystems. In a rocky intertidal meta-ecosystem consisting three distinct regions spread across 260 km the Oregon coast, we show that annually cleared sites are characterized by communities exhibit signs increasing destabilization (loss resilience) over past decade...

Summary Several studies on trait‐mediated indirect interactions ( TMII s) have shown that predators can initiate trophic cascades by altering prey behaviour. Although it is well recognized individual state alters antipredator and foraging behaviour, few explore whether this state‐dependent behaviour alter the strength of ensuing tritrophic cascade. Here, we link to community processes experimentally testing hunger level body size altered thus changed between primary producers. In rocky...

Recent mass mortalities of two predatory sea star species provided an unprecedented opportunity to test the effect predators on rocky intertidal prey. Mass provide insight that manipulative experiments cannot because they alter ecosystems a larger scale, for longer time periods, and remove both organisms their cues from environment. We examined shifts in population size structure, vertical zonation, use emersed refuge habitats outside tidepools by abundant herbivorous black turban snail...

A powerful way to predict how ecological communities will respond future climate change is test they have responded the of past. We used oscillations including Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), North Gyre Oscillation, and El Niño Southern (ENSO) variation in upwelling, air temperature, sea temperatures sensitivity nearshore rocky intertidal variability. Prior research shows that multiple processes key taxa (growth, recruitment, physiology) were sensitive environmental during this time...

MEPS Marine Ecology Progress Series Contact the journal Facebook Twitter RSS Mailing List Subscribe to our mailing list via Mailchimp HomeLatest VolumeAbout JournalEditorsTheme Sections 552:31-46 (2016) - DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/meps11766 Trait-mediated indirect interactions among residents of rocky shore tidepools Steven G. Morgan1,2,*, Sarah A. Gravem1,3, Adam C. Lipus1, Marcos Grabiel1, Benjamin Miner4 1Bodega Laboratory, University California-Davis, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA...

The accumulation of plastic in the oceans is an ever-growing environmental concern. Plastic debris a choking and entanglement hazard for wildlife; plastics also leach toxic compounds into organisms ecosystems. Educating students about marine problem introduces fundamental concepts toxicology, ecology, oceanography. Students will learn toxicity plastics, collect analyze data on debris, put their new knowledge to work by writing congressional bill that addresses debris.

The incidence of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has increased in wildlife populations recent years and is expected to continue increase with global environmental change. Marine are relatively understudied compared terrestrial but warrant parallel attention as they can disrupt ecosystems, cause economic loss, threaten human livelihoods. Although there many existing tools combat the direct indirect consequences EIDs, these management strategies often insufficient or ineffective marine...

Boiler Bay study site showing the low intertidal macro phyte zone (foreground) and mid mussel (upper right).The patchy nature of macrophyte is evident, with kelp (brown algae in foreground), surfgrass (green yellow patches), red left) patches intermingled.Photo credit: Heather Fulton-Bennett intermingled.

Abstract Ecosystem function is maintained in part by direct species interactions, but indirect interactions and non‐consumptive effects may be of equal ecological importance. Along the west coast North America, recent population collapse predatory sunflower sea star Pycnopodia helianthoides has been implicated proliferation purple urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus , a concurrent decline kelp canopy cover several locales. Recent work began to quantify predation rates (i.e., consumptive...

Abstract Determining the relative influence of biotic and abiotic processes in structuring communities at local to large spatial scales is best understood using a biogeographic comparative‐experimental approach. Using this approach, previous work suggests that intertidal community dynamics (top‐down bottom‐up effects) vary unimodally along an upwelling‐based productivity gradient, termed Intermittent Upwelling Hypothesis (IUH). Evidence consistent with IUH comes from sessile...

The incidence of emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) has increased in wildlife populations recent years and is expected to continue increase with global change. Marine particular are relatively understudied compared terrestrial disease, but they can disrupt ecosystem resilience, cause economic loss, or threaten human health. While there many existing tools combat the direct indirect consequences EIDs, these management strategies often insufficient ineffective marine habitats their...

Photo of the Cape Blanco, Oregon, study site with two student researchers using quadrats to quantify species abundances in background.

Abstract Ecosystem stability has intrigued ecologists for decades, and the realization that global climate was changing sharpened focused this interest. One possible early warning signal of decreasing is increasing variability in ecosystems over time with variability. Determining change effects on community stability, however, requires long‐term studies structure underlying dynamics, including bottom‐up top‐down natural ecosystems. Although relevant datasets were rare years ecology, such...

Abstract Nearly all of our understanding rocky inter‐tidal ecology comes from studies conducted at low tide. To study organisms high tide, we anchored waterproof digital GoPro ® video cameras in wave‐exposed tidepools and recorded the daytime movements black turban snail, Tegula funebralis , over tidal cycle between May August 2012 near Bodega Bay, California. Overall, snails moved more quickly presumably foraged during tides on days with warmer air perhaps water temperatures. This is...

Abstract Human‐caused global change produces biotic and abiotic conditions that increase the uncertainty risk of failure restoration efforts. A focus managing for resiliency, is, ability system to respond disturbance, has potential reduce this risk. However, identifying what drives resiliency might depend on how one measures it. An example a where drivers different aspects can inform under climate is northern coast California, kelp experienced decline in coverage over 95% due combination an...

ABSTRACT Aim Surveying the demography of populations near species range edges may indicate their vulnerability to contractions or local extinction as climate changes. In rocky intertidal, not only are latitudinal ranges constricted by thermal stress, but tides also create zonation a ‘vertical range’ driven sharp environmental gradients. By investigating demographics along and vertical simultaneously, we can investigate whether be vulnerable changing climate. Location Rocky intertidal...

Abstract Research on intertidal community structure and recovery in the California Current System has largely focused macrophytes invertebrates occupying two‐dimensional, readily studied “open” rock surfaces. However, most rocky shores have a “third” dimension that includes channels, cracks, crevices, overhangs whose organismal assemblages, termed “cryptic communities,” are poorly studied. Cryptic communities not only share many species with those more accessible surfaces but also include...

Abstract The keystone species Pisaster ochraceus suffered mass mortalities along the northeast Pacific Ocean from Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS) outbreaks in 2013–2016. SSWS causation remains of debate, leading to concerns as whether will continue impact this species. Considering apparent link between ocean temperature and SSWS, future intertidal communities uncertain. Surveys co‐occurring apparently normal wasting P . central Oregon coast 2016 allowed us address variation disease status...