Well, the answers are finally in, and it appears a mutated strain of a common virus to starfish has set this in motion.
SEATTLE — After months of research, scientists have identified the pathogen at the heart of the starfish wasting disease that’s been killing starfish by the millions along the Pacific shores of North America, according to research published Monday.
…The research team also plans to continue investigating environmental factors such as warming water and ocean acidification that may have caused starfish to be more susceptible to the viral infection.
Read the whole story here:
http://earthfix.opb.org/flora-and-fauna/article/scientists-find-out-whats-killing-west-coast-starf/
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: disease, Puget Sound, starfish |
