MAINE MONITOR • January 7, 2024
What is killing sea stars (starfish)? Besides waters that are warming and becoming more acidic, possible stressors include low oxygen levels (due to increases in bacteria in the water using up the oxygen), and perhaps a virus. Maine’s sea stars are considered keystone species, meaning “they have a disproportionately large effect on their community,” said Melina Giakoumis, associate director of the Institute for Comparative Genomics at the American Museum of Natural History. “It’s important to protect them because they help keep other species in check, which increases stability and resilience in the entire ecosystem.”