title: Ochre star mortality during the 2014 wasting disease epizootic: role of population size structure and temperature.
abstract: Over 20 species of asteroids were devastated by a sea star wasting disease (SSWD) epizootic, linked to a densovirus, from Mexico to Alaska in 2013 and 2014. For Pisaster ochraceus from the San Juan Islands, South Puget Sound and Washington outer coast, time-series monitoring showed rapid disease spread, high mortality rates in 2014, and continuing levels of wasting in the survivors in 2015. Peak prevalence of disease at 16 sites ranged to 100%, with an overall mean of 61%. Analysis of longitudinal data showed disease risk was correlated with both size and temperature and resulted in shifts in population size structure; adult populations fell to one quarter of pre-outbreak abundances. In laboratory experiments, time between development of disease signs and death was influenced by temperature in adults but not juveniles and adult mortality was 18% higher in the 19 °C treatment compared to the lower temperature treatments. While larger ochre stars developed disease signs sooner than juveniles, diseased juveniles died more quickly than diseased adults. Unusual 2-3 °C warm temperature anomalies were coincident with the summer 2014 mortalities. We suggest these warm waters could have increased the disease progression and mortality rates of SSWD in Washington State.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA me367@cornell.edu.
authors.forename: Morgan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Eisenlord
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Management, University of Prince Edward Island, Atlantic Veterinary College, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3.
authors.forename: Maya L
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3381-6415
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Groner
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
authors.forename: Reyn M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, USA.
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Elliott
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA Laboratoire d'Excellence «CORAIL» USR 3278 CNRS-EPHE, CRIOBE, Papetoai, Moorea, Polynésie Française.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Maynard
authors.affiliation: Lake Crescent Laboratory, Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, WA 98362, USA.
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fradkin
authors.affiliation: Marine Science Center, Northeastern University, Nahant, MA 01908, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turner
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA 98416, USA.
authors.forename: Katie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pyne
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rivlin
authors.affiliation: Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory, NOAA, 4301 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149, USA.
authors.forename: Ruben
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: van Hooidonk
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA.
authors.forename: C Drew
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Harvell
mesh_terms: D000820:Animal Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D000818:Animals; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D011156:Population Density; D013215:Starfish; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Pisaster ochraceus; climate change; epizootic; host demography; mass mortality; sea star wasting disease