The Micro-scale and Macro-scale Changes of Rocky Subtidal Communities Following the Outbreak of Sea Star Wasting Syndrome
Faculty Sponsor(s)
Jeremy Weisz
Subject Area
Biology
Description
In 2014, Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS) killed ~90% of sea star populations on the Oregon coast. Sea stars, such as Pisaster ochraceus, are keystone predators in benthic communities known to impact the abundance of other organisms. Communities in Netarts Bay and Yaquina Bay were studied to examine changes within macro-scale and micro-scale benthic communities. To assess micro-scale changes, we used sponge tissue samples collected in 2012 and 2013, before SSWS, and tissue samples from 2021, following SSWS recovery. We analyzed bacterial communities of these tissues using high throughput sequencing and microbiome bioinformatics analyses. Macro-scale changes were assessed using video transects taken at both sites nearly annually since 2011 to monitor changes in abundance of higher order taxonomic groups. Percent coverages of these groups were calculated using CPCe 4.1. Interestingly, microbiomes were not significantly different between pre-SSWS and post-SSWS samples. Our qualitative observations of the benthic community suggests that there were differences before, during, and after SSWS, but our quantitative analysis has high variability in the data with a few significant differences. Though the micro-scale community was stable, macro-scale changes did occur throughout the years, with the sudden decline of sea star populations via SSWS as the most likely cause.
Recommended Citation
Bennick, Hanali and Weisz, Jeremy B., "The Micro-scale and Macro-scale Changes of Rocky Subtidal Communities Following the Outbreak of Sea Star Wasting Syndrome" (2024). Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement. Event. Submission 18.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/symposium/2024/all/18
The Micro-scale and Macro-scale Changes of Rocky Subtidal Communities Following the Outbreak of Sea Star Wasting Syndrome
In 2014, Sea Star Wasting Syndrome (SSWS) killed ~90% of sea star populations on the Oregon coast. Sea stars, such as Pisaster ochraceus, are keystone predators in benthic communities known to impact the abundance of other organisms. Communities in Netarts Bay and Yaquina Bay were studied to examine changes within macro-scale and micro-scale benthic communities. To assess micro-scale changes, we used sponge tissue samples collected in 2012 and 2013, before SSWS, and tissue samples from 2021, following SSWS recovery. We analyzed bacterial communities of these tissues using high throughput sequencing and microbiome bioinformatics analyses. Macro-scale changes were assessed using video transects taken at both sites nearly annually since 2011 to monitor changes in abundance of higher order taxonomic groups. Percent coverages of these groups were calculated using CPCe 4.1. Interestingly, microbiomes were not significantly different between pre-SSWS and post-SSWS samples. Our qualitative observations of the benthic community suggests that there were differences before, during, and after SSWS, but our quantitative analysis has high variability in the data with a few significant differences. Though the micro-scale community was stable, macro-scale changes did occur throughout the years, with the sudden decline of sea star populations via SSWS as the most likely cause.
