Aug 23, 2022 · From the coast of Southern Africa to Southern Alaska, sea urchins and kelp coexist peacefully — until they don’t. In recent decades, more and more kelp forests have been razed by the hungry urchins.

Mar 31, 2021 · Kelp forests along Northern California have almost vanished. Divers and scientists are racing to stop purple sea urchins from taking over critical habitat.

Unchecked populations of purple sea urchins are devouring California's iconic kelp forests, but pioneering scientists are working to put the ecosystem back in balance.

Very high densities of urchins that graze through algal growth is the main challenge that prevents kelp forest growth on the north coast. The primary strategy for kelp forest restoration is to remove urchins, or reduce their populations to give kelp space to grow. There are two ways to reduce urchin populations for kelp restoration.

Jul 25, 2022 · A dramatic outbreak of kelp-eating purple sea urchins along the Central Coast of California in 2014, leading to a significant reduction in the region's kelp forests, was driven primarily by the emergence of sea urchins from their hiding places rather than an increase in the urchin population.

Oct 25, 2019 · Populations of purple sea urchins, a voracious, kelp-eating species, have exploded. And now, according to a new study in Scientific Reports, more than 90 percent of bull kelp canopy along...

Mar 22, 2023 · A research team including U.S. National Science Foundation-supported scientists at Oregon State University has provided the first evidence that a species of endangered sea star protects kelp forests along North America's Pacific coast by preying on substantial numbers of kelp-eating urchins.

After the disease killed more than 5 billion sea stars, the urchin population exploded, devouring kelp and leaving seascapes with almost nothing but the spiny, globular echinoderms. The kelp loss prompted the California Fish and Game Commission …

Oct 8, 2021 · Purple sea urchins are a natural part of kelp ecosystems, but when predators that keep their numbers in check started to disappear, the urchin population boomed. In herds, urchins can consume kelp at a rate of 30 feet per month, creating urchin barrens.

Mar 15, 2021 · Marine scientists have observed a massive decline of California’s underwater kelp forests in recent years. Studies have linked the die-off to a host of factors including an ocean heat wave, a deadly sea star virus, and an influx of voracious kelp-eating sea urchins.