Sunflower Sea Stars Eating Urchins May Help Kelp Forests Grow Back

The model predicts that even small recoveries of predatory sunflower sea stars could lead to lower densities of purple sea urchins.

• The collapse of sunflower sea stars is linked to the proliferation of purple sea urchins and subsequent losses of kelp forests.
• Experiments suggest that sunflower sea stars may consume purple sea urchins that are typically found in barren areas.
• Sea stars show higher predation rates on starved urchins, indicating a preference that could benefit kelp forests.
• The decline of sea stars aligns with increased urchin populations following modest recruitment events.
• Restoring sunflower sea star populations may be crucial for maintaining healthy kelp forests through top-down control of urchins.

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