Mystery disease turns Oregon's sea stars to goo (Along with Creatures on Both Coasts)

Live Science via FoxNews ^ | 6-11-2014 | Jeanna Bryner

[equalator]

Until now, Oregon was the one state along the U.S. West Coast essentially spared from the disease. "The percentages we saw last week, they were as high as 40 to 60 percent of the population that's showing signs of wasting," said Bruce Menge, a marine biologist at Oregon State University, who is studying the wasting disease in Oregon.

[equalator]

"The percentages we saw last week, they were as high as 40 to 60 percent of the population that's showing signs of wasting."

Well, it's not Fukushima, because it's on both coasts-- weird

[Dilbert San Diego]

Let me guess, it’s due to global warming. They are finding changes in sea water temperatures, or pollution in the water, to cause this.

[from occupied ga]

wasting disease in Oregon

Starfish AIDS

[JRios1968]

[Red Badger]

Starfish are asexual..............They gave themselves AIDS?................

[from occupied ga]

Starfish are asexual

Not entirely. They also have sexual reproduction Probably caught it off the sebastian road beach in Ft Lauderdale.

[Red Badger]

Or they got it in San Fransicko...................

[Myrddin]

It is Fukushima. Much of the material initially released when unit 3 exploded was airborne. It comes down in the rain. The is a constant 300 tons of contaminated water flowing over the melted cores and into the ocean each day. EPA scintillation counters show 200 to 700 counts per minute of cesium 137 in the air across the US.

[stormer]

Starfish are gendered, although they do reproduce asexually. Generally they gather in groups and release their gametes into the water where they pair up with gametes from an opposite-sexed starfish, but some species brood their young. Increased water temperatures and acidification may not be the problem here like it is for other calcareous organisms - they compensate calcium loss by growing more flesh. Anyway, Pisaster, the genus effected by whatever is killing these animals, is a keystone species and their loss will be devastating to the intertidal environment - they keep mussel populations in check (which uncontrolled destroy diversity) and act as nature’s garbageman.

[Myrddin]

Check the map at NETC

[RitchieAprile]

we’ll need to eat more mussels.

[TexasGator]

” EPA scintillation counters show 200 to 700 counts per minute of cesium 137 in the air across the US.”

Link please.

[TexasGator]

“Check the map at NETC “

Which shows no Cesium-137 data and only shows background counts.

[Myrddin]

The current counts on the map are channel 5 data for counts in the Cs137 gamma range. Background for Cs137 was zero before 1945.

[TexasGator]

“Background for Cs137 was zero before 1945.”

Fukushima was in 1945?

[dfwgator]

[Myrddin]

The first nuclear detonations on earth occurred in 1945.
Cs137 is a man made fission product. Fine wines bottled
pre 1945 have no Cs137. It is detectable in wine after
that date.

[TexasGator]

That is why it is erroneous to state that the cpm are from Fukushima.

[Myrddin]

Your turn. Show the historical levels of Cs137 from
1945 to the current time and try to discount Fukushima.
Enough unsubstantiated naysaying.

[TexasGator]

“Your turn. Show the historical levels of Cs137 from
1945 to the current time and try to discount Fukushima.
Enough unsubstantiated naysaying.”

EPA trending shows no spike in gamma radiation over US due to Fukushima. Readings are listed as background.