With the sharp decline in sea stars, the sea urchins that usually serve as a food source rapidly expanded in population. In turn, they ate nearly 95% of the kelp forests in Northern California within a decade. These kelp forests help provide food and habitats for a wide variety of marine life, including fish, sea otters and seals, per the AP.

Scientists have solved the mystery of what killed over 5 billion sea stars — also known as starfish — off the Pacific coast of North America.

A new study has found that the devastating sea star wasting disease is caused by a strain of bacteria from Vibrio pectenicida, which turns the marine creatures into goo.