Conservation & Threats

The two primary threats facing all asteroids are climate change and anthropogenic disturbance, such as dredging. In a study examining the impact of dredging on benthic invertebrates in the North Sea it was determined that dredging events causes the smothering of many benthic invertebrates, such as starfish (Stronkhorst et al. 2003). Therefore, the proposed development of numerous ports along the east coast of Australia poses a large threat to this species, along with many other reef species, as the construction of these ports would result in large dredging and dumping of sediment on the Great Barrier reef causing smothering of many invertebrates. 

Another threat to the starfish populations is climate change. When examining the impact of climate change there are two factors that will primarily impact the starfish, ocean acidification and increasing temperatures. Ocean acidification has been demonstrated to mostly impact upon the larval stage of starfish (Dupont et al. 2010). Increases in mortality, decreases in growth rate and developmental abnormalities have been determined as the consequences of a lower oceanic pH (Dupont et al. 2010). However, a recent study examining Crossaster papposus revealed a potential benefit of a lower pH on the lecithotropic larvae of these starfish species (Dupont et al. 2010). These larvae demonstrated a faster growth rate (Dupont et al. 2010). When examining the effects of ocean acidification and rising temperatures Gooding et al. (2009) demonstrated that as temperature increases and pH decreases adult Pisaster ochraceus (starfish) demonstrated increases in growth rates. The impact of ocean acidification and rising temperature appears to be varied and dependent on the life history stage of the animal.  It is still unknown how climate change factors will impact N.cumingi.