Lena Torres
Jellyfish are common invertebrate animals that swim and float around Puget Sound. Moon jellies, sea nettles, lion's mane, egg yolk, blubber, crystal, and jelly globes are some of the jellyfish species found in the Pacific Seas Aquarium. While jellyfish stings are generally mild, the lion's mane jellyfish, also known as the giant jellyfish, is one of the largest species of jellyfish and can cause a stinging nettle sensation. The number of jellyfish in Puget Sound appears to be growing, and scientists are working to understand the reasons behind this increase.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sting | Very mild |
| Reason for mild sting | Moon jellies eat tiny plankton, so don't need a strong sting |
| Increase in jellyfish population | Eutrophication, overfishing, climate warming, changing water conditions, drought conditions |
| Common locations | Budd Inlet and other finger inlets of South Puget Sound |
| Species | Aurelia labiate, Moon jelly, Lion's mane jellyfish |
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What You'll Learn
Moon jellyfish have a mild sting
Moon jellyfish are common in the Puget Sound, with large aggregations of these jellyfish sometimes being visible from aircraft flying overhead. Moon jellyfish have hundreds of short, fine tentacles, and while they will sting if you brush against them, the sting is usually mild. Most jellyfish stings are harmless, but some can cause serious harm. If you are experiencing life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, seek immediate medical attention.
Moon jellyfish are the most common jellyfish in UK seas and are also found throughout the world's oceans. They are easily recognisable by the four purple circles visible through their translucent white bell-shaped bodies. These circles are the gonads, or reproductive organs, of the jellyfish. Moon jellyfish feed on plankton, which they catch using a layer of mucus over their bells before passing the microscopic meals into their mouths using special tentacles.
Moon jellyfish have two main stages in their lifecycle: polyp and medusa. The medusa is the adult, bell-shaped, floating jellyfish that we are familiar with, while the polyp is a small stalk that attaches to a rock and divides into buds that break free to become adults. Moon jellyfish are giants of the jellyfish world, growing up to the size of dustbin lids.
While moon jellyfish stings are usually mild, some people may have more severe reactions. Wild moon jellies have a more potent sting, and different species of moon jellyfish have different levels of sting potency. Additionally, individuals who work with jellyfish may become hypersensitised to nematocysts and experience stronger stings from moon jellyfish. However, it is important to note that moon jellyfish are not known to sting humans and are even found in touch pools at aquariums.
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Lion's mane jellyfish have a stinging nettle sensation
Moon jellies, sea nettles, and lion's mane jellyfish are among the jellyfish species found in Puget Sound. While jellyfish stings are typically harmless, some can be fatal. The lion's mane jellyfish is the largest known species of jellyfish, with a range confined to the cold, boreal waters of the Arctic, northern Atlantic, and northern Pacific Oceans. It is characterised by its hundreds of sting-covered tentacles that make up its mane.
The initial sensation of touching a lion's mane jellyfish is described as more strange than painful, feeling like swimming into warmer and somewhat effervescent water, followed by some minor pain. The severity of the sting depends on factors such as the type of jellyfish, the age, health, and body weight of the person stung, the location of the sting, and the surface area of exposed skin. While lion's mane jellyfish stings are not typically dangerous to humans, medical attention is recommended in cases where individuals have been stung over large parts of their bodies by both the longest tentacles and the entire jellyfish, as systemic effects may occur.
The lion's mane jellyfish uses its stinging tentacles to capture prey such as fish, zooplankton, sea creatures, and smaller jellyfish. Its bell is divided into eight lobes, giving it the appearance of an eight-pointed star, with each lobe containing 70 to 150 tentacles arranged in four distinct rows. The total number of tentacles is around 1,200, with the longest known tentacles measuring approximately 36.6 metres (120 feet) in length.
The sting of a lion's mane jellyfish has been likened to that of a stinging nettle, a sensation that is both painful and itchy. The stinging cells of the jellyfish, known as cnidocytes, contain nematocysts, which release venom when triggered. This venom helps the jellyfish capture prey and defend itself. While the sting of a lion's mane jellyfish is not typically life-threatening, it can cause discomfort and, in some cases, require medical attention.
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Jellyfish populations are stable but are blooming in unusual places
While jellyfish populations are generally stable, they have been blooming in unusual places. These blooms are defined as substantial increases in jellyfish populations within a short time period, resulting from higher reproduction rates. They are known to occur naturally due to ocean and wind patterns, ecosystem shifts, and jellyfish behaviours. However, their appearance in new locations has sparked concern and interest.
In Puget Sound, for example, jellyfish smacks, or mass aggregations, are common during the summer. The number of jellyfish appears to be growing, and scientists are monitoring water quality to understand the reasons behind this increase. One hypothesis suggests that warmer conditions caused by a patch of warm water known as "the Blob", along with drought conditions, may be contributing factors.
Jellyfish blooms can have significant impacts on the environment and human activities. In overexploited fisheries, blooms can hinder the recovery of target fish species and create alternative stable states. They can also damage fishing nets and gear, leading to economic losses for fishing fleets. Additionally, blooms can alter carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycling, affecting microbial communities.
The perception of a global increase in jellyfish populations has been fuelled by local and regional case studies. While some areas have indeed seen rising jellyfish numbers, such as Japan, there are also places where populations have remained stable or fluctuated over time. Marine scientist Rob Condon's study on worldwide jellyfish abundance found no real evidence for a global increase over the past two centuries.
The complex relationship between jellyfish blooms and environmental changes remains a subject of ongoing research. While human activity and climate change are suspected to influence jellyfish populations, sustained monitoring and long-term data collection are necessary to separate perception from reality and deepen our understanding of these phenomena.
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The number of jellyfish in Puget Sound is growing
The increase in jellyfish populations in Puget Sound may be attributed to changing water conditions. In particular, the influx of a persistent patch of warm water, nicknamed "the Blob," from the Pacific Ocean in 2014, along with drought conditions in 2015, may have contributed to the rise in jellyfish numbers. Salinity and temperature readings from Budd Inlet support this hypothesis.
Jellyfish play a crucial role in the ocean food chain as they feed on plankton and serve as a food source for turtles and fish. While some jellyfish species have a mild sting, others like the lion's mane jellyfish, known for its long stinging tentacles, can cause a stinging nettle sensation in humans. This species has been spotted in Puget Sound, with some individuals reporting encounters while scuba diving or finding them washed up on the shore.
The abundance of jellyfish worldwide is not limited to Puget Sound and has been associated with human-induced environmental disturbances. Eutrophication, overfishing, and climate warming are among the factors contributing to the rise in jellyfish populations. As scientists continue to study the impact of human activities and climate change on jellyfish, it is evident that the growing number of jellyfish in Puget Sound is part of a broader trend affecting marine ecosystems globally.
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Human-caused disturbances are linked to increases in jellyfish abundance
While jellyfish in Puget Sound do sting, it is mild and not harmful to humans. Moon jellies, which are common in Puget Sound, eat tiny plankton and do not need a strong sting.
Human-caused disturbances are indeed linked to increases in jellyfish abundance. Human activities have increasingly occupied marine spaces. Fish farms and power plants are being built along coastlines, and commercial fishing vessels are travelling to new areas and harvesting new species. These activities can bring humans into more frequent contact with jellyfish, increasing the visibility and economic cost of jellyfish blooms.
Jellyfish blooms in pelagic systems appear to be increasing on a global scale due to anthropogenic impacts. A study on the epibenthic jellyfish, Cassiopea spp., found that they were significantly more dense and larger in areas with high human population densities. Elevated ambient nutrient levels and nutrient content of seagrass in these areas may be one mechanism driving higher abundance and size of Cassiopea spp.
Benthic jellyfish, which include Cassiopea spp., are largely comprised of upside-down jellyfish that live on the seafloor. They are found in nearshore habitats such as coral reefs, mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and lagoons, and may be particularly abundant in areas adjacent to high human population densities due to elevated nutrient concentrations. In one study, environmental contaminants were detected in higher concentrations in Cassiopea tissue than in surrounding seawater in an urban marine environment in Queensland, Australia.
The rising demand for ecosystem services due to the increasing human population in coastal areas poses a challenge for marine ecosystems. Global anthropogenic changes have transformed the marine realm, impacting ecosystem health and services necessary for human welfare. These changes have opened ecological space for opportunistic organisms like jellyfish, resulting in ecosystem-wide and economic implications.
While there is a perceived link between human activity and increasing jellyfish populations, more concrete data and long-term studies are needed to back up this relationship.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, jellyfish in Puget Sound do sting, but their stings are very mild. Moon jellies, for example, eat tiny plankton and do not need a strong sting.
Moon jellies, sea nettles, and lion's mane jellyfish are found in Puget Sound.
There are a variety of factors that contribute to the abundance of jellyfish in Puget Sound. Human-caused disturbances such as eutrophication, overfishing, and climate warming are believed to play a role. Additionally, changes in water conditions, such as increased temperature and salinity, may also be contributing factors.
