Abstract
The storm-related mortality rates of adult Macrocystis pyrifera in a Southern California giant kelp forest were determined over several winter storm seasons and compared with the hydrodynamic attributes of the most energetic storms. The data include stormy and relatively benign years and an exceptional storm which resulted in almost total destruction of a major Macrocystis forest. High orbital velocities (associated with large, high frequency waves), the presence of breaking waves, and entanglement by drifters were found to increase mortality through stipe breakage or holdfast failure. Longshore variability in wave intensity was found to affect kelp mortality rates. The data suggest that wave breaking may be an important factor in determining the inner boundary of the kelp bed.
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