Macroalgae, particularly kelps, are a critical component of temperate
nearshore benthic ecosystems providing a major input of primary production
and shelter for a diverse assemblage of fauna (e.g. Christie et al.,
2009). Laminaria hyperborea (Gunnerus) Foslie is a dominant subtidal
kelp found on the western European seaboard between the latitudes
~40 and 60° N coincident with zones experiencing strongly energetic
wave climates. Several studies have confirmed that an increase in
watermotion results in increasedmacroalgal photosynthesis and nutrient
uptake rates (e.g. Hurd et al., 1996; Kregting et al., 2008a;Wheeler,
1980), with these effects being attributed to mass-transfer limitation
(Hurd, 2000).