Camille describes that the primary objective of the “Environmental Drivers of Coral Restoration Success” project was to identify the sites with suitable conditions for coral survival and refuges from disturbances across Bundegi Reef. For that, they established the first oceanographic monitoring program across Bundegi Reef and measured a range of relevant environmental variables (current speed and directions, water levels, wave conditions, temperature, and light variability) at specific points across the reef. Even though the reef has been monitored through ecological surveys for decades, there was little to no information about the local oceanography. They then used this information to characterize the site and validate a hydrodynamic and thermodynamic model to expand the environmental characterization beyond the point measurements. Based on all the available information, they were then able to determine the “optimal location” based on the parameters of some of the following criteria: suitable substrate (e.g., rubble), suitable flow conditions (e.g. well flushed), suitable environmental conditions (e.g., wave exposure, temperature regimes) and favorable location for reef establishment (local retention) and strategically located to be a potential key larval source (export potential) and/or sink for neighboring reef communities.

We have also used our data and time at the site to think about broader questions, like what drives the residence time across the Exmouth Gulf, and what coral connectivity happens around the North West Cape, says Camille.

The hydrodynamic model used for this study was set up using Delft 3D Flexible Mesh and has a fairly high horizontal resolution (<50 m) to resolve all the relevant reef features (e.g., small channels, rapidly changing bathymetry, etc.) across the study area. The wave buoy plays a pivotal role in feeding the model with the incoming wave conditions that drive some of the current flow. The wave climate in the Exmouth Gulf is quite complex and mainly driven by wind waves created by wind along the long stretch of the Exmouth Gulf. Such conditions are not easy to capture in regional wave models, so we are extremely lucky to have the wave buoy offshore (in 20 m of water depth) from Bundegi Reef to provide us with that crucial insight into the local wave climate, says Camille. The temperature measurements from the wave buoys are also used to force temperature simulations.

Camille discusses the challenges and methodologies involved in temperature monitoring, stating:

"The Aqualink Bundegi data is also used for temperature monitoring quite regularly. Similarly to the wave climate, the satellite sea surface temperature does not always capture the temperature dynamics of the region accurately. We rely mainly on in situ benthic temperature loggers, but because the area is quite remote (the Exmouth Gulf is quite remote and located about 1, 250 km from the main city of Perth in Western Australia), it is often difficult and costly to collect and maintain benthic loggers. The surface to bottom temperature gradients also provide evidence of when the water column is stratified vs. well mixed (even on diurnal cycles)."

Throughout the course of the project, Camille has provided valuable insights into various aspects of the research. Here, we present Camille's reflections on the outcomes and results, success stories, and the importance and impact of the project.

We acknowledge the Baiyungu, Thalanyji and Yinigurdira people of the Ningaloo area as the Traditional custodians and the first marine scientists of the sea Country where this project took place. We would like to thank the Minderoo Foundation through the Minderoo Exmouth Research Lab for their ongoing fieldwork support and for maintaining and servicing the fleet of smart moorings now deployed across the Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef.