Dynamics of coral rubble in natural settings

This project fits within a broader Rubble Stabilisation sub-program as part of the Reef Restoration and Adaption program

(https://gbrrestoration.org/program/rubble-stabilisation/)

This project aims to answer the following unknown processes about rubble on coral reefs: When rubble is generated, how much does it move? Is there a rubble movement threshold that prevents coral larval settlement and sustained growth? Under what environmental conditions is rubble transported vs rotated or vibrated? How does rubble move as a function of wave climate, type of rubble, degree of interlocking, rubble size and local slope? How does the quantity of rubble present influence subsequent motion, i.e., how does rubble contained within a degraded canopy move in comparison to that where the whole macro-structure is lost so rubble fields are fully exposed to the hydrodynamic forcing? This project will provide verification data for hydrodynamic modelling of rubble motion, enabling broader scale assessment and future predictions.

Advisors: Dr Daniel Harris, Professor Thomas Baldock

Funding: UQ Research Training Program