Happy to see a big healthy Porites bommie #marineexplorer
Our surveys and photogrammetry have to cover sites without fear nor favour, so it's nice to find a big healthy colony on one. I wonder how old this one is? One Tree Island Research Station Sydney Science flic.kr/p/2pNSc2W

Coral survivors (just) #marineexplorer
Sydney Science
At this site One Tree Island Research Station the majority of corals have died previously. Among the survivors, many are now bleached. There are 2 bleached Galaxea colonies in the foreground & an unbleached Montipora flic.kr/p/2pNCMPL

3D mapping of the reef #marineexplorer
This is our detail mapping rig, with 2 x Sony A7 IV cameras set to take a photo every second. A 10 m plot of reef requires over 1000 photos. One Tree Island Research Station Sydney Science #ecorrap flic.kr/p/2pN1hTg

Coral textures 4, One Tree Island Research Station Sydney Science

Our model of one of our sites outside the lagoon, showing extensive bleaching (white) and fluorescing (blue). The site is 10 m long, 6 m high and 6 m wide. #ecorrap #marineexplorer Sydney Science One Tree Island Research Station

We hoped that the bleaching in the southern GBR would be restricted to the shallower waters, which can be the warmest, however yesterday's scan down at 18 m showed extensive bleaching, fluorescing and mortality :( Sydney Science One Tree Island Research Station flic.kr/p/2pMjCda

Coral textures 3, including a few cardinalfish #marineexplorer Sydney Science One Tree Island Research Station

A few of the fish species that we record on our surveys in the southern GBR... Full size pics and IDs: flickr.com/photos/johnwtu… #marineexplorer Sydney Science One Tree Island Research Station

Our Conversation piece on our observations of coral bleaching from the field... Sydney Science Securing Antarctica's Environmental Future One Tree Island Research Station #marineexplorer theconversation.com/more-than-cora… via The Conversation - Australia + New Zealand

Coral textures 2. This set contains a fluorescing Goniopora, sadly. The bright yellow is normally the colour of the Acropora to the left. #marineexplorer Sydney Science One Tree Island Research Station Detail shots: flickr.com/photos/johnwtu…

Coral textures 1. Identifying corals requires a view of the individual polyps, and when you look that closely you find a wonderful diversity of textures and patterns. Top left clockwise: Platygyra, Montipora, Astreopora, Pavona :) Sydney Science One Tree Island Research Station #marineexplorer

Nice to see this large colony of unbleached Echinopora at One Tree Island. This pic is a fraction of the overall stand, and it was full of diverse fish life. #marineexplorer One Tree Island Research Station Sydney Science
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Mantis shrimp playing peek-a-boo #marineexplorer
We spotted this large Stomatopod after our surveys yesterday. It came out and watched us, we watched it, it ducked back in and came out another hole, we watched each other again, and on it went. flic.kr/p/2pKnf9y

Our first 3D model from this trip to One Tree Island, showing bleached and fluorescing corals. The red to blue colour shift is the result of a fixed white balance. This model of a 10 m section of reef has over 18 million faces :) Sydney Science
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The abnormal fluorescence of this coral is a sign of bleaching-related stress #marineexplorer
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A difficult first day in the field, with substantial bleaching and mortality at some of our sites :( #marineexplorer Sydney Science

Last night on the mainland before we head in to the southern Great Barrier Reef for a month of fieldwork #marineexplorer Sydney Science Dr Steph Gardner
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Two octopuses under the same jetty, one out and the other in... #marineexplorer #wildsydneyharbour #marinelife #marinelife photography #cephalopod

White's seahorse in the Carijoa - can you see it? #marineexplorer

Brown sabre-tooth blenny #marineexplorer One's home is one's castle. Clifton Gardens flic.kr/p/2pHjC9d