The research at Yunbenun has examined the long-term ecological impacts of weeding, along with trying to determine the best timing and frequency of intervention. The site has twelve 5m x 5m plots established in each of two bays, with six plots in each bay being controls (left untouched) and six plots as intervention (weeded). Weeding is done manually alongside citizen scientists from Earthwatch twice per year - once right before coral spawning, and once around when the macroalgae reproduce and senesce. The team has monitored a long list of metrics, aiming to understand not only if weeding works for restoration of corals, but how it affects other elements of the ecosystem to ensure there are no unintended consequences. The metrics monitored include: benthic cover, coral recruitment, coral juvenile density, algal density and canopy height, coral bleaching risk and recovery, fish communities (visual surveys and eDNA), rubble-associated invertebrate communities (using RUBS and eDNA), micro-benthic community succession, sediment deposition, turf algae growth, hydrodynamics, and the impact of disturbances (heatwaves, floods, and cyclones) on restoration success. The site has also hosted research investigating synergies between sea-weeding and other restoration methods (e.g., coral seeding).