Rob photo

Dr Robin Beaman

Research Fellow

Bachelor of Science, Geology and Marine Biology (James Cook University)

Bachelor of Antarctic Studies, Class 1 Honors (University of Tasmania)

PhD, Environmental Studies (University of Tasmania)

Visit: Room A2-128, Cairns Campus

Call: (+61) 7 4042 1693

Fax (+61) 7 4042 1284

Email: Robin.Beaman

Research interests:

  • I am a Marine Geologist at the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University in Cairns. Even though my research base is in northern Australia, my research projects span from polar to tropical seas. I have worked on ocean-going ships for over two decades.

  • My role as an ocean mapping scientist is to conduct research on the geological characterisation of the seabed, and the mapping of living resources and habitats. My main focus is to understand the relationships between the physical environment of the seabed and the distribution of marine life on the seafloor.

  • It is important to understand the physical-biological relationships on the seabed, as then we can then make predictions about where we can expect to find similar marine life. This knowledge is very useful for resource managers who make vital decisions about where to protect and preserve marine life – even in the deep sea.

  • My ocean mapping research uses geographic information systems (digital maps), multibeam swath echo-sounders, sidescan sonar, sub-bottom profilers, underwater video or still imagery, and sediment and water sampling instruments.

Topics of interest:

  • Research on buried river channels (palaeochannels) across the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) shelf, such as their role as modern benthic habitats and understanding their geological origins in relation to sea-level changes.

  • The evolution of drowned shelf edge reefs in the GBR, and the implications for understanding abrupt climate change, coral reef response, and their influence as a substrate for modern deep-water marine life.

  • Submarine canyon systems and their influence on sedimentary processes operating along the North Queensland continental shelf margin and continental slope.

  • Understanding cold-water coral ecosystems on the GBR margin, such as the origin and ages of these vulnerable corals and the relationships between the corals and their physical environment.

  • Developing high-resolution bathymetry models for the Great Barrier Reef and adjoining Coral Sea.

Brief description of research impact:

  • Influence in the selection of boundaries used in Coral Sea Marine Reserve. The results of our mapping work in the Coral Sea were considered within the selection of areas for protection of deep-water seabed communties. Our work has contributed to a greater understanding where cold-water coral communities are likely to occur in the Coral Sea.

  • Contribution to the International Census of Antarctic Marine Life. The results of our study of the bioregionalisation of the George V Shelf been used by environmental agencies to help in Australia’s contribution to the International Census of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML) and the submission to develop Marine Protected Areas in East Antarctica.

  • I maintain an active community outreach about the research work conducted on the GBR and Coral Sea, maintaining a website and blog on these discoveries at http://www.deepreef.org/

Selected publications:

  • Harris, P.J., Bridge, T.C.L., Beaman, R.J., Webster, J.M., Nichol, S.L., Brooke, B.P. (2013). Submerged banks in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia, greatly increase available coral reef habitat. ICES Journal of Marine Science, Online. pp. 284-293

  • Puga-Bernabéu, A., Webster, J.M., Beaman, R.J. (2013). Potential collapse of the upper slope and tsunami generation on the Great Barrier Reef margin, north-eastern Australia. Natural Hazards, 66 (2). pp. 557-575

  • Bridge, T.C.L, Beaman, R.J., Done, T.J., Webster, J.M. (2012). Predicting the location and spatial extent of submerged coral reef habitat in the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area, Australia. PLoS ONE, 7 (10). pp. 1-11

  • Webster, J.M., Beaman, R.J., Puga-Bernabéu, A., Ludman, D., Renema, W., Wust, R.A.J., George, N.P.J., Reimer, P.J., Jacobsen, G.E., Moss, P., 2012. Late Pleistocene history of turbidite sedimentation in a submarine canyon off the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 331-332, 75-89.

  • Puga-Bernabéu, A., Webster, J.M., Beaman, R.J., Guilbaud, V., 2011. Morphology and controls on the evolution of a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic submarine canyon system, Great Barrier Reef margin, north-eastern Australia. Marine Geology 289(1-4), 100-116.

  • Abbey, E., Webster, J.M., Beaman, R.J., 2011. Geomorphology of submerged reefs on the shelf edge of the Great Barrier Reef: The influence of oscillating Pleistocene sea-levels. Marine Geology 288(1-4), 61-78.

  • Beaman, R.J., Bridge, T., Done, T., Webster, J.M., Williams, S., Pizarro, O., 2011. Habitats and Benthos at Hydrographers Passage, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. In: Harris, P.T., Baker, E.K. (Eds.), Seafloor Geomorphology as Benthic Habitat: GeoHab Atlas of Seafloor Geomorphic Features and Benthic Habitats. Elsevier, Amsterdam, Netherlands, pp. 425-434.

  • Beaman, R.J., O'Brien, P.E., Post, A.L., De Santis, L., 2011. A new high-resolution bathymetry model for the Terre Adélie and George V continental margin, East Antarctica. Antarctic Science 23(1), 95-103.

  • Eléaume, M., Beaman, R.J., Griffiths, H.J., Best, B., Riddle, M.J., Wadley, V., Rintoul, S.R., Hemery, L.G., Améziane, N., 2011. Near-bottom current direction inferred from comatulid crinoid feeding postures on the Terre Adélie and George V shelf, East Antarctica. Deep-Sea Research Part II 58(1-2), 163-169.

  • Bridge, T.C.L., Done, T.J., Beaman, R.J., Friedman, A., Williams, S.B., Pizarro, O., Webster, J.M., 2011. Topography, substratum and benthic macrofaunal relationships on a tropical mesophotic shelf margin, central Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Coral Reefs 30(1), 143-153.

  • Post, A.L., Beaman, R.J., O'Brien, P.E., Eleaume, M., Riddle, M.J., 2011. Community structure and benthic habitats across the George V Shelf, East Antarctica: Trends through space and time. Deep-Sea Research Part II 58(1-2), 105-118.

  • Bridge, T.C.L., Done, T.J., Friedman, A., Beaman, R.J., Williams, S.B., Pizarro, O., Webster, J.M., 2011. Variability in mesophotic coral reef communities along the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Ecology Progress Series 428, 63-75.

  • Causse, R., Ozouf-Costaz, C., Koubbi, P., Lamy, D., Eléaume, M., Dettai, A., Duhamel, G., Iglesias, S., Busson, F., Pruvost, P., Post, A., Beaman, R.J., Riddle, M.J., 2011. Demersal ichthyofauna shelf communities from the Dumont d'Urville Sea (East Antarctica). Polar Science 5, 272-285.

  • Bongaerts, P., Bridge, T., Kline, D.I., Muir, P.R., Wallace, C.C., Beaman, R.J., Hoegh-Guldberg, O., 2011. Mesophotic coral ecosystems on the walls of Coral Sea atolls. Coral Reefs 30(2), 335.

  • Koubbi, P., Ozouf-Costaz, C., Goarant, A., Moteki, M., Hulley, P.-A., Causse, R., Dettai, A., Duhamel, G., Pruvost, P., Tavernier, E., Post, A.L., Beaman, R.J., Rintoul, S.R., Hirawake, T., Hirano, D., Ishimaru, T., Riddle, M., Hosie, G., 2010. Estimating the biodiversity of the East Antarctic shelf and oceanic zone for ecoregionalisation: Example of the ichthyofauna of the CEAMARC (Collaborative East Antarctic Marine Census) CAML surveys. Polar Science 4, 115-133.

  • Post, A.L., O'Brien, P.E., Beaman, R.J., Riddle, M.J., De Santis, L., 2010. Physical controls on deep water coral communities on the George V Land slope, East Antarctica. Antarctic Science 22(04), 371-378.

  • Williams, S.B., Pizarro, O., Webster, J.M., Beaman, R.J., Mahon, I., Johnson-Roberson, M., Bridge, T., 2010. Autonomous Underwater Vehicle-assisted surveying of drowned reefs on the shelf edge of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Journal of Field Robotics 27(5), 675-697.

  • Beaman, R.J., Webster, J.M., Wust, R.A.J., 2008. New evidence for drowned shelf edge reefs in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Geology 247, 17-34.

  • Beaman, R.J., Harris, P.T., 2005. Bioregionalisation of the George V Shelf, East Antarctica. Continental Shelf Research 25, 1657-1691.

  • Beaman, R.J., Daniell, J., Harris, P.T., 2005. Geology-benthos relationships on a temperate rocky bank, eastern Bass Strait, Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 56, 943-958.

  • Harris, P.T., Beaman, R.J., 2003. Processes controlling the formation of the Mertz Drift, George Vth continental shelf, East Antarctica: evidence from 3.5 kHz sub-bottom profiling and sediment cores. Deep-Sea Research Part II 50(8-9), 1463-1480.

  • Beaman, R.J., Harris, P.T., 2003. Seafloor morphology and acoustic facies of the George V Land shelf. Deep-Sea Research Part II 50(8-9), 1343-1355.

  • Harris, P.T., Brancolini, G., Armand, L., Brusetti, M., Beaman, R.J., Giorgetti, G., Presti, M., Trincardi, F., 2001. Continental shelf drift deposit indicates non-steady state Antarctic bottom water production in the Holocene. Marine Geology 179(1-2), 1-8.

Personal research page

Adella Edwards of 6630staff last updated this page on 19 Apr 2013.