Professor Helen Bostock
Professor

Helen Bostock

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 56082

Background

My research focuses on oceanography and paleoceanography of the oceans around Australia. I use stable isotopes (oxygen, carbon), geochemical tracers, sedimentology and microfossils to understand the present and past changes in ocean chemistry to reconstruct ocean circulation (changes in ocean currents and fronts) and its relationship to global climate. I am particularly interested in understanding past changes in the Great Barrier Reef, and at the other extreme past changes in processe at the Antarctic Margin. I am also interested in mapping marine sediment distribution, sediment transport processes, marine geomorphology, marine microplastic pollution, and multidisciplinary topics such as ocean acidification (the uptake of CO2 by the oceans) and blue carbon and climate change in the oceans (marine heat waves, sea level rise). I have participated in a number of research voyages on open ocean vessels including the RV Tangaroa and RV Investigator, including several as lead or co-lead scientist. I am involved in the Australian-New Zealand International Ocean Discovery Program.

Prior to joining the University of Queensland in July 2019 I previously worked in government research institutes including Geoscience Australia (2004-2006) and the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand (2006-2019; now renamed as Earth Sciences New Zealand).

Availability

Professor Helen Bostock is:
Available for supervision
Media expert

Fields of research

Chemical oceanography Earth Sciences Oceanography

Qualifications

  • Doctor of Philosophy, Australian National University

Research interests

  • Past changes in the Southern Ocean

    I am interested in past changes in ocean circulation in the Southern Ocean over glacial/interglacial timescales (1000s-100,000s years). I use proxy evidence from sedimentary characteristics, microfossil assemblages, stable isotopes (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and boron), elemental variations from a latitudinal transect of marine sediment cores from the subtropical waters of the southwest Pacific to the continental margin of Antarctica. I try to reconstruct changes in temperature, biological productivity, changes in water masses, ocean currents and fronts, sea ice, ice sheet retreat, and how all these different processes are linked to global climate.

  • Geological history of the Great Barrier Reef

    I am interested in the initiation and development of the Great Barrier Reef using proxies (sedimentology, microfossil assemblages, stable isotopes, geochemistry) from marine sediment cores offshore. The aim is to understand the timing of the reef development, but also to understand the broader regional ocean circulation of the Coral Sea over glacial/interglacial timescales (1000s-100,000s-1,000,000 years).

  • The carbon cycle in the ocean and ocean acidification

    I look at the geochemistry of the water column, primarily the carbonate chemistry and carbon isotopes, to understand changes in the ocean carbon cycle over recent decades due to the uptake of anthropogenic CO2 from the atmosphere. This results in a decline in the pH in the ocean, a process known as ocean acidification. I also work with collaborators using Boron isotopes of microfossils in marine sediment cores to understand how pH and carbonate concentrations have changed over glacial/interglacial timescales.

  • Sedimentary processes in the ocean

    I look at the distribution of sediment in the marine environment from coastal to the deep ocean. The sediment type is dependent on the local source from nearby rivers, as well as biological productivity (e.g. shells and skeletons) and authigenic sediment (geochemically precipitated out of the seawater). Sediment is redistributed by gravity and ocean currents. The distribution of sediment in the marine environment is important to determine marine benthic (seafloor) habitats. The recurrence of gravity transported sediment (called turbidites or debrites) along tectonically active continental margins has been used to study the frequency of large earthquakes.

Research impacts

My research focuses on Oceans and Climate and ranges from the fundamental science to the applied research problems. Several of my research projects link to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Climate change (SDG13) and Life below water (SDG14). I have published over 100 peer reviewed papers, and several of these papers have been cited in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) assessment reports, and other UN reports. I have also written and contributed to a range of government reports for the New Zealand government and the Australian Coastal Cooperative Research Centre (OzCoasts).

Search Professor Helen Bostock’s works on UQ eSpace

112 works between 2004 and 2025
All (112) Journal Article (104) Conference Publication (5) Book Chapter (3)

1 - 20 of 112 works

2025

Journal Article

Control of spatio-temporal variability of ocean nutrients in the East Australian Current

Jeffers, Megan, Chapman, Christopher C., Sloyan, Bernadette M. and Bostock, Helen (2025). Control of spatio-temporal variability of ocean nutrients in the East Australian Current. Ocean Science, 21 (2), 537-554. doi: 10.5194/os-21-537-2025

Control of spatio-temporal variability of ocean nutrients in the East Australian Current

2025

Journal Article

Coeval Transverse and Axial Sediment Delivery to the Northern Hikurangi Trough During the Late Quaternary

Shorrock, Anthony E., Strachan, Lorna J., Barnes, Philip M., Moore, Gregory F., McArthur, Adam D., Gamboa, Davide, Woodhouse, Adam D., Bell, Rebecca E., Davidson, Sam R. and Bostock, Helen C. (2025). Coeval Transverse and Axial Sediment Delivery to the Northern Hikurangi Trough During the Late Quaternary. Basin Research, 37 (1) e70019, 1-25. doi: 10.1111/bre.70019

Coeval Transverse and Axial Sediment Delivery to the Northern Hikurangi Trough During the Late Quaternary

2024

Journal Article

Southern Ocean Water Mass method: A new statistical approach using microfossil radiolaria for paleoceanographic insights for the Southwest Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean

Lowe, V., Cortese, G., Civel-Mazens, M. and Bostock, H. (2024). Southern Ocean Water Mass method: A new statistical approach using microfossil radiolaria for paleoceanographic insights for the Southwest Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean. Quaternary Science Reviews, 346 109054, 1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2024.109054

Southern Ocean Water Mass method: A new statistical approach using microfossil radiolaria for paleoceanographic insights for the Southwest Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean

2024

Journal Article

Plastic deposition in sediments of Moreton Bay, Australia: a historical perspective and potential future projections

Yenney, Emma, Okoffo, Elvis D., Tscharke, Ben J., Grinham, Alistair, Bostock, Helen C. and Thomas, Kevin V. (2024). Plastic deposition in sediments of Moreton Bay, Australia: a historical perspective and potential future projections. ACS ES&T Water, 4 (10), 4510-4520. doi: 10.1021/acsestwater.4c00536

Plastic deposition in sediments of Moreton Bay, Australia: a historical perspective and potential future projections

2024

Journal Article

A review of the oceanography and antarctic bottom water formation offshore Cape Darnley, East Antarctica

Blanckensee, Sienna N., Gwyther, David E., Galton‐Fenzi, Ben K., Gunn, Kathryn L., Herraiz‐Borreguero, Laura, Ohshima, Kay I., Portela, Esther, Post, Alexandra L. and Bostock, Helen C. (2024). A review of the oceanography and antarctic bottom water formation offshore Cape Darnley, East Antarctica. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 129 (10) e2024JC021251, 1-20. doi: 10.1029/2024jc021251

A review of the oceanography and antarctic bottom water formation offshore Cape Darnley, East Antarctica

2024

Journal Article

Using pollen in turbidites for vegetation reconstructions

Mcdonald, Laura S., Strachan, Lorna J., Holt, Katherine, Mcarthur, Adam D., Barnes, Philip M., Maier, Katherine L., Orpin, Alan R., Horrocks, Mark, Ganguly, Aratrika, Hopkins, Jenni L. and Bostock, Helen C. (2024). Using pollen in turbidites for vegetation reconstructions. Journal of Quaternary Science, 39 (7), 1053-1063. doi: 10.1002/jqs.3653

Using pollen in turbidites for vegetation reconstructions

2024

Journal Article

Coupled atmosphere-ocean response of the southwest Pacific to deglacial changes in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

Eaves, Shaun R., Mackintosh, Andrew N., Pedro, Joel B., Bostock, Helen C., Ryan, Matthew T., Norton, Kevin P., Hayward, Bruce W., Anderson, Brian M., He, Feng, Jones, Richard S., Lorrey, Andrew M., Newnham, Rewi M., Tims, Stephen G. and Vandergoes, Marcus J. (2024). Coupled atmosphere-ocean response of the southwest Pacific to deglacial changes in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 641 118802, 118802. doi: 10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118802

Coupled atmosphere-ocean response of the southwest Pacific to deglacial changes in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation

2024

Journal Article

Pirumosphaera armandae nov. sp., a new Southern Ocean polycystine radiolarian genus and species

Lowe, Vikki, Cortese, Giuseppe, Civel-Mazens, Matthieu, Crosta, Xavier and Bostock, Helen (2024). Pirumosphaera armandae nov. sp., a new Southern Ocean polycystine radiolarian genus and species. Revue de Micropaléontologie, 83 100773, 1-5. doi: 10.1016/j.revmic.2024.100773

Pirumosphaera armandae nov. sp., a new Southern Ocean polycystine radiolarian genus and species

2024

Journal Article

Millennial‐scale carbon flux variability in the Subantarctic Pacific during marine isotope stage 3 (57–29 ka)

Anderson, H. J., Chase, Z., Bostock, H. C., Noble, T. L., Shuttleworth, R., Taiapa, B., Chen, W. H., Ren, H. and Jacobsen, G. E. (2024). Millennial‐scale carbon flux variability in the Subantarctic Pacific during marine isotope stage 3 (57–29 ka). Paleoceanography and Paleoclimatology, 39 (3) e2023PA004776, 1-19. doi: 10.1029/2023pa004776

Millennial‐scale carbon flux variability in the Subantarctic Pacific during marine isotope stage 3 (57–29 ka)

2024

Journal Article

Plastic pollution in Moreton Bay sediments, Southeast Queensland, Australia

Okoffo, Elvis D., Tan, Emmeline, Grinham, Alistair, Gaddam, Sai Meghna Reddy, Yip, Josie Yee Hang, Twomey, Alice J., Thomas, Kevin V. and Bostock, Helen (2024). Plastic pollution in Moreton Bay sediments, Southeast Queensland, Australia. Science of The Total Environment, 920 170987, 170987. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170987

Plastic pollution in Moreton Bay sediments, Southeast Queensland, Australia

2024

Conference Publication

Response of the coccolithophore Calcidiscus leptoporus to environmental change during the industrial era in the Subantarctic Southern Ocean

Rigual Hernández, A. S., Langer, G., Sierro, F. J., Bostock, H., Sánchez-Santos, J. M., Nodder, S. N., Trull, T. W., Moy, A. D., Eriksen, R. and Flores, J. A. (2024). Response of the coccolithophore Calcidiscus leptoporus to environmental change during the industrial era in the Subantarctic Southern Ocean. INA 19, Conwy, United Kingdom, 7 – 15 September 2024. Leesburg, VA United States: International Nannoplankton Association. doi: 10.58998/3272

Response of the coccolithophore Calcidiscus leptoporus to environmental change during the industrial era in the Subantarctic Southern Ocean

2023

Journal Article

Reduction in size of the calcifying phytoplankton Calcidiscus leptoporus to environmental changes between the Holocene and modern Subantarctic Southern Ocean

Rigual-Hernández, Andrés S., Langer, Gerald, Sierro, Francisco Javier, Bostock, Helen, Sánchez-Santos, José Manuel, Nodder, Scott Davidson, Trull, Tom W., Ballegeer, Anne Marie, Moy, Andrew D., Eriksen, Ruth, Makowka, Laura, Béjard, Thibauld M., Rigal-Muñoz, Francisco Henri, Hernández-Martín, Alberto, Zorita-Viota, María and Flores, José Abel (2023). Reduction in size of the calcifying phytoplankton Calcidiscus leptoporus to environmental changes between the Holocene and modern Subantarctic Southern Ocean. Frontiers in Marine Science, 10 1159884, 1-19. doi: 10.3389/fmars.2023.1159884

Reduction in size of the calcifying phytoplankton Calcidiscus leptoporus to environmental changes between the Holocene and modern Subantarctic Southern Ocean

2023

Journal Article

Discovery of the dendrophylliid scleractinian Heteropsammia cochlea (Spengler, 1781) in Halimeda bioherms of the Northern Great Barrier Reef

Borghi, Stefano, Clements, Matthew, Webb, Monique, Bostock, Helen, Webster, Jody M., McNeil, Mardi, Nothdurft, Luke and Byrne, Maria (2023). Discovery of the dendrophylliid scleractinian Heteropsammia cochlea (Spengler, 1781) in Halimeda bioherms of the Northern Great Barrier Reef. Marine Biodiversity, 53 (3) 39. doi: 10.1007/s12526-023-01348-x

Discovery of the dendrophylliid scleractinian Heteropsammia cochlea (Spengler, 1781) in Halimeda bioherms of the Northern Great Barrier Reef

2023

Journal Article

Reconstructing ocean oxygenation changes from U/Ca and U/Mn in foraminiferal coatings: proxy validation and constraints on glacial oxygenation changes

Hu, Rong, Bostock, Helen C., Gottschalk, Julia and Piotrowski, Alexander M. (2023). Reconstructing ocean oxygenation changes from U/Ca and U/Mn in foraminiferal coatings: proxy validation and constraints on glacial oxygenation changes. Quaternary Science Reviews, 306 108028, 1-16. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2023.108028

Reconstructing ocean oxygenation changes from U/Ca and U/Mn in foraminiferal coatings: proxy validation and constraints on glacial oxygenation changes

2023

Journal Article

Making Sense of the Great Barrier Reef’s Mysterious Green Donuts

Webster, Jody, McNeil, Mardi, Bostock, Helen, Nothdurft, Luke and Byrne, Maria (2023). Making Sense of the Great Barrier Reef’s Mysterious Green Donuts. Eos, 104. doi: 10.1029/2023eo230079

Making Sense of the Great Barrier Reef’s Mysterious Green Donuts

2023

Journal Article

Sea ice and productivity changes over the last glacial cycle in the Adélie Land region, East Antarctica, based on diatom assemblage variability

Pesjak, Lea, McMinn, Andrew, Chase, Zanna and Bostock, Helen (2023). Sea ice and productivity changes over the last glacial cycle in the Adélie Land region, East Antarctica, based on diatom assemblage variability. Climate of the Past, 19 (2), 419-437. doi: 10.5194/cp-19-419-2023

Sea ice and productivity changes over the last glacial cycle in the Adélie Land region, East Antarctica, based on diatom assemblage variability

2023

Journal Article

The response of the Subtropical Front to changes in the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds – evidence from models and observations

Behrens, Erik and Bostock, Helen (2023). The response of the Subtropical Front to changes in the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds – evidence from models and observations. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 128 (2) e2022JC019139, 1-15. doi: 10.1029/2022jc019139

The response of the Subtropical Front to changes in the Southern Hemisphere Westerly Winds – evidence from models and observations

2022

Journal Article

Cadmium isotope systematics in sedimentary carbonate: extending the utility of the cadmium isotope palaeo-productivity proxy

Druce, Matthew, Stirling, Claudine H., Bostock, Helen C. and Rolison, John M. (2022). Cadmium isotope systematics in sedimentary carbonate: extending the utility of the cadmium isotope palaeo-productivity proxy. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 339, 80-96. doi: 10.1016/j.gca.2022.10.041

Cadmium isotope systematics in sedimentary carbonate: extending the utility of the cadmium isotope palaeo-productivity proxy

2022

Journal Article

Antarctic sea ice over the past 130 000 years - Part 1: a review of what proxy records tell us

Crosta, Xavier, Kohfeld, Karen E., Bostock, Helen C., Chadwick, Matthew, Vivier, Alice Du, Esper, Oliver, Etourneau, Johan, Jones, Jacob, Leventer, Amy, Müller, Juliane, Rhodes, Rachael H., Allen, Claire S., Ghadi, Pooja, Lamping, Nele, Lange, Carina B., Lawler, Kelly-Anne, Lund, David, Marzocchi, Alice, Meissner, Katrin J., Menviel, Laurie, Nair, Abhilash, Patterson, Molly, Pike, Jennifer, Prebble, Joseph G., Riesselman, Christina, Sadatzki, Henrik, Sime, Louise C., Shukla, Sunil K., Thöle, Lena ... Yang, Jiao (2022). Antarctic sea ice over the past 130 000 years - Part 1: a review of what proxy records tell us. Climate of the Past, 18 (8), 1729-1756. doi: 10.5194/cp-18-1729-2022

Antarctic sea ice over the past 130 000 years - Part 1: a review of what proxy records tell us

2022

Journal Article

An extended last glacial maximum in the Southern Hemisphere: a contribution to the SHeMax project

Petherick, Lynda M., Knight, Jasper, Shulmeister, James, Bostock, Helen, Lorrey, Andrew, Fitchett, Jennifer, Eaves, Shaun, Vandergoes, Marcus J., Barrows, Timothy T., Barrell, David J.A., Eze, Peter N., Hesse, Paul, Jara, Ignacio A., Mills, Stephanie, Newnham, Rewi, Pedro, Joel, Ryan, Matt, Saunders, Krystyna M., White, Duanne, Rojas, Maisa and Turney, Chris (2022). An extended last glacial maximum in the Southern Hemisphere: a contribution to the SHeMax project. Earth-Science Reviews, 231 104090, 1-31. doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.104090

An extended last glacial maximum in the Southern Hemisphere: a contribution to the SHeMax project

Current funding

  • 2022 - 2026
    Is there a climatic tipping point for Antarctic Bottom Water formation?
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023 - 2025
    Australian Membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program 2023-24 (ARC LIEF administered by The Australian National University)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2022 - 2025
    Millennial climate change in southern Australia during the Last Glacial (ARC Discovery Project administered by the University of Melbourne)
    University of Melbourne
    Open grant
  • 2021 - 2023
    Australian Membership of the International Ocean Discovery Program (ARC LIEF project administered by ANU)
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2020 - 2023
    Ocean circulation and Australian climate change across the Mid-Pleistoscene Transition (MPT)
    Australian National University
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Helen Bostock is:
Available for supervision

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Available projects

  • Physical and biogeochemical oceanography of the Southern Great Barrier Reef

    The Southern Great Barrier Reef region forms an important interface between the reef matrix, the continental shelf and the coastal zone and marks the start of the East Australian CurrentThe Southern Great . The ocean circulation of the Southern Great Barrier Reef is poorly characterised. The oceanographic circulation of the Southern Great Barrier Reef is poorly characterised with just a couple of dedicated oceanography voyages in the 1980s and 1990s. This PhD project will utilise new physical and biogeochemical observational datasets that will be collected during a research voyage on the RV Investigator in August 2026. These observational datasets will be used in conjunction with the eReefs models to characterise the water masses and understand the ocean circulation and offshore-onshore exchange of waters between the East Australian Current and the southern coral reefs. The research is in collaboration with CSIRO.

    The project will involve working with large shipboard oceanography datasets from underway and CTD, remote sensing data of Sea Surface Temperature, Nutrients, Chlorophyll- a and Sea Surface Height. There is the potential for the student to participate on the research voyage in August 2026 if they start their PhD mid 2026. The project will also involve comparing the observations from the voyage with the CSIRO eReefs model.

    Preferred educational background

    • Oceanography or ocean engineering, physics or maths
    • Experience of coding in R, Python or Matlab
    • Knowledge of ocean biogeochemistry would be highly desirable.
    • Indigenous, diverse students are encouraged to apply

  • Changes in the Antarctic Intermediate Water around Australia over the last glacial cycle

    Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) sits at a water depth of 500-1500 m around Australia. This water mass that forms in the Southern Ocean plays an important role in the uptake of carbon and is thought to play an important role in providing nutrients to the subtropics. The AAIW has also been proposed to play an key role in the climate change over glacial cycles. Despite this we know relatively little about this water mass around Australia and how it has changed over time and its influence on the regional climate.

    This project will look at oceanographic data and process a series of marine sediment cores from the Indian, Southern and Pacific oceans to understand past changes in AAIW over the last glacial cycle (~150 ka). The project will involve lab work to process microfossils and stable isotopes and other geochemical proxies.

    Preferred educational background

    • Earth or Marine Sciences or Geography background
    • Indigenous, diverse students are encouraged to apply
    • Interest in oceanography, climate, sedimentology, micropaleontology and geochemistry would be beneficial

Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Exploring the interactions of the East Australian Current with canyons

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr David Gwyther

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Solving the million year old mystery of the Mid-Pleistocene climate Transition using machine learning of microfossils

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kevin Welsh

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Paleoenvironmental changes in the northern Great Barrier Reef and Coral Sea

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kevin Welsh

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Reconstructing past environmental changes in the Cape Darnley, East Antarctica, region using microfossils from marine sediment cores

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Kevin Welsh

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Landscape as an artefact: Disentangling past human impacts on the vegetation Surry Hills, northern Tasmania using pollen and phytoliths

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Alison Crowther, Dr Kevin Welsh

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Oceanography and modelling on the Cape Darnley region, East Antarctica

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr David Gwyther

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Multiproxy approach using deep-sea corals to constrain environmental changes in the deep Indian Ocean

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianxin Zhao

Completed supervision

Enquiries

Contact Professor Helen Bostock directly for media enquiries about:

  • Ocean carbon
  • Oceanography
  • Past climate
  • Seafloor mapping

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