Professor Gregory Webb
Professor

Gregory Webb

Email: 
Phone: 
+61 7 336 52181

Background

Prof. Gregory E. Webb is a palaeontologist and carbonate sedimentologist who has occupied the Dorothy Hill Chair of Palaeontology and Stratigraphy at the University of Queensland since 2011. He is the head of the Integrated Palaeoenvironmental Research Group in the School of Earth Sciences. He obtained his BSc in Geology with highest honours at the University of Oklahoma (OU-1983) followed by an MSc in Geology (OU-1984) and a PhD in Palaeontology at The University of Queensland in 1989. His research interests are clustered within the fields of carbonate petrology, reef palaeobiology, geomicrobiology, carbonate geochemistry and carbonate stratigraphy. These fields have major implications for understanding Earth history, palaeoclimatology, and mineral and energy exploration. In general, Prof. Webb's research focuses on understanding how organisms make rocks – how the biosphere interacts with the lithosphere through time - and how those rocks are preserved and how they record evidence of past environmental conditions in their geochemistry.

Availability

Professor Gregory Webb is:
Available for supervision

Fields of research

Geochemistry Geology

Qualifications

  • Bachelor of Science, University of Oklahoma
  • Masters (Research) of Science, University of Oklahoma
  • Doctor of Philosophy, The University of Queensland

Research impacts

Key impacts of Prof. Webb's research include: demonstration of the role of microbes in reef building through geological time; establishment of the value of modern and ancient microbialites as proxies for environmental geochemical signatures; application of environmental geochemistry to new coral reef samples made available through UQ's new research vessel the RV D Hill and to late Pleistocene vertebrate remains in Queensland that demonstrate recent, pre-anthropogenic changes in Queensland's climate. The integration of well dated fossil remains from both terrestrial and marine environments with high quality geochemical analysis allows specific hypotheses to be tested that provide information directly useful for testing climate models and the effects of pre-instrumental climate change and anthropogenic forcing on Australian faunas and ecosystems.

Search Professor Gregory Webb’s works on UQ eSpace

153 works between 1984 and 2025
All (153) Journal Article (127) Other Outputs (1) Conference Publication (16) Book Chapter (9)

61 - 80 of 153 works

2015

Journal Article

Cionodendron and related lithostrotionid genera from the Mississippian of eastern Australia: systematics, stratigraphy and evolution

Denayer, Julien and Webb, Gregory E. (2015). Cionodendron and related lithostrotionid genera from the Mississippian of eastern Australia: systematics, stratigraphy and evolution. Alcheringa, 39 (3), 315-376. doi: 10.1080/03115518.2015.1001218

Cionodendron and related lithostrotionid genera from the Mississippian of eastern Australia: systematics, stratigraphy and evolution

2014

Journal Article

Geochemistry-based coral palaeoclimate studies and the potential of 'non-traditional' (non-massive Porites) corals: Recent developments and future progression

Sadler, James, Webb, Gregory E., Nothdurft, Luke D. and Dechnik, Belinda (2014). Geochemistry-based coral palaeoclimate studies and the potential of 'non-traditional' (non-massive Porites) corals: Recent developments and future progression. Earth-Science Reviews, 139, 291-316. doi: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2014.10.002

Geochemistry-based coral palaeoclimate studies and the potential of 'non-traditional' (non-massive Porites) corals: Recent developments and future progression

2014

Journal Article

The rare earth element signal in Archaean microbial carbonate: information on ocean redox and biogenicity

Kamber, Balz S., Webb, Gregory E. and Gallagher, Meabh (2014). The rare earth element signal in Archaean microbial carbonate: information on ocean redox and biogenicity. Journal of the Geological Society, 171 (6), 745-763. doi: 10.1144/jgs2013-110

The rare earth element signal in Archaean microbial carbonate: information on ocean redox and biogenicity

2014

Journal Article

Structure and palaeoenvironmental implications of inter-branch coenosteum-rich skeleton in corymbose Acropora species

Sadler, J., Webb, G. E. and Nothdurft, L. D. (2014). Structure and palaeoenvironmental implications of inter-branch coenosteum-rich skeleton in corymbose Acropora species. Coral Reefs, 34 (1), 201-213. doi: 10.1007/s00338-014-1228-0

Structure and palaeoenvironmental implications of inter-branch coenosteum-rich skeleton in corymbose Acropora species

2013

Journal Article

Upper Devonian shoal-water delta integrated with cyclic back-reef facies off the Mowanbini Archipelago (Canning Basin), Western Australia

Johnson, Markes E., Webb, Gregory E., Baarli, B. Gudveig and Walsh, Daniel R. (2013). Upper Devonian shoal-water delta integrated with cyclic back-reef facies off the Mowanbini Archipelago (Canning Basin), Western Australia. Facies, 59 (4), 991-1009. doi: 10.1007/s10347-012-0348-7

Upper Devonian shoal-water delta integrated with cyclic back-reef facies off the Mowanbini Archipelago (Canning Basin), Western Australia

2013

Journal Article

Reply to Brook et al: No empirical evidence for human overkill of megafauna in Sahul

Wroe, Stephen, Field, Judith H., Archer, Michael, Grayson, Donald K., Price, Gilbert J., Louys, Julien, Faith, J. Tyler, Webb, Gregory E., Davidson, Iain and Mooney, Scott D. (2013). Reply to Brook et al: No empirical evidence for human overkill of megafauna in Sahul. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110 (36), E3369-E3369. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1310440110

Reply to Brook et al: No empirical evidence for human overkill of megafauna in Sahul

2013

Journal Article

Climate change frames debate over the extinction of megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea)

Wroe, Stephen, Field, Judith H., Archer, Michael, Grayson, Donald K., Price, Gilbert J., Louys, Julien, Faith, J. Tyler, Webb, Gregory E., Davidson, Iain and Mooney, Scott D. (2013). Climate change frames debate over the extinction of megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 110 (22), 8777-8781. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1302698110

Climate change frames debate over the extinction of megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea)

2013

Journal Article

Mid-Holocene sea-level and coral reef demise: U-Th dating of subfossil corals in Moreton Bay, Australia

Leonard, Nicole D., Welsh, Kevin J., Zhao, Jian-xin, Nothdurft, Luke D., Webb, Gregory E., Major, Josef, Feng, Yuexing and Price, Gilbert J. (2013). Mid-Holocene sea-level and coral reef demise: U-Th dating of subfossil corals in Moreton Bay, Australia. Holocene, 23 (12), 1841-1852. doi: 10.1177/0959683613508156

Mid-Holocene sea-level and coral reef demise: U-Th dating of subfossil corals in Moreton Bay, Australia

2013

Journal Article

Direct U-Th dating of vertebrate fossils with minimum sampling destruction and application to museum specimens

Price, Gilbert J., Feng, Yue-xing, Zhao, Jian-xin and Webb, Gregory E. (2013). Direct U-Th dating of vertebrate fossils with minimum sampling destruction and application to museum specimens. Quaternary Geochronology, 18, 1-8. doi: 10.1016/j.quageo.2013.07.003

Direct U-Th dating of vertebrate fossils with minimum sampling destruction and application to museum specimens

2012

Journal Article

Preface: upper palaeozoic reef complexes and carbonate platforms

Somerville, Ian D., Webb, Gregory E. and Chen, Zhong-Qiang (2012). Preface: upper palaeozoic reef complexes and carbonate platforms. Geological Journal, 47 (5), 447-449. doi: 10.1002/gj.2461

Preface: upper palaeozoic reef complexes and carbonate platforms

2012

Journal Article

Discriminating stromatolite formation modes using rare earth element geochemistry: Trapping and binding versus in situ precipitation of stromatolites from the Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Northern Territory, Australia

Corkeron, Maree, Webb, Gregory E., Moulds, Joshua and Grey, Kathleen (2012). Discriminating stromatolite formation modes using rare earth element geochemistry: Trapping and binding versus in situ precipitation of stromatolites from the Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Northern Territory, Australia. Precambrian Research, 212-213, 194-206. doi: 10.1016/j.precamres.2012.04.019

Discriminating stromatolite formation modes using rare earth element geochemistry: Trapping and binding versus in situ precipitation of stromatolites from the Neoproterozoic Bitter Springs Formation, Northern Territory, Australia

2012

Journal Article

Geology of Heron Island and adjacent reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Jell, John S. and Webb, Gregory E. (2012). Geology of Heron Island and adjacent reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Episodes, 35 (1), 110-119. doi: 10.18814/epiiugs/2012/v35i1/010

Geology of Heron Island and adjacent reefs, Great Barrier Reef, Australia

2012

Journal Article

Reply to the discussion by Karen Johannesson on "Rare earth element geochemistry of scleractinian coral skeleton during meteoric diagenesis: a sequence through neomorphism of aragonite to calcite" by Webb et al., Sedimentology, 56, 1433-1463

Webb, Gregory E., Nothdurft, Luke D. and Kamber, Balz S. (2012). Reply to the discussion by Karen Johannesson on "Rare earth element geochemistry of scleractinian coral skeleton during meteoric diagenesis: a sequence through neomorphism of aragonite to calcite" by Webb et al., Sedimentology, 56, 1433-1463. Sedimentology, 59 (2), 733-736. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2011.01265.x

Reply to the discussion by Karen Johannesson on "Rare earth element geochemistry of scleractinian coral skeleton during meteoric diagenesis: a sequence through neomorphism of aragonite to calcite" by Webb et al., Sedimentology, 56, 1433-1463

2012

Book Chapter

Rockhampton Group

Simpson, Glen A., Webb, Gregory E. and Lang, Simon (2012). Rockhampton Group. Geology of the Yarrol Province, central coastal Queensland. (pp. 90-110) edited by C. G. Murray, P. R.Blake, S. B. S. Crouch, M. A. Hayward, A. D. C. Robertson and G. A.Simpson. Brisbane, Austalia: Geological Survey of Queensland.

Rockhampton Group

2012

Journal Article

Fusion or non fusion of coral fragments in Acropora

Nothdurft, Luke D. and Webb, Gregory E. (2012). Fusion or non fusion of coral fragments in Acropora. Geologica Belgica, 15 (4), 394-400.

Fusion or non fusion of coral fragments in Acropora

2011

Journal Article

Reply to the discussion by Alex MacNeil on "Microbial mounds prior to the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinctions, Hantang, Guilin, South China" by Shen et al., Sedimentology, 57, 1615-1639

Shen, Jianwei, Webb, Gregory E. and Yang, Hongqiang (2011). Reply to the discussion by Alex MacNeil on "Microbial mounds prior to the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinctions, Hantang, Guilin, South China" by Shen et al., Sedimentology, 57, 1615-1639. Sedimentology, 58 (7), 2066-2071. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2011.01256.x

Reply to the discussion by Alex MacNeil on "Microbial mounds prior to the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinctions, Hantang, Guilin, South China" by Shen et al., Sedimentology, 57, 1615-1639

2011

Journal Article

Dating megafaunal extinction on the Pleistocene Darling Downs, eastern Australia: The promise and pitfalls of dating as a test of extinction hypotheses

Price, Gilbert J., Webb, Gregory E., Zhao, Jian-xin, Feng, Yue-xing, Murray, Andrew S., Cooke, Bernard N., Hocknull, Scott A. and Sobbe, Ian H. (2011). Dating megafaunal extinction on the Pleistocene Darling Downs, eastern Australia: The promise and pitfalls of dating as a test of extinction hypotheses. Quaternary Science Reviews, 30 (7-8), 899-914. doi: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2011.01.011

Dating megafaunal extinction on the Pleistocene Darling Downs, eastern Australia: The promise and pitfalls of dating as a test of extinction hypotheses

2011

Book Chapter

Trace element geochemistry as a tool for interpreting microbialites

Webb, Gregory E. and Kamber, Balz S. (2011). Trace element geochemistry as a tool for interpreting microbialites. Earliest Life on Earth: Habitats, Environments and Methods of Detection. (pp. 127-170) edited by Suzanne D. Golding and Miryam Glikson. Dordrecht, Netherlands: Springer. doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-8794-2_6

Trace element geochemistry as a tool for interpreting microbialites

2010

Journal Article

Skeletal repair of extreme damage in rugose corals, Pella Formation (Mississippian, Iowa, USA)

Webb, Gregory E. and Yancey, Thomas E. (2010). Skeletal repair of extreme damage in rugose corals, Pella Formation (Mississippian, Iowa, USA). Palaeoworld, 19 (3-4), 325-332. doi: 10.1016/j.palwor.2010.08.005

Skeletal repair of extreme damage in rugose corals, Pella Formation (Mississippian, Iowa, USA)

2010

Journal Article

Microbial mounds prior to the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinctions, Hantang, Guilin, South China

Shen, Jianwei, Webb, Gregory E. and Qing, Hairuo (2010). Microbial mounds prior to the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinctions, Hantang, Guilin, South China. Sedimentology, 57 (7), 1615-1639. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-3091.2010.01158.x

Microbial mounds prior to the Frasnian-Famennian mass extinctions, Hantang, Guilin, South China

Current funding

  • 2026 - 2029
    Reconstructing climate and coral mortality in the Coral Sea Marine Park
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2025 - 2028
    Unravelling sea level, climate and coral reef responses to global change (ARC Discovery Projects administered by The University of Sydney)
    University of Sydney
    Open grant

Past funding

  • 2023
    Dating Holocene tufa deposits, major climate change on the Darling Downs, Queensland
    Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
    Open grant
  • 2018
    The history of late-Holocene relative sea level and coral reef flat carbonate production in the southern Great Barrier Reef
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program (ANSTO)
    Open grant
  • 2017 - 2018
    Centre for Geoanalytical Mass Spectrometry (CGMS) - Achieving excellence in isotope geochemistry and geochronology
    UQ Research Facilities Infrastructure Grants
    Open grant
  • 2016
    Next-generation multi-collector inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (MC-ICP-MS) with laser-ablation capability for in situ high-throughput and high resolution isotope dating and characterizat
    UQ Major Research Facility Fund
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program - AS133/XFM/7130: Differential diagenetic behaviour in oolitic limestones: controls on strain patitioning and silicification
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program - AS133/XFM/7225: Implications for biosphere in major and trace element distributions in terrestrial Fe-oxide deposits and oceanic Fe-Mn-oxide accumulations
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2014
    Confocal microscope for high-resolution microtopographic analysis of surfaces in historical, forensic and polymer sciences (ARC LIEF Grant administered by The Flinders University of South Australia)
    ARC LIEF Collaborating/Partner Organisation Contributions
    Open grant
  • 2013
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program - AS131/XFM/5741: Trace metal distribution in contemporary versus paleo-reef-microbialites: Implications for microbial activity, ocean chemistry & paleocli
    Australian Synchrotron Access Program
    Open grant
  • 2013 - 2016
    Tahiti coral reefs as a natural laboratory for studying coral and microbialite diagenesis IODP Leg 110 Tahiti Sea Level
    Australian National University
    Open grant
  • 2012 - 2018
    Geomorphological development of coral reefs, southern Great Barrier Reef: an integrated record of Holocene palaeoecology and palaeoclimate from cores
    ARC Discovery Projects
    Open grant
  • 2012
    The Geomicrobiology Laboratory
    UQ Major Equipment and Infrastructure
    Open grant
  • 2011 - 2016
    Australian drilling program: biomarkers, oxygen and geobiology
    Macquarie University
    Open grant
  • 2011
    Refined reservoir correction for radiocarbon dating of the southern Great Barrier Reef based on U-series dated corals
    Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering
    Open grant

Availability

Professor Gregory Webb is:
Available for supervision

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Supervision history

Current supervision

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Advanced dating techniques for establishing the history of the Great Barrier Reef

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Jianxin Zhao, Dr Daniel Harris

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The Springbok Sandstone; implications for aquifer connectivity and coal seam gas development in the Surat Basin

    Principal Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Phil Hayes

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Application of new technologies to rapidly evaluate critical metals in drill core and waste materials

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Associate Professor Steven Micklethwaite

  • Doctor Philosophy

    The palaeobiogeographical significance of the Carboniferous flora and fauna assemblage at Hannam's Gap, Queensland

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Gilbert Price

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Tectonic Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef: the contribution of geological structures to reef growth and geomorphology

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Professor Stuart Phinn, Associate Professor Chris Roelfsema, Dr Daniel Harris

  • Doctor Philosophy

    Late Quaternary faunas and cave fossil deposits of north Queensland, Australia

    Associate Advisor

    Other advisors: Dr Gilbert Price

Completed supervision

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