I forgot what the dims are but it looks about 6m from wall to wall, so dead load will be around 2.3kN, live 6.9kN; and you're unlikely to ever get anything like the live loading on the floor upstairs, so most of the time your padstones will be taking around 1/4 to 1/2 tonne.
The beam does take the floor load. Although the joists probably wouldn't collapse with no beam there, they would deflect noticeably. So yes from that pov they are stopping it deflecting, but the beam does take floor load.
The beam does take the floor load. Although the joists probably wouldn't collapse with no beam there, they would deflect noticeably. So yes from that pov they are stopping it deflecting, but the beam does take floor load.