Dr Zoe Jacobs

Biography

I am a biogeochemical ocean modeller with over 10 years of research expertise in understanding the climate impacts on the ocean, with a keen interest in marine extremes and tropical upwelling systems. My most recent research includes the first long-term characterisation of UK marine heatwaves, which identifies regions of greatest risk and areas likely to experience multi-stressor impacts e.g. low oxygen. 

One of the most significant studies I have led proposed 40 priority questions to advance our understanding of the risks and opportunities of UK marine heatwaves. It emphasises the growing risks that marine heatwaves pose to ecosystems, fisheries, the blue economy and coastal communities, and highlights the need for coordinated monitoring across the UK. My current and future research is focussed on trying to address these interdisciplinary questions and coordinate the research community and UK stakeholders to support evidence-based decision-making for organisations involved in marine management, climate adaptation and environmental policy. 

Prior to this, I spent 4 years working on the GCRF-funded SOLSTICE project, a collaborative effort that aims to address the challenges facing the Western Indian Ocean, namely marine food security. During the project, I published 6 first-author papers on the drivers and future changes of productivity in East African tropical upwelling systems (Somalia, Kenya and Agulhas) and the implications for marine ecosystems and fisheries, which underpinned 4 policy briefs.

I have a wealth of experience with media and public engagement including:

Profile photo

Publications

Authors

Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Smith, Kathryn E.; Kajtar, Jules B.; Smale, Dan A.; Moore, Pippa J.; Stephenson, Fabrice; Burrows, Michael T.; Rowland, Caroline; Renshaw, Richard; Oliver, Sophy; Jakins-Pollard, Martyn; Palmer, Freya Ivy; Kloker, Alice; Baker-Austin, Craig; Townhill, Bryony; Rees, Sian; Coulthard, Sarah; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2026 40 priority questions to advance understanding of the risks and opportunities of UK marine heatwaves. npj Ocean Sustainability, 5 (1). 10.1038/s44183-025-00171-0

Publication year

2026

Publication type

Article

Authors

Spring, Danielle L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4014-7640; Fox, Michael D.; Green, J. A. Mattias; Guillaume‐Castel, Robin; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Roche, Ronan C.; Turner, John R.; Williams, Gareth J. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7837-1619. 2025 Climate change impacts to upwelling and shallow reef nutrient sources across an oceanic archipelago. Limnology and Oceanography. 10.1002/lno.70172

Publication year

2025

Publication type

Article

Authors

Holt, Jason ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3298-8477; Katavouta, Anna ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1587-4996; Hopkins, Joanne; Amoudry, Laurent O.; Appendini, Christian M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6044-3351; Arneborg, Lars ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0248-8110; Arnold, Alex; Artioli, Yuri; Aucan, Jerome ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9883-0082; Berx, Barbara; Cagigal, Laura; De Dominicis, Michela ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0544-7939; Denamiel, Cléa ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5099-1143; Galli, Giovanni; Graham, Jennifer A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1950-5266; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Jevrejeva, Svetlana ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9490-4665; Kamranzad, Bahareh ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8829-6007; Langlais, Clothilde ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6423-7678; Larsen, Morten Andreas Dahl; Lira-Loarca, Andrea ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2251-6684; Lyddon, Charlotte ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4254-3049; Mathis, Moritz; Melet, Angélique ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3888-8159; Méndez, Fernando; Muis, Sanne; Myers, Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4514-2654; O’Donovan, Mairéad; Olbert, Agnieszka Indiana; Palmer, Matthew D.; Phillips, Lachlan; Polton, Jeff ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0131-5250; Buil, Mercedes Pozo; Robins, Peter; Ruju, Andrea; Schlaefer, Jodie A.; Senatore, Alfonso ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9716-3532; Siedlecki, Samantha; Tinker, Jonathan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3160-7000; Verri, Giorgia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7561-618X; Vilibić, Ivica ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0753-5775; Wei, Xiaoyan ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8407-6958; Pinardi, Nadia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4765-0775. 2025 Future climate projections in the global coastal ocean. Progress in Oceanography, 235, 103497. 1, pp. 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103497

Publication year

2025

Publication type

Article

Authors

Cornes, R.C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7688-4485; Artioli, Y.; Hermanson, L.; Hunter, W.R.; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Kent, E.C. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6209-4247; Oltmanns, M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8959-4938; Rabe, B.; Renshaw, R.; Tinker, J.; Wilson, R.J.. 2025 The Impacts of Climate Change on Sea Temperature around the UK and Ireland. MCCIP Science Review. 10.14465/2025.reu08.tem

Publication year

2025

Publication type

Article

Authors

Queirós, Ana M.; Talbot, Elizabeth; Msuya, Flower E.; Kuguru, Baraka; Jiddawi, Narriman; Mahongo, Shigalla; Shaghude, Yohana; Muhando, Christopher; Chundu, Elias; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Sailley, Sevrine; Virtanen, Elina A.; Viitasalo, Markku; Osuka, Kennedy; Aswani, Shankar; Coupland, Jack; Wilson, Rob; Taylor, Sarah; Fernandes-Salvador, Jose A.; Van Gennip, Simon; Senkondo, Edward; Meddard, Modesta; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2024 A sustainable blue economy may not be possible in Tanzania without cutting emissions. Science of The Total Environment, 947, 174623. 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174623

Publication year

2024

Publication type

Article

Authors

Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Kelly, Stephen; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Roberts, Michael; Srokosz, Meric ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7347-7411; Sauer, Warwick; Hancke, Lisa; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2022 Retention properties of the Agulhas bank and their relevance to the chokka squid life cycle. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 202, 105151. 10.1016/j.dsr2.2022.105151

Publication year

2022

Publication type

Article

Authors

Bruggeman, Jorn; Jacobs, Zoe L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X; Sauer, Warwick H.H.; Gornall, Jessica M.; Brewin, Robert J.W.; Roberts, Michael J.. 2022 The paralarval stage as key to predicting squid catch: Hints from a process-based model. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 105123. 10.1016/j.dsr2.2022.105123

Publication year

2022

Publication type

Article

Authors

Asdar, Sarah; Jacobs, Zoe L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X; Noyon, Margaux; Sauer, Warwick H.; Roberts, Michael J.. 2022 Projected climate change impacts on the ecosystems of the Agulhas Bank, South Africa. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 200, 105092. 10.1016/j.dsr2.2022.105092

Publication year

2022

Publication type

Article

Authors

Mazwane, Sixolile L.; Poulton, Alex J.; Hickman, Anna E.; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Roberts, Mike; Noyon, Margaux. 2022 Spatial and temporal variability of net primary production on the Agulhas Bank, 1998–2018. Deep Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies in Oceanography, 199, 105079. 10.1016/j.dsr2.2022.105079

Publication year

2022

Publication type

Article

Authors

Mutia, Damaris; Carpenter, Stephen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5707-1465; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Kamau, Joseph; Kelly, Stephen J.; Kimeli, Amon; Langat, Philip Kibet; Makori, Amina; Nencioli, Francesco; Painter, Stuart C.; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X; Raitsos, Dionysios; Roberts, Michael. 2021 Productivity driven by Tana river discharge is spatially limited in Kenyan coastal waters. Ocean & Coastal Management, 211, 105713. 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105713

Publication year

2021

Publication type

Article

Authors

Kamau, Joseph N.; Jacobs, Zoe L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Kelly, Stephen; Kimani, Edward; Makori, Amina; Mwaluma, James; Mueni, Elizabeth; Ong'anda, Harrison; Palmer, Matthew R.; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X; Roberts, Michael J.; Taylor, Sarah F.W.; Wihsgott, Juliane U. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-0007; Painter, Stuart C.. 2021 Managing emerging fisheries of the North Kenya Banks in the context of environmental change. Ocean & Coastal Management, 209, 105671. 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105671

Publication year

2021

Publication type

Article

Publication year

2021

Publication type

Article

Authors

Kizenga, Hellen J.; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Shaghude, Yohana; Raitsos, Dionysios E.; Srokosz, Meric ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7347-7411; Jacobs, Zoe L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Nencioli, Francesco; Shalli, Mwanahija; Kyewalyanga, Margareth S.; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2021 Variability of mackerel fish catch and remotely-sensed biophysical controls in the eastern pemba channel. Ocean & Coastal Management, 207, 105593. 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105593

Publication year

2021

Publication type

Article

Publication year

2020

Publication type

Article

Authors

Sekadende, Baraka; Scott, Lucy; Anderson, Jim; Aswani, Shankar; Francis, Julius; Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Jiddawi, Narriman; Kamukuru, Albogast T.; Kelly, Stephen; Kizenga, Hellen; Kuguru, Baraka; Kyewalyanga, Margareth; Noyon, Margaux; Nyandwi, Ntahondi; Painter, Stuart C.; Palmer, Matthew; Raitsos, Dionysios E.; Roberts, Michael; Sailley, Sévrine F.; Samoilys, Melita; Sauer, Warwick H.H.; Shayo, Salome; Shaghude, Yohana; Taylor, Sarah F.W.; Wihsgott, Juliane ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-0007; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2020 The small pelagic fishery of the Pemba Channel, Tanzania: What we know and what we need to know for management under climate change. Ocean & Coastal Management, 197, 105322. 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2020.105322

Publication year

2020

Publication type

Article

Authors

Jacobs, Zoe ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Srokosz, Meric ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7347-7411; Raitsos, Dionysios E.; Painter, Stuart C.; Nencioli, Francesco; Osuka, Kennedy; Samoilys, Melita; Sauer, Warwick; Roberts, Michael; Taylor, Sarah F. W.; Scott, Lucy; Kizenga, Hellen; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2020 A major ecosystem shift in coastal East African waters during the 1997/98 Super El Niño as detected using remote sensing data. Remote Sensing, 12 (19), 3127. 10.3390/rs12193127

Publication year

2020

Publication type

Article

Authors

Jebri, Fatma ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7048-0068; Jacobs, Zoe L. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7348-0699; Raitsos, Dionysios E.; Srokosz, Meric ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7347-7411; Painter, Stuart C.; Kelly, Stephen; Roberts, Michael J.; Scott, Lucy; Taylor, Sarah F. W.; Palmer, Matthew; Kizenga, Hellen; Shaghude, Yohana; Wihsgott, Juliane ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7909-0007; Popova, Ekaterina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2012-708X. 2020 Interannual monsoon wind variability as a key driver of East African small pelagic fisheries. Scientific Reports, 10 (1), 13247. 10.1038/s41598-020-70275-9

Publication year

2020

Publication type

Article

Publication year

2020

Publication type

Article