Dr Zoe Jacobs

Biography

I am an ocean and climate modeller with research expertise in understanding the drivers of productivity in the tropical ocean and how this and marine ecosystems will be impacted under future climate change. I have spent the last 4 years working on the GCRF-funded project SOLSTICE, a collaborative project that aims to address the challenges facing the Western Indian Ocean, namely marine food security. During the project, I have published several peer-reviewed papers and reports on the following topics:

- Upwelling and productivity on the North Kenya Banks, Kenya

- A temporary shift in an upwelling system driven by a super El Niño

- Climate stressors for the marine ecosystems along the East African Coastal Current

- Drivers of productivity and advective losses on the Agulhas Bank, South Africa

- Present variability and future projections of the Somali Upwelling

I am also passionate about capacity development, working with early career researchers in East Africa to enhance research capability through training courses and 1-2-1 mentoring. I also narrate, and am responsible for delivering, the NOC’s MOOC "Ocean Science in Action: Addressing Marine Ecosystems and Food Security", which is a digital tool for capacity development, education and public engagement. 

Projects

SOLSTICE https://solstice-wio.org/ 

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

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

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

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