Dr Natalie Hicks
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Email
natalie.hicks@essex.ac.uk -
Telephone
+44 (0) 1206 873308
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Location
3SW.3.08, Colchester Campus
Profile
Biography
My research interests span coastal to offshore sedimentary habitats, particularly focusing on carbon cycling (blue carbon, carbon dynamics, carbon burial and sequestration). I am a benthic biogeochemist, and much of my research is focused on understanding processes on sediments or seabed. This includes the role of coastal habitats (salt marshes, seagrass meadows, intertidal mudflats, estuaries) in mitigating climate change through carbon uptake and storage, but also how this links to coastal defence, flood protection, enhancing biodiversity, improved water quality and pollutant remediation. My offshore work includes understanding how much carbon is in different sediments, but also the impacts of marine artificial structures on sedimentary processes, such as decommissioning energy structures (like oil and gas platforms), or placement of renewables structures like offshore wind. The seabed is a huge habitat, so understanding impacts for not only carbon, but also biodiversity, is key for effective management.
Research and professional activities
Research interests
Marine Benthic Biogeochemistry
Carbon and oxygen dynamics in marine sediments (coastal and shelf) - includes carbon stocks and sequestration, 'blue carbon' and nature based solutions, and carbon cycling
Carbon cycling
Blue carbon
Carbon sequestration
Climate change in marine ecosystems
Marine Artificial Structures
Teaching and supervision
Current teaching responsibilities
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Marine Biology Field Skills (BS114)
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Estuarine and Coastal Ecology Field Module (BS303)
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Climate Change and Pollution (BS345)
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Estuarine and Coastal Ecology Field Module (Assessed in Following Year) (BS417)
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Professional Skills in Tropical Marine Biology (BS708)
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Research Project: MSc Tropical Marine Biology (BS782)
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Research Project in Life Sciences (BS832)
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Advanced Research Skills (BS953)
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Independent Research (MSci) (BS997)
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Marine Science Work Placement (BS719)
Current supervision
Publications
Journal articles (24)
Dal Molin, F., Hunt, D., Dewar, A., Lozach, S., Phillips, C., Thomas, B., Warford, L., Parker, JE., Walker, J., Chocholek, M., Paterson, DM., Woodward-Rowe, H. and Hicks, N., (2025). A new approach for assessing the radioecological risk associated with the legacy discharge of oil derived natural radioactivity in the UK North Sea. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 212, 117585-117585
Knights, A., Lemasson, A., Firth, L., Beaumont, N., Birchenough, S., Claisse, J., Copping, A., Coolen, J., De Dominicis, M., Degraer, S., Elliott, M., Fernandes, P., Fowler, A., Frost, M., Henry, L-A., Hicks, N., Hyder, K., Jagerroos, S., Love, M., Lynam, C., Macreadie, P., McLean, D., Marlow, J., Mavraki, N., Montagna, P., Paterson, DM., Perrow, M., Porter, J., Scarborough Bull, A., Schratzberger, M., Shipley, B., van Elden, S., Vanaverbeke, J., Want, A., Watson, SCL., Wilding, TA. and Somerfield, PJ., (2024). To what extent can decommissioning options for marine artificial structures move us toward environmental targets?. Journal of Environmental Management. 350, 119644-119644
Knights, AM., Lemasson, AJ., Firth, LB., Bond, T., Claisse, J., Coolen, JWP., Copping, A., Dannheim, J., De Dominicis, M., Degraer, S., Elliott, M., Fernandes, PG., Fowler, AM., Frost, M., Henry, L-A., Hicks, N., Hyder, K., Jagerroos, S., Jones, DOB., Love, M., Lynam, CP., Macreadie, PI., Marlow, J., Mavraki, N., McLean, D., Montagna, PA., Paterson, DM., Perrow, M., Porter, J., Russell, DJF., Bull, AS., Schratzberger, M., Shipley, B., van Elden, S., Vanaverbeke, J., Want, A., Watson, SCL., Wilding, TA. and Somerfield, P., (2024). Developing expert scientific consensus on the environmental and societal effects of marine artificial structures prior to decommissioning. Journal of Environmental Management. 352, 119897-119897
Chen, Z., Cameron, TC., Couce, E., Garcia, C., Hicks, N., Thomas, GE., Thompson, MSA., Whitby, C. and O'Gorman, EJ., (2024). Oil and gas platforms degrade benthic invertebrate diversity and food web structure. Science of the Total Environment. 929, 172536-172536
Fortune, I., Madgett, A., Scarborough Bull, A., Hicks, N., Love, M. and Paterson, D., (2024). Haven or hell? A perspective on the ecology of offshore oil and gas platforms. PLOS Sustainainability and Transforumation. 3 (4), e0000104-e0000104
Felgate, SL., Aldridge, J., Bolam, SG., Breimann, S., de Borger, E., Claes, J., Depestele, J., Epstein, G., Garcia, C., Hicks, N., Kaiser, M., Laverick, JH., Lessin, G., O’Neill, FG., Paradis, S., Parker, R., Pereira, R., Poulton, AJ., Powell, C., Smeaton, C., Snelgrove, P., Tiano, J., van der Molen, J., van de Velde, S. and Sciberras, M., (2024). Investigating the effects of mobile bottom fishing on benthic carbon processing and storage: a systematic review protocol. Environmental Evidence. 13 (1), 24-
Hicks, N., Fox, C., Webb, C., Grant, J., Brain, S., Fraser, S. and Abell, R., (2023). Measuring and modelling the dispersal of salmon farm organic waste over sandy sediments. Aquaculture Environment Interactions. 15, 251-269
McLean, DL., Ferreira, LC., Benthuysen, JA., Miller, KJ., Schläppy, M-L., Ajemian, MJ., Berry, O., Birchenough, SNR., Bond, T., Boschetti, F., Bull, AS., Claisse, JT., Condie, SA., Consoli, P., Coolen, JWP., Elliott, M., Fortune, IS., Fowler, AM., Gillanders, BM., Harrison, HB., Hart, KM., Henry, L-A., Hewitt, CL., Hicks, N., Hock, K., Hyder, K., Love, M., Macreadie, PI., Miller, RJ., Montevecchi, WA., Nishimoto, MM., Page, HM., Paterson, DM., Pattiaratchi, CB., Pecl, GT., Porter, JS., Reeves, DB., Riginos, C., Rouse, S., Russell, DJF., Sherman, CDH., Teilmann, J., Todd, VLG., Treml, EA., Williamson, DH. and Thums, M., (2022). Influence of offshore oil and gas structures on seascape ecological connectivity.. Global Change Biology. 28 (11), 3515-3536
Lérida-Toro, V., Abascal, U., Villa-Alfageme, M., Klar, J., Hicks, N. and López-Gutiérrez, JM., (2022). ¹²⁹I in sediment cores from the Celtic Sea by AMS through a microwave digestion process. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms. 529, 61-67
Graves, CA., Benson, L., Aldridge, J., Austin, WEN., Dal Molin, F., Fonseca, VG., Hicks, N., Hynes, C., Kröger, S., Lamb, PD., Mason, C., Powell, C., Smeaton, C., Wexler, SK., Woulds, C. and Parker, R., (2022). Sedimentary carbon on the continental shelf: Emerging capabilities and research priorities for Blue Carbon. Frontiers in Marine Science. 9, 926215-
Legge, O., Johnson, M., Hicks, N., Jickells, T., Diesing, M., Aldridge, J., Andrews, J., Artioli, Y., Bakker, DCE., Burrows, MT., Carr, N., Cripps, G., Felgate, SL., Fernand, L., Greenwood, N., Hartman, S., Kröger, S., Lessin, G., Mahaffey, C., Mayor, DJ., Parker, R., Queirós, AM., Shutler, JD., Silva, T., Stahl, H., Tinker, J., Underwood, GJC., Van Der Molen, J., Wakelin, S., Weston, K. and Williamson, P., (2020). Carbon on the Northwest European Shelf: Contemporary Budget and Future Influences. Frontiers in Marine Science. 7
Guamán-Guevara, F., Austin, H., Hicks, N., Streeter, R. and Austin, WEN., (2019). Impacts of ocean acidification on intertidal benthic foraminiferal growth and calcification. PLoS ONE. 14 (8), e0220046-e0220046
Ingels, J., dos Santos, G., Hicks, N., Vazquez, YV., Neres, PF., Pontes, LP., Amorim, MN., Román, S., Du, Y., Stahl, H., Somerfield, PJ. and Widdicombe, S., (2018). Short-term CO₂ exposure and temperature rise effects on metazoan meiofauna and free-living nematodes in sandy and muddy sediments: Results from a flume experiment. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 502, 211-226
Hicks, N., Liu, X., Gregory, R., Kenny, J., Lucaci, A., Lenzi, L., Paterson, DM. and Duncan, KR., (2018). Temperature Driven Changes in Benthic Bacterial Diversity Influences Biogeochemical Cycling in Coastal Sediments. Frontiers in Microbiology. 9 (AUG), 1730-
Hicks, N., Ubbara, GR., Silburn, B., Smith, HEK., Kröger, S., Parker, ER., Sivyer, D., Kitidis, V., Hatton, A., Mayor, DJ. and Stahl, H., (2017). Oxygen dynamics in shelf seas sediments incorporating seasonal variability. Biogeochemistry. 135 (1-2), 35-47
Thompson, CEL., Silburn, B., Williams, ME., Hull, T., Sivyer, D., Amoudry, LO., Widdicombe, S., Ingels, J., Carnovale, G., McNeill, CL., Hale, R., Marchais, CL., Hicks, N., Smith, HEK., Klar, JK., Hiddink, JG., Kowalik, J., Kitidis, V., Reynolds, S., Woodward, EMS., Tait, K., Homoky, WB., Kröger, S., Bolam, S., Godbold, JA., Aldridge, J., Mayor, DJ., Benoist, NMA., Bett, BJ., Morris, KJ., Parker, ER., Ruhl, HA., Statham, PJ. and Solan, M., (2017). An approach for the identification of exemplar sites for scaling up targeted field observations of benthic biogeochemistry in heterogeneous environments. Biogeochemistry. 135 (1-2), 1-34
Silburn, B., Kröger, S., Parker, ER., Sivyer, DB., Hicks, N., Powell, CF., Johnson, M. and Greenwood, N., (2017). Benthic pH gradients across a range of shelf sea sediment types linked to sediment characteristics and seasonal variability. Biogeochemistry. 135 (1-2), 69-88
Currie, AR., Tait, K., Parry, H., de Francisco-Mora, B., Hicks, N., Osborn, AM., Widdicombe, S. and Stahl, H., (2017). Marine Microbial Gene Abundance and Community Composition in Response to Ocean Acidification and Elevated Temperature in Two Contrasting Coastal Marine Sediments. Frontiers in Microbiology. 8 (AUG), 1599-
Aldridge, JN., Lessin, G., Amoudry, LO., Hicks, N., Hull, T., Klar, JK., Kitidis, V., McNeill, CL., Ingels, J., Parker, ER., Silburn, B., Silva, T., Sivyer, DB., Smith, HEK., Widdicombe, S., Woodward, EMS., van der Molen, J., Garcia, L. and Kröger, S., (2017). Comparing benthic biogeochemistry at a sandy and a muddy site in the Celtic Sea using a model and observations. Biogeochemistry. 135 (1-2), 155-182
Hicks, N., Vik, U., Taylor, P., Ladoukakis, E., Park, J., Kolisis, F. and Jakobsen, KS., (2017). Using Prokaryotes for Carbon Capture Storage. Trends in Biotechnology. 35 (1), 22-32
Hicks, N., Ubbara, GR., Silburn, B., Smith, HEK., Kröger, S., Parker, ER., Sivyer, D., Kitidis, V., Hatton, A., Mayor, DJ. and Stahl, H., (2017). Oxygen dynamics in shelf seas sediments incorporating seasonal variability.. Biogeochemistry. 135 (1), 35-47
Hicks, N., Vik, U., Taylor, P., Ladoukakis, E., Park, J., Kolisis, F., Stahl, H. and Jakobsen, KS., (2015). Reviews and synthesis: Carbon capture and storage monitoring – an integrated biological, biophysical and chemical approach. Biogeosciences Discussions. 12 (12), 8909-8937
Hicks, N., Bulling, MT., Solan, M., Raffaelli, D., White, PCL. and Paterson, DM., (2011). Impact of biodiversity-climate futures on primary production and metabolism in a model benthic estuarine system.. BMC Ecology. 11 (1), 7-7
Bulling, MT., Hicks, N., Murray, L., Paterson, DM., Raffaelli, D., White, PCL. and Solan, M., (2010). Marine biodiversity–ecosystem functions under uncertain environmental futures. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 365 (1549), 2107-2116
Book chapters (1)
Stafford, R., Ashley, M., Clavey, L., Esteves, LS., Hicks, N., Jones, A., Leonard, P., Luisetti, T., Martin, A., Parker, R., Rees, S., Schratzberger, M. and Unsworth, R., (2021). Coastal and Marine Systems. In: Nature-based Solutions for Climate Change in the UK: A Report by the British Ecological Society. Editors: Stafford, R., Chamberlain, B., Clavey, L., Gillingham, P., McKain, S., Morecroft, M., Morrison-Bell, C. and Watts, O., . British Ecological Society. 107- 120
Reports and Papers (2)
Heymans, S., Hicks, N., Otto Portner, H., Landschützer, P., Griet, N. and Gattuso, J-P., (2023). Blue Carbon: Challenges and opportunities to mitigate the climate and biodiversity crises
Fox, C., Hicks, N., Chris, W., Grant, J., Brain, S., Fraser, S. and Abell, R., (2022). Improving understanding of fish farm organic waste dispersal in higher energy environments
Other (4)
Woodward-Rowe, H., Dal Molin, F., Gregson, B., Mason, C., Parker, R. and Hicks, N., (2025).The effect of man-made structures on sedimentary blue carbon dynamics 
Woodward-Rowe, H., Dal Molin, F., Jervis, J., Parker, R., Davis, T. and Hicks, N., (2025).Determination of Blue Carbon accumulation rates in sediments impacted by legacy oil and gas extraction activities 
Dal Molin, F., Woodward-Rowe, H., Davis, T., Jervis, J., Parker, R. and Hicks, N., (2025).Corrected Pb-210 based estimations of accumulation rates in marine sediments contaminated by legacy NORM discharges
Malcolm-McKay, A., Hicks, N., Whitby, C., Underwood, G., Unsworth, R. and Cameron, T., (2025).Microbial driven greenhouse gas flux of the intertidal seagrass Zostera noltei, across a seasonal cycle
Grants and funding
2024
Advancing Resilience and Innovation for Sustainability in the East of England
Economic and Social Research Council
MSD Salt Marsh Restoration in the Stour and Orwell estuaries
Harwich Haven Authority
Quantifying the impacts of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from infrastructure decommissioning on benthic micro and macrofaunal communities.
Oil Spill Response Ltd
Seabed Carbon Review Consultancy
Centre for Environment Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
Seasonal seagrass growth - Essex region
Environment Agency
2023
To assess the potential for restoration of saltmarsh, seagrass and native oyster beds at Sandwich and Pegwell Bay NNR
EXO Environmental Ltd
REWilding and restoration inteRtIdal sedimenT Ecosystem for carbon sequestration, climate adaptation and biodiversity support
European Commission
2022
ORBIT: Offshore Renewables: winds of change for Benthic communities?
Natural Environment Research Council
PhD Studentship Intertidal seagrass dynamics, recovery and role in nature based solutions
Harwich Haven Authority
2020
Functionality and Ecological Connectivity of Man-Made Structures (FuECoMMS)
Natural Environment Research Council
EPStromNet - Extant Peritidal Stromatolite Network
Natural Environment Research Council
Ecosystem Management: Building Resilience and Adaptability to Coastal Climate Change Effects
Economic and Social Research Council
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