Staff profile

Biography

I am a geologist and geochemist by trade. I apply this geoscience toolbox to understand the biogeochemical processes connecting rocks to soils to waters. I am especially passionate about understanding past, present and future carbon cycling in high latitude systems. To do this, I work across a range of scales, from particles to rivers and a range of techniques from isotopes to imaging. I am fortunate to collaborate with fantastic people and scientists. I value and seek to nurture a cross-disciplinary, inter-generational, inclusive, and fun, workplace.

Previous employment and education

2022 - : Assistant Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Durham University, UK

2018 – 2022: Postdoctoral Researcher, Earth and Life Institute, UCLouvain, Belgium (PI: Sophie Opfergelt Opfergelt Sophie | UCLouvain)

2012 – 2018: PhD Student, Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University, Sweden

2008 – 2012: MSc in Earth Sciences, University of Oxford, UK

Research interests

Biogeochemical cycling in soils, sediments, and rivers

Permafrost and glacier biogeochemistry

Mineral-organic carbon interactions

Stable isotopes (e.g., Fe, Si, V)

Microscopy-based techniques (e.g., TEM)

Spectroscopy-based techniques (e.g., XAS)

Available positions

I have ongoing projects looking to understand the inorganic drivers and indicators of organic carbon cycling using experimental and field set-ups. Please do get in contact if you are interested in joining the environment and isotope teams here (some team members:  Dr Jotis Baronas - Durham University, Julia Knapp - Durham University, Professor Fred Worrall - Durham University, Professor Kevin Burton - Durham University; Professor Darren Grocke - Durham University and Dr Geoffrey Nowell - Durham University). Everyone is encouraged to share ideas, ask questions, ask for help.  

Teaching

I am a co-teacher on the first year Sustainability course. I lead a third year module on Polar Quaternary Environmental Processes. I am a regular member of staff on geological and environmental student fieldtrips.

Department roles

Earth Sciences Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion group member

Earth Sciences Research Committee

Earth Sciences Fieldwork Health and Safety Officer

Earth Sciences Ethics Committee

Publications

Hirst, C., Andersson, P.S., Mörth, C.M., Murphy, M.J., Schmitt, M., Kooijman, E., Kutscher, L., Petrov, R., Maximov, T. and Porcelli, D., 2023. Iron isotopes reveal seasonal variations in the mechanisms for iron-bearing particle and colloid formation in the Lena River catchment, NE Siberia. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 363, pp.77-93.

Hirst, C., Monhonval, A., Mauclet, E., Thomas, M., Villani, M., Ledman, J., Schuur, E.A. and Opfergelt, S., 2023. Evidence for late winter biogeochemical connectivity in permafrost soils. Communications Earth & Environment, 4(1), p.85.

Hirst, C., Mauclet, E., Monhonval, A., Tihon, E., Ledman, J., Schuur, E.A. and Opfergelt, S., 2022. Seasonal changes in hydrology and permafrost degradation control mineral element‐bound DOC transport from permafrost soils to streams. Global Biogeochemical Cycles, p.e2021GB007105.

Hirst, C., Opfergelt, S., Gaspard, F., Hendry, K.R., Hatton, J.E., Welch, S., McKnight, D.M. and Berry Lyons, W., 2020. Silicon isotopes reveal a non-glacial source of silicon to Crescent Stream, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. Frontiers in Earth Science, 8, p.229.

Hirst, C., Andersson, P.S., Kooijman, E., Schmitt, M., Kutscher, L., Maximov, T., Mörth, C.M. and Porcelli, D., 2020. Iron isotopes reveal the sources of Fe-bearing particles and colloids in the Lena River basin. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 269, pp.678-692.

Hirst, C., Andersson, P.S., Shaw, S., Burke, I.T., Kutscher, L., Murphy, M.J., Maximov, T., Pokrovsky, O.S., Mörth, C.M. and Porcelli, D., 2017. Characterisation of Fe-bearing particles and colloids in the Lena River basin, NE Russia. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 213, pp.553-573.

Fouché, J., Hirst, C., Bonneville, S., Opfergelt, S., Haghipour, N., Eglinton, T.I., Vonk, J.E. and Bröder, L., 2024. Rainfall Impacts Dissolved Organic Matter and Cation Export From Permafrost Catchments and a Glacial River During Late Summer in Northeast Greenland. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes.

Monhonval, A., Mauclet, E., Hirst, C., Bemelmans, N., Eekman, E., Schuur, E.A. and Opfergelt, S., 2023. Mineral organic carbon interactions in dry versus wet tundra soils. Geoderma, 436, p.116552.

Thomas, M., Monhonval, A., Hirst, C., Bröder, L., Zolkos, S., Vonk, J.E., Tank, S.E., Keskitalo, K.H., Shakil, S., Kokelj, S.V. and van der Sluijs, J., 2023. Evidence for preservation of organic carbon interacting with iron in material displaced from retrogressive thaw slumps: Case study in Peel Plateau, western Canadian Arctic. Geoderma, 433, p.116443.

Gaspard, F., Opfergelt, S., Hirst, C., Hurwitz, S., McCleskey, R.B., Zahajská, P., Conley, D.J. and Delmelle, P., 2021. Quantifying Non‐Thermal Silicate Weathering Using Ge/Si and Si Isotopes in Rivers Draining the Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field, USA. Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 22(11), p.e2021GC009904.

Mauclet, E., Agnan, Y., Hirst, C., Monhonval, A., Pereira, B., Vandeuren, A., Villani, M., Ledman, J., Taylor, M., Jasinski, B.L. and Schuur, E.A., 2021. Changing sub-Arctic tundra vegetation upon permafrost degradation: impact on foliar mineral element cycling. Biogeosciences Discussions, pp.1-34.

Monhonval, A., Strauss, J., Mauclet, E., Hirst, C., Bemelmans, N., Grosse, G., Schirrmeister, L., Fuchs, M. and Opfergelt, S., 2021. Iron redistribution upon thermokarst processes in the Yedoma domain. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9, p.629.

Hatton, J.E., Hendry, K.R., Hirst, C., Opfergelt, S., Henkel, S., Silva-Busso, A., Welch, S.A., Wadham, J.L., Lyons, W.B., Bagshaw, E. and Staubwasser, M., 2020. Silicon isotopic composition of dry and wet-based glaciers in Antarctica. Frontiers in Earth Science, 8, p.286.

Bouchard, F., Agnan, Y., Bröder, L., Fouché, J., Hirst, C., Sjöberg, Y., Alexis, M., Behmel, S., Biskaborn, B.K., Boike, J. and Bouchez, C., 2020. The SPLASH Action Group–Towards standardized sampling strategies in permafrost science. Advances in Polar Science, 31(3), pp.153-155.

Murphy, M.J., Porcelli, D., von Strandmann, P.A.P., Hirst, C.A., Kutscher, L., Katchinoff, J.A., Mörth, C.M., Maximov, T. and Andersson, P.S., 2019. Tracing silicate weathering processes in the permafrost-dominated Lena River watershed using lithium isotopes. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 245, pp.154-171.

Sun, X., Mörth, C.M., Porcelli, D., Kutscher, L., Hirst, C., Murphy, M.J., Maximov, T., Petrov, R.E., Humborg, C., Schmitt, M. and Andersson, P.S., 2018. Stable silicon isotopic compositions of the Lena River and its tributaries: Implications for silicon delivery to the Arctic Ocean. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, 241, pp.120-133.

Pallavicini, N., Engström, E., Baxter, D.C., Öhlander, B., Ingri, J., Hawley, S., Hirst, C., Rodushkina, K. and Rodushkin, I., 2018. Ranges of B, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Sr, Tl, and Zn concentrations and isotope ratios in environmental matrices from an urban area. Journal of Spectroscopy, 2018.

Kutscher, L., Mörth, C.M., Porcelli, D., Hirst, C., Maximov, T.C., Petrov, R.E. and Andersson, P.S., 2017. Spatial variation in concentration and sources of organic carbon in the Lena River, Siberia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 122(8), pp.1999-2016.

Government, Industry and Opinion publications:

Hirst. C; Revealing the reactivity of iron in the Lena River basin. Diamond Light Source magazine 2017

Hirst, C., 2021. Arctic rivers: Windows into organic carbon stabilisation in permafrost soils. Open Access Government, p.338.

Bouchard, F., Agnan, Y., Bröder, L., Fouché, J., Hirst, C., Sjöberg, Y., Alexis, M., Behmel, S., Biskaborn, B.K., Boike, J. and Bouchez, C., 2020. The SPLASH Action Group–Towards standardized sampling strategies in permafrost science. Advances in Polar Science, 31(3), pp.153-155.

Mauclet, E., Agnan, Y., Hirst, C., Monhonval, A., Taylor, M., Ledman, J., Schuur, E. and Opfergelt, S., 2021. What are the impacts of shifting Arctic tundra vegetation? Open Access Government, p.232.