Professional summary

Chris is an ecologist.  He works across a wide range of projects and research topics, although his interests are principally in upland and montane ecology.   He currently serves as the UK Environmental Change (ECN) site manager for the Cairngorms long-term ecological and environmental research site (LTER) in the Cairngorm National Park.  In this capacity, Chris oversees the recording of a diverse range of biological and environmental data, from traditional monitoring through to advanced ecoacoustic and image-based monitoring methods, to detect evidence of environmental change and its subsequent impacts on biodiversity at the site.  Chris also holds the position of Cairngorms station manager within two Horizon2020 funded projects; INTERACT2 and eLTER Plus. The object of both projects is the the advancement of collaborative and multi-disciplinary research, through close collaboration with European colleagues and researchers globally.

Chris is an able field surveyor and logistical planner. He possesses field and laboratory skills spanning a variety of habitats (montane, woodland, riparian, agricultural, and inter-tidal) and disciplines (ecology, pollution, water, soil, environment).  Since 2017, Chris has played a pivotal role in implementing the UK Pollinator Monitoring Scheme (PoMS) in Scotland. Involving the identification of suitable permanent monitoring sites, liaising with landowners and governing bodies, providing training, and serving as a contact point for contracted field surveyors and volunteers.  He is also an experienced Countryside Survey field-surveyor.

Beyond these roles, Chris has a keen interest in ground beetles (Carabidae).

Selected publications

Bürli Sarah et al. , (2021), A common soil temperature threshold for the upper limit of alpine grasslands in European mountains. Alpine Botany, 131, 41-52, http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00035-021-00250-1

Pilotto Francesca et al. , (2020), Meta-analysis of multidecadal biodiversity trends in Europe. Nature Communications, 11, http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-17171-y

O'Connor Rory S. et al. , (2019), Monitoring insect pollinators and flower visitation: the effectiveness and feasibility of different survey methods. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 10, 2129-2140, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/2041-210x.13292

Andrews, Christopher et al. , (2011), Assessment of biological and environmental phenology at a landscape level from 30 years of fixed-date repeat photography in nor. Ambio, 40, 600-609, http://www.springerlink.com/content/4245785574811072/

Andrews Chris et al. , (2020), Utilising repeat photography for long-term monitoring at the Cairngorm Environmental Change Network site: data analysis report.

Andrews Chris et al. , (2020), Temporal trends in spider communities at the UK Environmental Change Network Cairngorm field station, 2007-2019: data analysis report.

Andrews Christopher et al. , (2021), The potential use of acoustic indices for biodiversity monitoring at long-term ecological research (LTER) sites: a summary of current knowledge, equipment and methods.

Andrews Christopher et al. , (2016), Long-term observations of increasing snow cover in the western Cairngorms. 71, 178-181, http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wea.2731

Vanbergen Adam J. et al. , (2017), Dispersal capacity shapes responses of river island invertebrate assemblages to vegetation structure, island area, and flooding. Insect Conservation and Diversity, http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/icad.12231

Spears Bryan M. et al. , (2015), A meta-analysis of water quality and aquatic macrophyte responses in 18 lakes treated with lanthanum modified bentonite (PHOSLOCK®). http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0043135415301718