Dr Andy Midwood

Andy Midwood has over 20 years experience in the use and application of stable isotopes in both ecophysiological and biogeochemical research. He has particular expertise in using isotopes to assess carbon dynamics in soils and terrestrial ecosystems. Andy is also the manager of the Analytical Group at the Macaulay, and oversees the analysis of over 50k samples every year in support of the Institute's research program and commercial activities.

Research Interests

Use of stable isotopes to assess terrestrial ecosystem function is a central theme to Andy's research. He has used stable isotopes to study nutrient uptake in Scottish forestry plantations, assessed water use strategies in sub-tropical savannah's and soil respiration in New Zealand's ancient beech forests. Together with Prof Pete Millard he recently developed a new natural abundance carbon-13 isotope technique to characterise soil organic matter turnover. Andy is a collaborator on a new NERC grant, 'Environmental drivers of CO2 fluxes from 'historical' soil organic matter and the implications for European carbon stocks' with Pete Millard, and from the University of Aberdeen, David Robinson and Pete Smith. Andy has conducted field experiments and research in a number of locations throughout the world and has active links with groups in New Zealand, Canada, the US and Europe. He is a Chartered Chemist and Member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, Member of the American Geophysical Union and an honorary reader at the Robert Gordon University where he lectures on mass spectrometry.

Andy's most recent publications

• Quantification of effects of season and nitrogen supply on tree belowground carbon transfer., Hogberg, M.N.; Briones, M.J.I.; Keel, S.G.; Metcalfe, D.B.; Campbell, C.; Midwood, A.J.; Thornton, B.; Hurry, V.; Linder, S.; Nasholm, T.; Hogberg, P., (2010) New Phytologist, 187, 485-493.

• Effects of copper contamination in marine sediments: Implications for ecosystem function., Mayor, D.J.; Gray, N.; Elver-Evans, J.; Midwood, A.; Thornton, B., (2010) Ecology Research Day, Aberdeen University, 29 March 2010.

• Quantifying the contribution of soil organic matter turnover to forest soil respiration using natural abundance delta 13C., Millard, P.; Midwood, A.J.; Hunt, J.E.; Barbour, M.M.; Whitehead, D., (2010) Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 42, 935-943.

• Carbon isotope analysis of PLFAs using GC-C-MS., Thornton, B.; Midwood, A.; Paterson, E.; Hogberg, M.; Mayor, D., (2010) Invited Seminar at Zhejiang University, China, 4 March 2010.

• Scientists see if climate impacts on soil carbon emissions., Millard, P.; Midwood, A.J., (2009) Press release issued by University of Aberdeen Press Office, 28th September 2009 and appearing in the Scotsman, Press and Journal and Aberdeen Evening Express, 29th September 2009.

• Partitioning soil respiration using natural abundance 13C discrimination., Millard, P.; Midwood, A.J., (2009) Invited Seminar, School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen.

• Through the eye of the needle: A review of isotope approaches to quantify processes mediating soil carbon balance., Paterson, E.; Midwood, A.J.; Millard, P., (2009) New Phytologist, 184, 19-33.

• Tracing photosynthate carbon from the tree canopy to forest soil micro-organisms., Thornton, B.; Hogberg, M.N.; Keel, S.G.; Metcalfe, D.B.; Gottlicher, S.G.; Betson, N.R.; Campbell, C.; Schindlbacher, A.; Hurry, V.; Lundmark, T.; Linder, S.; Midwood, A.I.; Nasholm, T.; Hogberg, P., (2009) Stable Isotope Mass Spectrometry Users Group Meeting, University of Glasgow, 14-15 January 2009.

• Tracing photosynthate carbon from the tree canopy to forest soil microorganisms., Hogberg, M.N.; Keel, S.G.; Metcalfe, D.B.; Gottlicher, S.G.; Betson, N.R.; Campbell, C.; Schindlbacher, A.; Hurry, V.; Lundmark, T.; Linder, S.; Thornton, B.; Midwood, A.; Nasholm, T.; Hogberg, P., (2008) International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME -12), 12th, Cairns, Australia, 17-22 August 2008. Abstract.

• Measuring the 13C content of soil respired CO2 using a novel open chamber system., Midwood, A.; Thornton, B.; Millard, P., (2008) Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, 22, 2073-2081.