FacilityCass Field Station

Professor Angus McIntosh is a freshwater ecologist specialising in population ecology, community ecology, ecosystem ecology, and aquatic landscape ecology across streams, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. His research focuses on fish and invertebrate ecology, aquatic food webs, predator–prey interactions, invasion, flow‑related habitat size, disturbance regimes, restoration and cross‑ecosystem (aquatic–terrestrial) linkages.

He has led long‑term studies in the upper Waimakariri River system (Canterbury – particularly at the Cass Field Station), the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (Colorado), and agricultural streams of the Canterbury Plains, advancing understanding of biodiversity patterns, habitat dynamics, and ecosystem resilience.

Key research areas include:

• Impacts of non‑native trout on galaxiid fishes
• Riverscape configuration and drivers of aquatic biodiversity
• Effects of flow alteration and habitat size change on river food webs
• Habitat drying and responses of pond communities
• Aquatic–terrestrial ecosystem exchanges and cross‑boundary energy flows
• Freshwater restoration, including the Canterbury Waterway Rehabilitation Experiment (CAREX)

Angus also provides consulting and Environment Court expertise in freshwater ecology, habitat assessment, and river management.

For more information, photographs, and outreach material are available through the Freshwater Ecology Research Group (FERG) and his EcologyLive website.

I am a strong advocate for experiential education where foundational knowledge skills are linked with practical experiences and real-world applications and narratives. I consider that students learn best when they are active (not passive) learners that can touch, feel and interact with the subject matter. I adopt a scaffolded learning approach where different teaching methods including utilising innovative digital tools, as well as immersive hands-on, approaches are needed for different levels of knowledge, experience and perspectives to achieve comprehensive understanding. Using my strong background in geology, I deliver high quality, innovative and holistically designed geoscience education programmes that are informed by pedagogy research and best practice.   

I am the 100 level coordinator for Geological Sciences and currently run and design practical skills labs and fieldtrips for first and second year geology courses at the University of Canterbury.
I consider Geoscience Education research as an essential part of my full-time teaching role. This includes the use of electronic learning media, learning analytics and curriculum innovation across our geology programme. Current research topics also include the outputs and lessons from designing virtual fieldtrips at tertiary level, designing an Earth Science garden at UC for school and community outreach and teaching purposes, weaving digital 3D models and digital objects with field experiences, enhancing and supporting spatial visualisation skills, especially in 3D, and exploring the role and potentials of neurodivergent thinking in the geosciences. I also research into best-practice teacher training and review processes.
I am an avid photographer and passionate about inspiring people into geology through my photographs. I am a lead author and past editor for the website, Geotrips.

My PhD research ending in 2010 was on investigating active tectonics, geomorphology, fault mapping and sequence stratigraphy by seismic and DEM interpretation, and the evolution of a section of the active Hikurangi subduction zone plate margin off-shore the Poverty Bay region in the North Island, New Zealand.
I was part of the teams mapping the Greendale Fault rupture from the 2010 Christchurch Earthquake and am a member of the University of Canterbury fault rupture team investigating the landscape effects of the 14 Nov 2016 Kaikoura Earthquake based in the Waiau region around the epicentre. Research is ongoing.
I also currently supervise projects in glacial geomorphology and large-scale landscape evolution.