Dr Robert Griffiths

Professor in Environmental Microbiology

Contact info

Rob Griffiths is an environmental microbiologist whose research focuses on understanding the "natural" and human associated drivers of microbial biodiversity, and understanding the role of microbiomes in environmental health. He uses molecular, biogeochemical and data-driven approaches to uncover fundamental ecological processes operating on microbial communities and impacting functional outcomes.

  1. Soil bacterial networks are less stable under drought than fungal networks

    de Vries, F. T., Griffiths, R. I., Bailey, M., Craig, H., Girlanda, M., Gweon, H. S., Hallin, S., Kaisermann, A., Keith, A. M., Kretzschmar, M., Lemanceau, P., Lumini, E., Mason, K. E., Oliver, A., Ostle, N., Prosser, J. I., Thion, C., Thomson, B. & Bardgett, R. D., 2 Aug 2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 1

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  2. Analysis of the microbial functional diversity within water-stressed soil communities by flow cytometric analysis and CTC+ cell sorting

    Whiteley, A. S., Griffiths, R. I. & Bailey, M. J., Aug 2003, In: Journal of Microbiological Methods. 54, 2, p. 257-267 11 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  3. Vegetation exerts a greater control on litter decomposition than climate warming in peatlands

    Ward, S. E., Orwin, K. H., Ostle, N. J., Briones, M. J. I., Thomson, B. C., Griffiths, R. I., Oakley, S., Quirk, H. & Bardgett, R. D., 1 Jan 2015, In: Ecology. 96, 1, p. 113-123 11 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  4. Harnessing rhizosphere microbiomes for drought-resilient crop production

    Vries, F. T. D., Griffiths, R. I., Knight, C. G., Nicolitch, O. & Williams, A., 17 Apr 2020, In: Science. 368, 6488, p. 270-274 5 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  5. Local Adaptation of Bacteriophages to Their Bacterial Hosts in Soil

    Vos, M., Birkett, P. J., Birch, E., Griffiths, R. I. & Buckling, A., 14 Aug 2009, In: Science. 325, 5942, p. 833 1 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  6. Detection of active bacterial populations in soil

    Timms-Wilson, T. M., Griffiths, R., Whiteley, A. S. & Bailey, M. J., 2006, Modern Soil Microbiology. van Elsas, J. D., Trevors, J. T., Jansson, J. K. & Nannipieri, P. (eds.). 2nd ed. CRC Press

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

  7. Soil conditions and land use intensification effects on soil microbial communities across a range of European field sites

    Thomson, B. C., Tisserant, E., Plassart, P., Uroz, S., Griffiths, R. I., Hannula, S. E., Buée, M., Mougel, C., Ranjard, L., Veen, J. A. V., Martin, F., Bailey, M. J. & Lemanceau, P., Sept 2015, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 88, p. 403-413 11 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  8. Plant soil interactions alter carbon cycling in an upland grassland soil

    Thomson, B., Ostle, N., McNamara, N., Oakley, S., Whiteley, A., Bailey, M. & Griffiths, R., 10 Sept 2013, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 4

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  9. Effects of sieving, drying and rewetting upon soil bacterial community structure and respiration rates

    Thomson, B. C., Ostle, N. J., McNamara, N. P., Whiteley, A. S. & Griffiths, R. I., Oct 2010, In: Journal of Microbiological Methods. 83, 1, p. 69-73 5 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  10. Vegetation Affects the Relative Abundances of Dominant Soil Bacterial Taxa and Soil Respiration Rates in an Upland Grassland Soil

    Thomson, B. C., Ostle, N., McNamara, N., Bailey, M. J., Whiteley, A. S. & Griffiths, R. I., 25 Aug 2009, In: Microbial Ecology. 59, 2, p. 335-343 9 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  11. A method of establishing a transect for biodiversity and ecosystem function monitoring across Europe: Soil biodiversity and ecosystem functions across Europe: A transect covering variations in bio-geographical zones, land use and soil properties

    Stone, D., Blomkvist, P., Hendriksen, N. B., Bonkowski, M., Jørgensen, H. B., Carvalho, F., Dunbar, M. B., Gardi, C., Geisen, S., Griffiths, R., Hug, A. S., Jensen, J., Laudon, H., Mendes, S., Morais, P. V., Orgiazzi, A., Plassart, P., Römbke, J., Rutgers, M., Schmelz, R. M., Sousa, J. P., Steenbergen, E., Suhadolc, M., Winding, A., Zupan, M., Lemanceau, P. & Creamer, R. E., Jan 2016, In: Applied Soil Ecology. 97, p. 3-11 9 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  12. Global change pressures on soils from land use and management

    Smith, P., House, J. I., Bustamante, M., Sobocká, J., Harper, R., Pan, G., West, P. C., Clark, J. M., Adhya, T., Rumpel, C., Paustian, K., Kuikman, P., Cotrufo, M. F., Elliott, J. A., McDowell, R., Griffiths, R. I., Asakawa, S., Bondeau, A., Jain, A. K., Meersmans, J. & Pugh, T. A. M., Mar 2016, In: Global Change Biology. 22, 3, p. 1008-1028 21 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  13. Biogeochemical cycles and biodiversity as key drivers of ecosystem services provided by soils

    Smith, P., Cotrufo, M. F., Rumpel, C., Paustian, K., Kuikman, P. J., Elliott, J. A., McDowell, R., Griffiths, R. I., Asakawa, S., Bustamante, M., House, J. I., Sobocká, J., Harper, R., Pan, G., West, P. C., Gerber, J. S., Clark, J. M., Adhya, T., Scholes, R. J. & Scholes, M. C., 19 Nov 2015, In: SOIL. 1, 2, p. 665-685 21 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  14. Relative contribution of high and low elevation soil microbes and nematodes to ecosystem functioning

    Semeraro, S., Kergunteuil, A., Sánchez-Moreno, S., Puissant, J., Goodall, T., Griffiths, R. & Rasmann, S., 5 Apr 2022, In: Functional Ecology. 36, 4, p. 974-986 13 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  15. Pasture age impacts soil fungal composition while bacteria respond to soil chemistry

    Seaton, F. M., Griffiths, R. I., Goodall, T., Lebron, I. & Norton, L. R., 15 Sept 2021, (bioRxiv).

    Research output: Working paperPreprint

  16. Soil bacterial and fungal communities show within field heterogeneity that varies by land management and distance metric

    Seaton, F. M., Griffiths, R. I., Goodall, T., Lebron, I. & Norton, L. R., 27 Jul 2022, BioRxiv, p. 2022.07.26.501510, (bioRxiv).

    Research output: Working paperPreprint

  17. Published

    Long term drought and warming alter soil bacterial and fungal communities in an upland heathland

    Seaton, F., Reinsch, S., Goodall, T., White, N., Jones, D. L., Griffiths, R., Creer, S., Smith, A., Emmett, B. A. & Robinson, D. A., Sept 2022, In: Ecosystems. 25, 6, p. 1279-1294 16 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  18. Soil bacterial and fungal communities show within field heterogeneity that varies by land management and distance metric

    Seaton, F. M., Griffiths, R. I., Goodall, T., Lebron, I. & Norton, L. R., 1 Feb 2023, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 177, p. 108920 1 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  19. Persistence of dissolved organic matter explained by molecular changes during its passage through soil

    Roth, V.-N., Lange, M., Simon, C., Hertkorn, N., Bucher, S., Goodall, T., Griffiths, R. I., Mellado-Vázquez, P. G., Mommer, L., Oram, N. J., Weigelt, A., Dittmar, T. & Gleixner, G., 5 Aug 2019, In: Nature Geoscience. 12, 9, p. 755-761 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  20. Aspects of microbial communities in peatland carbon cycling under changing climate and land use pressures

    Robinson, C., Ritson, J., Alderson, D., Malik, A. A., Griffiths, R. I., Heinemeyer, A., Gallego-Sala, A. V., Quillet, A., Robroek, B. J. M., Evans, C., Chandler, D. M., Elliott, D. R., Shuttleworth, E., Lilleskov, E. A., Kitson, E., Cox, F., Worrall, F., Clay, G., Crosher, I., Pratscher, J., Bird, J., Walker, J., Belyea, L. R., Dumont, M. G., Bell, N. G. A., Artz, R. R. E., Bardgett, R., Andersen, R., Hutchinson, S. M., Page, S. E., Thom, T. J., Burn, W. & Evans, M. G., 2 Feb 2023, In: Mires and Peat. 29, 36 p., 02.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  21. Soil Fungal Community Characteristics and Mycelial Production Across a Disturbance Gradient in Lowland Dipterocarp Rainforest in Borneo

    Robinson, S. J. B., Elias, D., Johnson, D., Both, S., Riutta, T., Goodall, T., Majalap, N., McNamara, N. P., Griffiths, R. & Ostle, N., 26 Jun 2020, In: Frontiers in Forests and Global Change. 3

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  22. Published

    Selective logging impacts on soil microbial communities and functioning in Bornean tropical forest

    Robinson, S. J. B., Elias, D. M. O., Goodall, T., Nottingham, A. T., McNamara, N. P., Griffiths, R. I., Majalap, N. & Ostle, N. J., 26 Sept 2024, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 15, p. 1447999

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  23. Towards a microbial process-based understanding of the resilience of peatland ecosystem service provisioning - A research agenda

    Ritson, J. P., Alderson, D. M., Robinson, C. H., Burkitt, A. E., Heinemeyer, A., Stimson, A. G., Gallego-Sala, A., Harris, A., Quillet, A., Malik, A. A., Cole, B., Robroek, B. J. M., Heppell, C. M., Rivett, D. W., Chandler, D. M., Elliott, D. R., Shuttleworth, E. L., Lilleskov, E., Cox, F., Clay, G. D., Diack, I., Rowson, J., Pratscher, J., Lloyd, J. R., Walker, J. S., Belyea, L. R., Dumont, M. G., Longden, M., Bell, N. G. A., Artz, R. R. E., Bardgett, R. D., Griffiths, R. I., Andersen, R., Chadburn, S. E., Hutchinson, S. M., Page, S. E., Thom, T., Burn, W. & Evans, M. G., 10 Mar 2021, In: Science of the Total Environment. 759, p. 143467

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  24. Published

    Co-located ecological data for exploring top- and subsoil carbon dynamics across grassland-woodland contrasts

    Reinsch, S., Lebron, I., Brentegani, M., Brooks, M., Busi, S. B., Cagnarini, C., Cooper, D., Day, J., Emmett, B. A., Fitos, E., Goodall, T., Griffiths, R. I., Jones, B., Keenan, P., Keith, A., Lopes-Mazzetto, J. M., Mason, K. E., Pallett, D., Pereira, M. G., Pinder, A., Robinson, D. A., Smart, S. M., Thomas, A., Benham, S., Vanguelova, E. & Cosby, B. J., 9 May 2024, In: Scientific data. 11, 1, p. 478 478.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  25. Catchment-scale biogeography of riverine bacterioplankton

    Read, D. S., Gweon, H. S., Bowes, M. J., Newbold, L. K., Field, D., Bailey, M. J. & Griffiths, R. I., Feb 2015, In: The ISME Journal. 9, 2, p. 516-526 11 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  26. Ecological consequences of ingestion of Bacillus cereus on Bacillus thuringiensis infections and on the gut flora of a lepidopteran host

    Raymond, B., Lijek, R. S., Griffiths, R. I. & Bonsall, M. B., Sept 2008, In: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 99, 1, p. 103-111 9 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  27. Published

    Detecting macroecological patterns in bacterial communities across independent studies of global soils

    Ramirez, K. S., Knight, C. G., Hollander, M., Brearley, F. Q., Constantinides, B., Cotton, T. E. A., Creer, S., Crowther, T. W., Davison, J., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Dorrepaal, E., Elliott, D. R., Fox, G., Griffiths, R., Hale, C., Hartman, K., Houlden, A., Jones, D., Krab, E. J., Maestre, F. T., McGuire, K. L., Monteux, S., Orr, C. H., van der Putten, W. H., Roberts, I. S., Robinson, D., Rocca, J., Rowntree, J., Schlaeppi, K., Shepherd, M., Singh, B. K., Straathof, A., Talbot, J. M., Thion, C., van der Heijden, M. & de Vries, F. T., 2018, In: Nature Microbiology. 3, p. 189-196 8 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  28. Seasonality alters drivers of soil enzyme activity in subalpine grassland soil undergoing climate change

    Puissant, J., Jassey, V. E. J., Mills, R. T. E., Robroek, B. J. M., Gavazov, K., De Danieli, S., Spiegelberger, T., Griffiths, R., Buttler, A., Brun, J.-J. & Cécillon, L., Sept 2018, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 124, p. 266-274 9 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  29. Published

    The pH optimum of soil exoenzymes adapt to long term changes in soil pH

    Puissant, J., Jones, B., Goodall, T., Mang, D., Blaud, A., Gweon, H. S., Malik, A., Jones, D. L., Clark, I. M., Hirsch, P. R. & Griffiths, R., Nov 2019, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 138, 107601.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  30. Effects of acidity on dissolved organic carbon in organic soil extracts, pore water and surface litters

    Pschenyckyj, C. M., Clark, J. M., Shaw, L. J., Griffiths, R. I. & Evans, C. D., 10 Feb 2020, In: Science of the Total Environment. 703, p. 135585

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  31. Long-term cattle grazing shifts the ecological state of forest soils

    Proesmans, W., Andrews, C., Gray, A., Griffiths, R., Keith, A., Nielsen, U. N., Spurgeon, D., Pywell, R., Emmett, B. & Vanbergen, A. J., Apr 2022, In: Ecology and Evolution. 12, 4, e8786.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  32. Soil parameters, land use, and geographical distance drive soil bacterial communities along a European transect

    Plassart, P., Prévost-Bouré, N. C., Uroz, S., Dequiedt, S., Stone, D., Creamer, R., Griffiths, R. I., Bailey, M. J., Ranjard, L. & Lemanceau, P., 24 Jan 2019, In: Scientific Reports. 9, 1, 605.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  33. Evaluation of the ISO Standard 11063 DNA Extraction Procedure for Assessing Soil Microbial Abundance and Community Structure

    Plassart, P., Terrat, S., Thomson, B., Griffiths, R., Dequiedt, S., Lelievre, M., Regnier, T., Nowak, V., Mark, B., Lemanceau, P., Bispo, A., Chabbi, A., Maron, P.-A., Mougel, C. & Ranjard, L., 11 Sept 2012, In: PLoS ONE. 7, 9, p. 1-8 8 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  34. Evolution of diversity explains the impact of pre-adaptation of a focal species on the structure of a natural microbial community

    Padfield, D., Vujakovic, A., Paterson, S., Griffiths, R., Buckling, A. & Hesse, E., 3 Sept 2020, In: The ISME Journal. 14, 11, p. 2877-2889 13 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  35. Soil networks become more connected and take up more carbon as nature restoration progresses

    Morriën, E., Hannula, S. E., Snoek, L. B., Helmsing, N. R., Zweers, H., de Hollander, M., Soto, R. L., Bouffaud, M.-L., Buée, M., Dimmers, W., Duyts, H., Geisen, S., Girlanda, M., Griffiths, R. I., Jørgensen, H.-B., Jensen, J., Plassart, P., Redecker, D., Schmelz, R. M., Schmidt, O., Thomson, B. C., Tisserant, E., Uroz, S., Winding, A., Bailey, M. J., Bonkowski, M., Faber, J. H., Martin, F., Lemanceau, P., de Boer, W., van Veen, J. A. & van der Putten, W. H., 8 Feb 2017, In: Nature Communications. 8, 1, 14349.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  36. The interactions and hierarchical effects of long-term agricultural stressors on soil bacterial communities

    Mombrikotb, S. B., Van Agtmaal, M., Johnstone, E., Crawley, M. J., Gweon, H. S., Griffiths, R. I. & Bell, T., 1 Oct 2022, In: Environmental Microbiology Reports. 14, 5, p. 711-718

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  37. RNA Stable Isotope Probing, a Novel Means of Linking Microbial Community Function to Phylogeny

    Mike, M., S., W. A., I., G. R. & J., B. M., Nov 2002, In: Applied and Environmental Microbiology. 68, 11, p. 5367-5373 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  38. The sensitivity of a forest soil microbial community to acute gamma-irradiation

    McNamara, N. P., Griffiths, R. I., Tabouret, A., Beresford, N. A., Bailey, M. J. & Whiteley, A. S., Oct 2007, In: Applied Soil Ecology. 37, 1, p. 1-9 9 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  39. Stable Isotope Probing: A Critique of Its Role in Linking Phylogeny and Function

    Manefield, M., Griffiths, R., Bailey, M. J. & Whiteley, A. S., 2006, Nucleic Acids and Proteins in Soil. Nannipieri, P. & Smalla, K. (eds.). Springer, p. 205-216

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

  40. Functional and compositional comparison of two activated sludge communities remediating coking effluent

    Manefield, M., Griffiths, R. I., Leigh, M. B., Fisher, R. & Whiteley, A. S., 25 Feb 2005, In: Environmental Microbiology. 7, 5, p. 715-722 8 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  41. Insights into the fate of a 13C labelled phenol pulse for stable isotope probing (SIP) experiments

    Manefield, M., Griffiths, R., McNamara, N. P., Sleep, D., Ostle, N. & Whiteley, A., May 2007, In: Journal of Microbiological Methods. 69, 2, p. 340-344 5 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  42. Soil microbial communities with greater investment in resource acquisition have lower growth yield

    Malik, A. A., Puissant, J., Goodall, T., Allison, S. D. & Griffiths, R. I., May 2019, In: Soil Biology and Biochemistry. 132, p. 36-39 4 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  43. Soil Fungal:Bacterial Ratios Are Linked to Altered Carbon Cycling

    Malik, A. A., Chowdhury, S., Schlager, V., Oliver, A., Puissant, J., Vazquez, P. G. M., Jehmlich, N., von Bergen, M., Griffiths, R. I. & Gleixner, G., 9 Aug 2016, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 7

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  44. Land use driven change in soil pH affects microbial carbon cycling processes

    Malik, A. A., Puissant, J., Buckeridge, K. M., Goodall, T., Jehmlich, N., Chowdhury, S., Gweon, H. S., Peyton, J. M., Mason, K. E., van Agtmaal, M., Blaud, A., Clark, I. M., Whitaker, J., Pywell, R. F., Ostle, N., Gleixner, G. & Griffiths, R. I., 4 Sept 2018, In: Nature Communications. 9, 1, 3591.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  45. Rhizosphere bacterial carbon turnover is higher in nucleic acids than membrane lipids: implications for understanding soil carbon cycling

    Malik, A. A., Dannert, H., Griffiths, R. I., Thomson, B. C. & Gleixner, G., 9 Apr 2015, In: Frontiers in Microbiology. 6

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  46. Linking microbial communities to soil carbon cycling under anthropogenic change using a trait-based framework

    Malik, A., Griffiths, R. & Allison, S., 4 May 2020.

    Research output: Contribution to conferencePaper

  47. Published

    Land management shapes drought responses of dominant soil microbial taxa across grasslands

    Lavallee, J. M., Chomel, M., Alvarez Segura, N., de Castro, F., Goodall, T., Magilton, M., Rhymes, J. M., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Griffiths, R. I., Baggs, E. M., Caruso, T., de Vries, F. T., Emmerson, M., Johnson, D. & Bardgett, R. D., 2 Jan 2024, In: Nature Communications. 15, 1, p. 29

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  48. Plant diversity increases soil microbial activity and soil carbon storage

    Lange, M., Eisenhauer, N., Sierra, C. A., Bessler, H., Engels, C., Griffiths, R. I., Mellado-Vázquez, P. G., Malik, A. A., Roy, J., Scheu, S., Steinbeiss, S., Thomson, B. C., Trumbore, S. E. & Gleixner, G., 7 Apr 2015, In: Nature Communications. 6, 1, 6707.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  49. Published

    Soil microbiomes show consistent and predictable responses to extreme events

    Knight, C. G., Nicolitch, O., Griffiths, R. I., Goodall, T., Jones, B., Weser, C., Langridge, H., Davison, J., Dellavalle, A., Eisenhauer, N., Gongalsky, K. B., Hector, A., Jardine, E., Kardol, P., Maestre, F. T., Schädler, M., Semchenko, M., Stevens, C., Tsiafouli, M. Α., Vilhelmsson, O., Wanek, W. & de Vries, F. T., 19 Dec 2024, In: Nature. 636, 8043, p. 690-696 7 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

  50. Legacy effects of drought on plant–soil feedbacks and plant–plant interactions

    Kaisermann, A., de Vries, F. T., Griffiths, R. I. & Bardgett, R. D., 16 Jun 2017, In: New Phytologist. 215, 4, p. 1413-1424 12 p.

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

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