Dr. Thomas Reitz
Contact / Address
Dr. Thomas Reitz
Working Group Leader
Department of Soil Ecology
Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ
Theodor-Lieser-Strasse 4 | D-06120 Halle/Saale
Germany
Tel.:
Fax:
Email:
+49 345 5585 409
+49 345 5585 449
thomas.reitz@ufz.de

Current position
since 2011
Working Group Leader at the Department of Soil Ecology, UFZ-Centre for Environmental Research Leipzig-Halle
Degrees
2011
Ph.D. in Applied Natural Sciences
Helmholtz-Centre Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Resource Ecology and TU Bergakademie Freiberg (Supervisors: Sonja Selenska-Pobell and Michael Schlömann)
Thesis: "U(VI) bioaccumulation by Paenibacillus sp. JG-TB8 and Sulfolobus acidocaldarius;Au(0) nanoclusters formation on the S-layer of S. acidocaldarius" Link
2006
Diploma in Biology, Major subject: Microbiology, Minor subjects: Genetics and Biotechnology, TU Dresden, Thesis: "Einfluss von Uran auf die Archaea-Diversität in Bodenproben aus der Haberlandhalde"
Research interests
- Structure and function of microbial communities in soils in the context of global change
- Adaptation of soil microbial communities to land use and management
- Role of soil bacteria in terrestrial carbon and nutrient cycles
- Contribution of the soil microbiome to plant growth as well as to the resistance against abiotic and biotic stressors (drought, heavy metals, pathogens, ...)
Techniques
- Microbial community analyses using sequencing and fingerprint methods
- Enzyme analyses in soils
- Determination of microbial traits
- Plant stress enzymes and metabolites quantification
- Spectroscopic methods (FT-IR, XAS, TRLFS)
Main experimental platforms
Publications
2023 (1)
- Zaffar, N., Ferchau, E., Heilmeier, H., Boldt, C., Prada Salcedo, L.D., Reitz, T., Wiche, O. (2023):
Enrichment and chemical fractionation of plant nutrients, potentially toxic and economically valuable elements in digestate from mesophilic and thermophilic fermentation
Biomass Bioenerg. 173 , art. 106779
Volltext (DOI)
2022 (9)
- Gebauer, L., Breitkreuz, C., Heintz-Buschart, A., Reitz, T., Buscot, F., Tarkka, M.T., Bouffaud, M.-L. (2022):
Water deficit history selects plant beneficial soil bacteria differently under conventional and organic farming
Front. Microbiol. 13 , art. 824437
Volltext (DOI) - Karimi, E., Aliasgharzad, N., Esfandiari, E., Hassanpouraghdam, M.B., Neu, T.R., Buscot, F., Reitz, T., Breitkreuz, C., Tarkka, M.T. (2022):
Biofilm forming rhizobacteria affect the physiological and biochemical responses of wheat to drought
AMB Express 12 , art. 93
Volltext (DOI) - Khosrozadeh, S., Dorodnikov, M., Reitz, T., Blagodatskaya, E. (2022):
An improved amplex red-based fluorometric assay of phenol oxidases and peroxidases activity: A case study on Haplic Chernozem
Eur. J. Soil Sci. 73 (2), e13225
Volltext (DOI) - Okoroafor, P.U., Mann, L., Amin Ngu, K., Zaffar, N., Monei, N.L., Boldt, C., Reitz, T., Heilmeier, H., Wiche, O. (2022):
Impact of soil inoculation with Bacillus amyloliquefaciens FZB42 on the phytoaccumulation of germanium, rare earth elements, and potentially toxic elements
Plants 11 (3), art. 341
Volltext (DOI) - Schlüter, S., Roussety, T., Rohe, L., Guliyev, V., Blagodatskaya, E., Reitz, T. (2022):
Land use impact on carbon mineralization in well aerated soils is mainly explained by variations of particulate organic matter rather than of soil structure
Soil 8 (1), 253 - 267
Volltext (DOI) - Siles, J.A., Díaz-López, M., Vera, A., Eisenhauer, N., Guerra, C.A., Smith, L.C., Buscot, F., Reitz, T., Breitkreuz, C., van den Hoogen, J., Crowther, T.W., Orgiazzi, A., Kuzyakov, Y., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Bastida, F. (2022):
Priming effects in soils across Europe
Glob. Change Biol. 28 (6), 2146 - 2157
Volltext (DOI) - Steinfurth, K., Börjesson, G., Denoroy, P., Eichler-Löbermann, B., Gans, W., Heyn, J., Hirte, J., Huyghebaert, B., Jouany, C., Koch, D., Merbach, I., Mokry, M., Mollier, A., Morel, C., Panten, K., Peiter, E., Poulton, P.R., Reitz, T., Holton Rubæk, G., Spiegel, H., van Laak, M., von Tucher, S., Buczko, U. (2022):
Thresholds of target phosphorus fertility classes in European fertilizer recommendations in relation to critical soil test phosphorus values derived from the analysis of 55 European long-term field experiments
Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 332 , art. 107926
Volltext (DOI) - Yahya, M., Rasul, M., Sarwar, Y., Suleman, M., Tariq, M., Hussain, S.Z., Sajid, Z.I., Imran, A., Amin, I., Reitz, T., Tarkka, M.T., Yasmin, S. (2022):
Designing synergistic biostimulants formulation containing autochthonous phosphate solubilizing bacteria for sustainable wheat production
Front. Microbiol. 13 , art. 889073
Volltext (DOI) - Zeiss, R., Eisenhauer, N., Orgiazzi, A., Rillig, M., Buscot, F., Jones, A., Lehmann, A., Reitz, T., Smith, L., Guerra, C.A. (2022):
Challenges of and opportunities for protecting European soil biodiversity
Conserv. Biol. 36 (5), e13930
Volltext (DOI)
2021 (12)
- Breitkreuz, C., Heintz-Buschart, A., Buscot, F., Wahdan, S.F.M., Tarkka, M., Reitz, T. (2021):
Can we estimate functionality of soil microbial communities from structure-derived predictions? A reality test in agricultural soils
Microbiol. Spectr. 9 (1), e00278-21
Volltext (DOI) - Breitkreuz, C., Herzig, L., Buscot, F., Reitz, T., Tarkka, M. (2021):
Interactions between soil properties, agricultural management and cultivar type drive structural and functional adaptations of the wheat rhizosphere microbiome to drought
Environ. Microbiol. 23 (10), 5866 - 5882
Volltext (DOI) - Breitkreuz, C., Reitz, T., Schulz, E., Tarkka, M.T. (2021):
Drought and plant community composition affect the metabolic and genotypic diversity of Pseudomonas strains in grassland soils
Microorganisms 9 (8), art. 1677
Volltext (DOI) - Guerra, C.A., Bardgett, R.D., Caon, L., Crowther, T.W., Delgado-Baquerizo, M., Montanarella, L., Navarro, L.M., Orgiazzi, A., Singh, B.K., Tedersoo, L., Vargas-Rojas, R., Briones, M.J.I., Buscot, F., Cameron, E.K., Cesarz, S., Chatzinotas, A., Cowan, D.A., Djukic, I., van der Hoogen, J., Lehmann, A., Maestre, F.T., Marín, C., Reitz, T., Rillig, M.C., Smith, L.C., de Vries, F.T., Weigelt, A., Wall, D.H., Eisenhauer, N. (2021):
Tracking, targeting, and conserving soil biodiversity - A monitoring and indicator system can inform policy
Science 371 (6526), 239 - 241
Volltext (DOI) - Habiyaremye, J.d.D., Herrmann, S., Reitz, T., Buscot, F., Goldmann, K. (2021):
Balance between geographic, soil, and host tree parameters to shape soil microbiomes associated to clonal oak varies across soil zones along a European North-South transect
Environ. Microbiol. 23 (4), 2274 - 2292
Volltext (DOI) - Prada-Salcedo, L.D., Goldmann, K., Heintz-Buschart, A., Reitz, T., Wambsganss, J., Bauhus, J., Buscot, F. (2021):
Fungal guilds and soil functionality respond to tree community traits rather than to tree diversity in European forests
Mol. Ecol. 30 (2), 572 - 591
Volltext (DOI) - Rasul, M., Yasmin, S., Yahya, A., Breitkreuz, C., Tarkka, M., Reitz, T. (2021):
The wheat growth-promoting traits of Ochrobactrum and Pantoea species, responsible for solubilization of different P sources, are ensured by genes encoding enzymes of multiple P-releasing pathways
Microbiol. Res. 246 , art. 126703
Volltext (DOI) - Singh, J., Cameron, E., Reitz, T., Schädler, M., Eisenhauer, N. (2021):
Grassland management effects on earthworm communities under ambient and future climatic conditions
Eur. J. Soil Sci. 72 (1), 343 - 355
Volltext (DOI) - Smith, L.C., Orgiazzi, A., Eisenhauer, N., Cesarz, S., Lochner, A., Jones, A., Bastida, F., Patoine, G., Reitz, T., Buscot, F., Rillig, M.C., Heintz-Buschart, A., Lehmann, A., Guerra, C.A. (2021):
Large-scale drivers of relationships between soil microbial properties and organic carbon across Europe
Glob. Ecol. Biogeogr. 30 (10), 2070 - 2083
Volltext (DOI) - Sünnemann, M., Alt, C., Kostin, J., Lochner, A., Reitz, T., Siebert, J., Schädler, M., Eisenhauer, N. (2021):
Low-intensity land-use enhances soil microbial activity, biomass, and fungal-to-bacterial ratio in current and future climates
J. Appl. Ecol. 58 (11), 2614 - 2625
Volltext (DOI) - Sünnemann, M., Siebert, J., Reitz, T., Schädler, M., Yin, R., Eisenhauer, N. (2021):
Combined effects of land-use type and climate change on soil microbial activity and invertebrate decomposer activity
Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 318 , art. 107490
Volltext (DOI) - Wahdan, S.F.M., Reitz, T., Heintz-Buschart, A., Schädler, M., Roscher, C., Breitkreuz, C., Schnabel, B., Purahong, W., Buscot, F. (2021):
Organic agricultural practice enhances arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in correspondence to soil warming and altered precipitation patterns
Environ. Microbiol. 23 (10), 6163 - 6176
Volltext (DOI)
2020 (4)
- Breitkreuz, C., Buscot, F., Tarkka, M., Reitz, T. (2020):
Shifts between and among populations of wheat rhizosphere Pseudomonas, Streptomyces and Phyllobacterium suggest consistent phosphate mobilization at different wheat growth stages under abiotic stress
Front. Microbiol. 10 , art. 3109
Volltext (DOI) - Habiyaremye, J.d.D., Goldmann, K., Reitz, T., Herrmann, S., Buscot, F. (2020):
Tree root zone microbiome: Exploring the magnitude of environmental conditions and host tree impact
Front. Microbiol. 11 , art. 749
Volltext (DOI) - Hamid, M., Reitz, T., Joseph, M.R.P., Hommel, K., Mahgoub, A., Elhassan, M.M., Buscot, F., Tarkka, M. (2020):
Diversity and geographic distribution of soil streptomycetes with antagonistic potential against actinomycetoma-causing Streptomyces sudanensis in Sudan and South Sudan
BMC Microbiol. 20 , art. 33
Volltext (DOI) - Pioli, S., Sarneel, J., Thomas, H.J.D., Domene, X., Andrés, P., Hefting, M., Reitz, T., Laudon, H., Sandén, T., Piscová, V., Aurela, M., Brusetti, L. (2020):
Linking plant litter microbial diversity to microhabitat conditions, environmental gradients and litter mass loss: Insights from a European study using standard litter bags
Soil Biol. Biochem. 144 , art. 107778
Volltext (DOI)
2019 (3)
- Rasul, M., Yasmin, S., Suleman, M., Zaheer, A., Reitz, T., Tarkka, M.T., Islam, E., Mirza, M.S. (2019):
Glucose dehydrogenase gene containing phosphobacteria for biofortification of Phosphorus with growth promotion of rice
Microbiol. Res. 223–225 , 1 - 12
Volltext (DOI) - Schädler, M., Buscot, F., Klotz, S., Reitz, T., Durka, W., Bumberger, J., Merbach, I., Michalski, S.G., Kirsch, K., Remmler, P., Schulz, E., Auge, H. (2019):
Investigating the consequences of climate change under different land-use regimes: a novel experimental infrastructure
Ecosphere 10 (3), e02635
Volltext (DOI) - Siebert, J., Thakur, M.P., Reitz, T., Schädler, M., Schulz, E., Yin, R., Weigelt, A., Eisenhauer, N. (2019):
Extensive grassland-use sustains high levels of soil biological activity, but does not alleviate detrimental climate change effects
In: Bohan, D., Dumbrell, A. (eds.)
Resilience in complex socioecological systems
Advances in Ecological Research 60
Academic Press / Elsevier, London, p. 25 - 58
Volltext (DOI)
2018 (4)
- Buczko, U., van Laak, M., Eichler-Löbermann, B., Gans, W., Merbach, I., Panten, K., Peiter, E., Reitz, T., Spiegel, H., von Tucher, S. (2018):
Re-evaluation of the yield response to phosphorus fertilization based on meta-analyses of long-term field experiments
Ambio 47 (Suppl. 1), 50 - 61
Volltext (DOI) - Francioli, D., Schulz, E., Buscot, F., Reitz, T. (2018):
Dynamics of soil bacterial communities over a vegetation season relate to both soil nutrient status and plant growth phenology
Microb. Ecol. 75 (1), 216 - 227
Volltext (DOI) - Medinski, T., Freese, D., Reitz, T. (2018):
Changes in soil phosphorus balance and phosphorus-use efficiency under long-term fertilization conducted on agriculturally used Chernozem in Germany
Can. J. Soil Sci. 98 (4), 650 - 662
Volltext (DOI) - van Laak, M., Klingenberg, U., Peiter, E., Reitz, T., Zimmer, D., Buczko, U. (2018):
The equivalence of the Calcium-Acetate-Lactate and Double-Lactate extraction methods to assess soil phosphorus fertility
J. Plant Nutr. Soil Sci. 181 (5), 795 - 801
Volltext (DOI)
2016 (2)
- Francioli, D., Schulz, E., Lentendu, G., Wubet, T., Buscot, F., Reitz, T. (2016):
Mineral vs. organic amendments: microbial community structure, activity and abundance of agriculturally relevant microbes are driven by long-term fertilization strategies
Front. Microbiol. 7 , art. 1446
Volltext (DOI) - Francioli, D., Schulz, E., Purahong, W., Buscot, F., Reitz, T. (2016):
Reinoculation elucidates mechanisms of bacterial community assembly in soil and reveals undetected microbes
Biol. Fert. Soils 52 (8), 1073 - 1083
Volltext (DOI)
2015 (2)
- Purahong, W., Stempfhuber, B., Lentendu, G., Francioli, D., Reitz, T., Buscot, F., Schloter, M., Krüger, D. (2015):
Influence of commonly used primer systems on automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis of bacterial communities in environmental samples
PLOS One 10 (3), e0118967
Volltext (DOI) - Reitz, T., Rossberg, A., Barkleit, A., Selenska-Pobell, S., Merroun, M.L. (2015):
Spectroscopic study on uranyl carboxylate complexes formed at the surface layer of Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Dalton Trans. 44 (6), 2684 - 2692
Volltext (DOI)
2014 (2)
- Morcillo, F., Gonzalez-Munoz, M.T., Reitz, T., Romero-Gonzalez, M.E., Arias, J.M., Merroun, M.L. (2014):
Biosorption and Biomineralization of U(VI) by the marine bacterium Idiomarina loihiensis MAH1: effect of background electrolyte and pH
PLOS One 9 (3), e91305
Volltext (DOI) - Reitz, T., Rossberg, A., Barkleit, A., Selenska-Pobell, S., Merroun, M.L. (2014):
Decrease of U(VI) immobilization capability of the facultative anaerobic strain Paenibacillus sp. JG-TB8 under anoxic conditions due to strongly reduced phosphatase activity
PLOS One 9 (8), e102447
Volltext (DOI)
2012 (1)
- Bartolomé, J., Bartolomé, F., García, L.M., Figueroa, A.I., Repollés, A., Martínez-Pérez, M.J., Luis, F., Magén, C., Selenska-Pobell, S., Pobell, F., Reitz, T., Schönemann, R., Herrmannsdörfer, T., Merroun, M., Geissler, A., Wilhelm, F., Rogalev, A. (2012):
Strong paramagnetism of gold nanoparticles deposited on a Sulfolobus acidocaldarius S layer
Phys. Rev. Lett. 109 (24), 247203
Volltext (DOI)
2011 (3)
- Merroun, M.L., Nedelkova, M., Ojeda, J., Reitz, T., López Fernández, M., Arias, J.M., Romero-González, M., Selenska-Pobell, S. (2011):
Bio-precipitation of uranium by two bacterial isolates recovered from extreme environments as estimated by potentiometric titration, TEM and X-ray absorption spectroscopic analyses
J. Hazard. Mater. 197 , 1 - 10
Volltext (DOI) - Reitz, T., Merroun, M.L., Rossberg, A., Steudtner, R., Selenska-Pobell, S. (2011):
Bioaccumulation of U(VI) by Sulfolobus acidocaldarius under moderate acidic conditions
Radiochim. Acta 99 (9), 543 - 553
Volltext (DOI) - Selenska-Pobell, S., Reitz, T., Schönemann, R., Herrmansdörfer, T., Merroun, M.L., Geißler, A., Bartolomé, J., Bartolomé, F., García, L.M., Wilhelm, F., Rogalev, A. (2011):
Magnetic Au nanoparticles on archaeal S-Layer ghosts as templates
Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology 1 (2), 8 - 16
Volltext (DOI)