Ecosystems Research Division

Biographical Information

Name: Roger A. Burke
Title: Research Chemist

Education:
Ph.D. Marine Science, University of South Florida, 1985
M.S. Oceanography, Texas A&M University, 1979
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Tulane University, 1975

Expertise/Research Interests:
Biogeochemical cycling in small streams. Application of stable isotope ratios in geochemical, ecological, and global change studies. Soil/atmosphere trace gas exchange studies.

Professional Activities:
Associate Editor, Journal of Environmental Quality, 2000-2003
Member, American Geophysical Union
Member, Soil Science Society of America
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Geology, University of Georgia

Contact info:
phone: 706.355.8134
FAX: 706.355 8104
e-mail: burke.roger@epa.gov

Select Publications:

Varella, R. F., M. M. C. Bustamante, A. S. Pinto, K. W. Kisselle, R.V. Santos, R. A. Burke, R. G. Zepp, and L. T. Viana. 2004. Soil fluxes of CO₂, CO, NO, and N₂O from an old-pasture and from native savanna in Brazil. Ecological Applications 14(4) Supplement: S221-S331.

Burke, R. A., M. Molina, J. E. Cox, L. J. Osher, and M. C. Piccolo. 2003. Stable carbon isotope ratio and composition of microbial fatty acids in tropical soils. Journal of Environmental Quality 32: 198-206.

Kisselle, K. W., R. G. Zepp, R. A. Burke, A. S. Pinto, M. M. C. Bustamante, S. Opsahl, R. F. Varella, and L. T. Viana. 2002. Seasonal soil fluxes of carbon monoxide in burned and unburned Brazilian savannas. Journal of Geophysical Research 107 (D20): 8051, doi:10.1029/2001JD000638.

Pinto, A., M. Bustamante, K. Kisselle, R. Burke, R. Zepp, L.Viana, R. Varella, and M. Molina. 2002. Soil emissions of N₂O, NO, and CO₂ in soils of Brazilian savannas: Effects of vegetation type, seasonality and prescribed fires. Journal of Geophysical Research 107 (D20): 8089, doi: 10.1029/2001JD000342.

Burke, R.A., J.L. Meyer, J.M. Cruse, K.M. Birkhead and M.J. Paul. 1999. Soil-Atmosphere exchange of methane in adjacent cultivated and floodplain forest soils. Journal of Geophysical Research 104(D7):8161-8171

Kuhlbusch, T. A., R. G. Zepp, W. L. Miller, and R. A. Burke, 1998. Carbon monoxide deposition velocities of different soil layers in upland Canadian boreal forests, Tellus 50B: 353-365.

O'Malley, V.P., R.A. Burke, and W.S. Schlotzhaur, 1997. Determination of the 13C/12C ratio of individual hydrocarbons produced from the pyrolysis of biomass materials using GC-MS/C/IRMS - Implications for biomass burning. Organic Geochemistry, 27: 567-581.

Burke, R.A., R.G. Zepp, M.A. Tarr, W.L. Miller, and B.J. Stocks, 1997. Effect of fire on soil-atmosphere exchange of methane and carbon dioxide in a Canadian Boreal Forest. Journal of Geophysical Research 102: 29,301-29,311.

Zepp, R.G., W.L. Miller, M.A. Tarr, R.A. Burke, and B.J. Stocks, 1997. Soil-atmosphere fluxes of carbon monoxide during early stages of post-fire succession in upland Canadian boreal forests. Journal of Geophysical Research 102: 29,289-29,300.

Zepp, R.G., W.L. Miller, R.A. Burke, D.A.B. Parsons, and M.C. Scholes, 1996. Effects of moisture and burning on soil-atmosphere exchange of trace carbon gases in a Southern African savanna. Journal of Geophysical Research 101: 23699-23706.

Kennicutt, M.C. and R. A. Burke 1995. Stable Isotopes: Clues to biological cycling of elements at hydrothermal vents. In: D. M. Karl, Ed. The Microbiology of Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Vents, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp. 275-287.

Ambler, J.W., J. Alcala-Herrera, and R. A. Burke 1994. Trophic role of particle feeders and detritus in a mangrove island prop root ecosystem. Hydrobiologia 292/293: 437-446.

Burke, R. A., 1993. Possible influence of hydrogen concentration on microbial methane stable hydrogen isotopic composition. Chemosphere 26: 55-67.

Hovland, M., A.G. Judd, and R. A. Burke, 1993. The global flux of methane from shallow submarine sediments. Chemosphere 26: 559-578.

Burke, R.A., T.R. Barber and W.M. Sackett, 1992. Seasonal variations of stable hydrogen and carbon isotope ratios of methane in subtropical freshwater sediments. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 6: 125-138.

Jensen, P., I. Aagaard, R.A. Burke, P.R. Dando, N.O. Jørgensen, A. Kuijpers, T. Laier, S.C.M. O'Hara, and R. Schmaljohann, 1992. Bubbling reefs in the Kattegat: submarine landscapes of carbonate-cemented rocks support a diverse ecosystem at methane seeps. Marine Ecology Progress Series 83: 103-112.

Burke, R. A., 1992. Factors responsible for variations in stable isotope ratios of microbial methane from shallow aquatic sediments. In: R. Vially, (ed.) Bacterial Gas, Éditions Technip, Paris, France, pp. 47-61.

Kennicutt, M.C., R.A. Burke, I.R. MacDonald, J.M. Brooks, G.J. Denoux, and S.A. Macko, 1992. Stable isotope partitioning in seep and vent organisms: Chemical and ecological significance. Chemical Geology (Isotope Geoscience Section) 101: 293-310.

Withrow, D., R. Burke, L. Jones, and J. Brooks, 1992. Variations in del13C carbon isotope ratios in Bowhead Whale baleen plates used to estimate age. Rept. Int. Whal. Commn. 42: 469-473.

Dando, P.R., M. Austen, R.A. Burke, M.A. Kendall, M.C. Kennicutt II, A.G. Judd, D,C. Moore, S.C.M. O'Hara, R. Schmaljohan, and A.J. Southward, 1991. The ecology of a North Sea pockmark with an active methane seep. Marine Ecol. Prog. Ser. 70: 49-63.

Burke, R.A., C.S. Martens, and W.M. Sackett, 1988. Seasonal variations of D/H and 13C/12C ratios of microbial methane in surface sediments. Nature 332, 829-831.

Burke, R.A., T.R. Barber and W.M. Sackett, 1988. Methane flux and stable hydrogen and carbon isotope composition of sedimentary methane from the Florida Everglades. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 2: 329-340.

Barber, T.R., R.A. Burke, and W.M. Sackett, 1988. Diffusive flux of methane from warm wetlands. Global Biogeochemical Cycles 2: 411-425.

Burke, R.A., W.M. Sackett and J.M. Brooks, 1986. Hydrogen-and carbon-isotope compositions of methane from DSDP Site 618, Orca Basin. In: A.H. Bouma, J.M. Coleman, A.W. Meyer et al. (eds.), Initial Reports of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, Vol. XCVI, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., pp. 777-780.

Burke, R.A. and W.M. Sackett, 1986. Stable hydrogen and carbon isotopic compositions of biogenic methanes from several shallow aquatic environments. In: M.L. Sohn (ed.), Organic Marine Geochemistry, ACS Symposium Series, No. 305, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C. pp. 297-313.

Burke, R.A., D.F. Reid, J.M. Brooks and D.M. Lavoie, 1983. Upper water column methane geochemistry in the eastern Tropical North Pacific. Limnol. Oceanogr. 28, 19-32.

Burke, R.A., J.M. Brooks and W. M. Sackett, 1981. Light hydrocarbons in Red Sea brines and sediments. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 45, 627-634.

Current Projects:
Application and development of biogeochemical and stable isotopic indicators of ecosystem function in small streams.

Impacts of land use change on nutrient and carbon cycles and trace gas exchange in soils and savannas in central Brazil.