David J. Burke, PhD
| Phone: | 440.602.3858 |  |
| E-mail: | dburke@holdenarb.org | |
| Title: | Staff Scientist |
|
| Education: | Ph.D. 2001, Rutgers University, Biology | |
| Adjunct Appointments: | Adjunct Assistant Professor of Biology, Case Western Reserve University |
Curriculum Vitae
Research Interests
My primary research interest as an ecologist has been the interaction between plants and soil microorganisms; especially mutualistic and associative soil organisms that live in the root zone of plants. Of special interest are mycorrhizal fungi that form mutually beneficial relationships with plant roots. Mycorrhizal fungi can enhance plant growth, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and affect plant community composition. These fungi can also influence other soil microbes that affect soil fertility through the cycling of nitrogen and phosphorous in natural systems. Consequently, mycorrhizal fungi may be key organisms in many communities, and a better understanding of how they interact with plants and other soil microbes is necessary for the future sound management of natural ecosystems. Our laboratory has two interrelated goals: 1) to describe the diversity of fungi in natural systems and to understand the environmental factors affecting this diversity 2) to understand the functional consequences of mycorrhizal diversity for plant growth, plant community structure, and ecosystem processes. Our laboratory uses modern, DNA-based techniques for describing soil micro-organisms including mycorrhizal fungi.
Some Current Projects
- Ectomycorrhizal diversity in mature beech-maple forests: effects of seasonality, soil environmental conditions and root growth (more)
- Soil acidification and its effects on the diversity and function of mycorrhizal communities in forests (more)
- Fungi in winter: fungal ecology and snow cover (more)
- The effects of the invasive plant garlic mustard on mycorrhizal fungi and soil microbial communities
- Microbial ecology of vernal pools
Recent Publications
Burke DJ & Chan CR (In Press) Effects of the invasive plant garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata) on bacterial communities in a northern hardwood forest soil. Canadian Journal of Microbiology.
Welsh A, Burke DJ, Hamerlynck EP & Hahn D (In Press) Seasonal analyses of arbuscular mycorrhizae, nitrogen-fixing bacteria and growth performance of the salt marsh grass Spartina patens. Plant and Soil.
Burke DJ, López-Gutiérrez JC, Smemo KA & Chan CR (In Press) Soil environment and vegetation influence the spatial distribution of ectomycorrhizas in a mature beech maple forest. Applied and Environmental Microbiology.
Burke DJ (2008) Effects of Alliaria petiolata (Brassicaceae - garlic mustard) on mycorrhizal colonization and community structure in three herbaceous plants in a mixed deciduous forest. American Journal of Botany, 95: 1416-1425.
Burke DJ, Dunham SM & Kretzer AM (2008) Molecular analysis of bacterial communities associated with the roots of Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) colonized by different ectomycorrhizal fungi. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 65: 299-309.
Welsh A, Burke DJ & Hahn D (2007) Analysis of nitrogen-fixing members of the ε subclass of Proteobacteria in salt marsh sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 73:7747-7752.
Suntornvongsagul K, Burke DJ, Hamerlynck EP & Hahn D (2007) Uptake and translocation of heavy metals in salt marsh sediments by Spartina patens. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination & Toxicology, 78: 275-279.
Suntornvongsagul K, Burke DJ, Hamerlynck EP & Hahn D (2007) Fate and effects of heavy metals in salt marsh sediments. Environmental Pollution, 149: 79-91.
Burke DJ, Kretzer AM, Rygiewicz PT & Topa MA (2006) Soil bacterial diversity in a loblolly pine plantation: Influence of ectomycorrhizas and fertilization. FEMS Microbiology Ecology, 57: 409-419.
Burke DJ, Martin KJ, Rygiewicz PT & Topa MA (2006) Relative abundance of ectomycorrhizas in a managed loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) genetics plantation as determined through terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) profiles. Canadian Journal of Botany, 84: 924-932.
Burke DJ, Martin KJ, Rygiewicz PT & Topa MA (2005) Ectomycorrhizal fungi identification in single and pooled root samples: terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) and morphotyping compared. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 37: 1683-1694.
Burke DJ, Hamerlynck EP & Hahn D (2003) Interactions between the salt marsh grass Spartina patens, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and sediment bacteria during the growing season. Soil Biology and Biochemistry, 35: 501-511.
Weis P, Windham L, Burke DJ & Weis JS (2002) Release into the environment of metals by two vascular salt marsh plants. Marine Environmental Research, 54: 1-5.
Burke DJ, Hamerlynck EP & Hahn D (2002) Effect of AM mycorrhizae on soil microbial populations and associated plant performance of the salt marsh grass Spartina patens. Plant and Soil, 239: 141-154.
Burke DJ, Hamerlynck EP & Hahn D (2002) Interactions among plant species and microorganisms in salt marsh sediments. Applied and Environmental Microbiology, 68:1157-1164.
Burke DJ, Weis JS & Weis P (2000) Release of metals by the leaves of the salt marsh grasses Spartina alterniflora and Phragmites australis. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 51: 153-159.
Burke DJ (1997) Donor wetland soil promotes re-vegetation in wetland trials. Restoration and Management Notes, 15: 168–172.
To learn more please visit my laboratory web site.
