Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Ryan Reker

Ryan is a geographer and the mission manager of the Land Processes Distributed Active Archive Center (LP DAAC) at the Earth Resources and Observation Science Center (EROS) in Sioux Falls, SD

Ryan started his professional career at USGS EROS as a contractor to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), compiling examples of environmental change using remote sensing imagery for science communications. He conducted biological planning and bird habitat inventory activities in the Rainwater Basin region of Nebraska, mapping wetland conditions and leading an early LIDAR collection of Nebraska & Kansas to aid conservation planning. Returning to USGS EROS, he conducted land cover modeling of both historical and future U.S. land use for time periods when remote sensing data are not available. Shifting to a project management role, he supported the NLCD, LCMAP, and RCMAP land cover initiatives and now the LP DAAC at USGS EROS.  

Professional Experience

  • LP DAAC Mission Manager (2023 – Present)
    U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center (EROS), Sioux Falls, SD

  • Task Manager, Land Cover Programs (2018 – 2023)
    KBR Inc., Contractor to the USGS EROS Center

  • Research Geographer (2010 – 2018)
    ASRC Research and Technology Solutions, Contractor to the USGS EROS Center

  • Evaluation Coordinator, Rainwater Basin Joint Venture (2004 – 2010)
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Grand Island, NE

  • Scientist, United Nations Environment Programme (2000-2001)
    Raytheon Co., Contractor to the USGS EROS Center

Education and Certifications

  • Graduate Certificate in Geographic Information Science (GIScience), Kansas State University

  • Master of Science in Geography, Kansas State University

  • Bachelor of Science in Geography, South Dakota State University

Affiliations and Memberships*

  • North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) Science Support Team (NSST) (2004 – 2010)

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 16

Spatially explicit land-use and land-cover scenarios for the Great Plains of the United States Spatially explicit land-use and land-cover scenarios for the Great Plains of the United States

The Great Plains of the United States has undergone extensive land-use and land-cover change in the past 150 years, with much of the once vast native grasslands and wetlands converted to agricultural crops, and much of the unbroken prairie now heavily grazed. Future land-use change in the region could have dramatic impacts on ecological resources and processes. A scenario-based modeling...
Authors
Terry L. Sohl, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Kristi Sayler, Michelle A. Bouchard, Ryan R. Reker, Stacie L. Bennett, Rachel R. Sleeter, Ronald L. Kanengieter, Zhi-Liang Zhu
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Western Geographic Science Center, Land Use Land Cover Modeling

A land-use and land-cover modeling strategy to support a national assessment of carbon stocks and fluxes A land-use and land-cover modeling strategy to support a national assessment of carbon stocks and fluxes

Changes in land use, land cover, disturbance regimes, and land management have considerable influence on carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes within ecosystems. Through targeted land-use and land-management activities, ecosystems can be managed to enhance carbon sequestration and mitigate fluxes of other GHGs. National-scale, comprehensive analyses of carbon sequestration potential by...
Authors
Terry L. Sohl, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Zhi-Liang Zhu, Kristi Sayler, Stacie Bennett, Michelle Bouchard, Ryan R. Reker, Todd Hawbaker, Anne Wein, Shu-Guang Liu, Ronald Kanengieter, William Acevedo
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center, Land Use Land Cover Modeling

Future scenarios of land-use and land-cover change in the United States--the Marine West Coast Forests Ecoregion Future scenarios of land-use and land-cover change in the United States--the Marine West Coast Forests Ecoregion

Detecting, quantifying, and projecting historical and future changes in land use and land cover (LULC) has emerged as a core research area for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Changes in LULC are important drivers of changes to biogeochemical cycles, the exchange of energy between the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, biodiversity, water quality, and climate change. To quantify the rates...
Authors
Tamara S. Wilson, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Terry L. Sohl, Glenn Griffith, William Acevedo, Stacie Bennett, Michelle Bouchard, Ryan R. Reker, Christy Ryan, Kristi Sayler, Rachel Sleeter, Christopher E. Soulard
By
Western Geographic Science Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Baseline and projected future carbon storage and greenhouse-gas fluxes in the Great Plains region of the United States Baseline and projected future carbon storage and greenhouse-gas fluxes in the Great Plains region of the United States

This assessment was conducted to fulfill the requirements of section 712 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 and to improve understanding of carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in the Great Plains region in the central part of the United States. The assessment examined carbon storage, carbon fluxes, and other GHG fluxes (methane and nitrous oxide) in all major...
Authors
Michelle Bouchard, David Butman, Todd Hawbaker, Zhengpeng Li, Jinxun Liu, Shu-Guang Liu, Cory McDonald, Ryan R. Reker, Kristi Sayler, Benjamin Sleeter, Terry Sohl, Sarah Stackpoole, Anne Wein, Zhi-Liang Zhu
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Land Use Land Cover Modeling

Non-USGS Publications**

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

No Result Found

Science and Products

Filter Total Items: 16

Spatially explicit land-use and land-cover scenarios for the Great Plains of the United States Spatially explicit land-use and land-cover scenarios for the Great Plains of the United States

The Great Plains of the United States has undergone extensive land-use and land-cover change in the past 150 years, with much of the once vast native grasslands and wetlands converted to agricultural crops, and much of the unbroken prairie now heavily grazed. Future land-use change in the region could have dramatic impacts on ecological resources and processes. A scenario-based modeling...
Authors
Terry L. Sohl, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Kristi Sayler, Michelle A. Bouchard, Ryan R. Reker, Stacie L. Bennett, Rachel R. Sleeter, Ronald L. Kanengieter, Zhi-Liang Zhu
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Western Geographic Science Center, Land Use Land Cover Modeling

A land-use and land-cover modeling strategy to support a national assessment of carbon stocks and fluxes A land-use and land-cover modeling strategy to support a national assessment of carbon stocks and fluxes

Changes in land use, land cover, disturbance regimes, and land management have considerable influence on carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes within ecosystems. Through targeted land-use and land-management activities, ecosystems can be managed to enhance carbon sequestration and mitigate fluxes of other GHGs. National-scale, comprehensive analyses of carbon sequestration potential by...
Authors
Terry L. Sohl, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Zhi-Liang Zhu, Kristi Sayler, Stacie Bennett, Michelle Bouchard, Ryan R. Reker, Todd Hawbaker, Anne Wein, Shu-Guang Liu, Ronald Kanengieter, William Acevedo
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center, Western Geographic Science Center, Land Use Land Cover Modeling

Future scenarios of land-use and land-cover change in the United States--the Marine West Coast Forests Ecoregion Future scenarios of land-use and land-cover change in the United States--the Marine West Coast Forests Ecoregion

Detecting, quantifying, and projecting historical and future changes in land use and land cover (LULC) has emerged as a core research area for the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Changes in LULC are important drivers of changes to biogeochemical cycles, the exchange of energy between the Earth’s surface and atmosphere, biodiversity, water quality, and climate change. To quantify the rates...
Authors
Tamara S. Wilson, Benjamin M. Sleeter, Terry L. Sohl, Glenn Griffith, William Acevedo, Stacie Bennett, Michelle Bouchard, Ryan R. Reker, Christy Ryan, Kristi Sayler, Rachel Sleeter, Christopher E. Soulard
By
Western Geographic Science Center, Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center

Baseline and projected future carbon storage and greenhouse-gas fluxes in the Great Plains region of the United States Baseline and projected future carbon storage and greenhouse-gas fluxes in the Great Plains region of the United States

This assessment was conducted to fulfill the requirements of section 712 of the Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 and to improve understanding of carbon and greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in the Great Plains region in the central part of the United States. The assessment examined carbon storage, carbon fluxes, and other GHG fluxes (methane and nitrous oxide) in all major...
Authors
Michelle Bouchard, David Butman, Todd Hawbaker, Zhengpeng Li, Jinxun Liu, Shu-Guang Liu, Cory McDonald, Ryan R. Reker, Kristi Sayler, Benjamin Sleeter, Terry Sohl, Sarah Stackpoole, Anne Wein, Zhi-Liang Zhu
By
Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center , Land Use Land Cover Modeling

Non-USGS Publications**

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

No Result Found

*Disclaimer: Listing outside positions with professional scientific organizations on this Staff Profile are for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement of those professional scientific organizations or their activities by the USGS, Department of the Interior, or U.S. Government

Was this page helpful?