Sharifa Gulamhussein

Gregory S. Gilbert Research Group

Environmental Studies Department, University of California Santa Cruz

Ph.D. Student, Environmental Studies

Forest Ecology, Plant Ecophysiology, Science Education

Plant functional traits and phylogenetic community structure in Californian forests: investigating the impacts of climate change.

Climate change is occurring worldwide, however, the ecological impacts are often local. In California, native plants growing in coastal mixed-evergreen forests are at particular risk since accentuated summer drought makes these areas more susceptible to catastrophic summer fires followed by flash floods in the winter. The primary purpose of my doctoral research is to investigate the impact of regional climate variability on forest composition and structure. My goal is to blend the theory and tools from plant functional ecology with evolutionary biology to inform climate mitigation strategies for native plant species in Californian coastal mixed-evergreen forests. more research interests...

Email: sgulamhu <at> ucsc.edu Office: 487 Natural Sciences 2
Snail-mail: Sharifa Gulamhussein, Environmental Studies, 1156 High St., University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, USA

Full CV

Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae

Sharifa Gulamhussein

Education
Ph.D. Student (2009-Current)
University of California, Santa Cruz, Environmental Studies
M.F.S. Master of Forest Science (2005)
Yale University, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies
B.A. Bachelor of Arts (2001)
University of California, Berkeley, Integrative Biology, Religious Studies

Honors
Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship, UC Office of the President, University of California, Santa Cruz (2009-2013)
Berlyn Forestry Research Fellowship, Yale University (2005-2008)
Tropical Resources Institute Research Grant, Yale University (2004)
School of Forestry and Environmental Studies Scholarship, Yale University (2003-2004)
California Alumni Scholarship. University of California, Berkeley (1996)

Select Recent Publications
Craven, D., Gulamhussein, S., and G. Berlyn. 2009. Physiological and anatomical responses of Acacia koa (Gray) seedlings to varying light and drought conditions. Environmental and Experimental Botany. In Press.

Wu, M., Gulamhussein, S., Dempsey, J., and J. Reede. 2008. “Discover Biology! Mentoring for Science Grade 9 Laboratory Manuals for Mentors and Mentees.” Office for Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School. (1): 1–55.

Gulamhussein-Crandall, S. 2007. “Explorations 2006.” K-12 Newsletter, Office for Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School. (Spring): 7.

Gulamhussein-Crandall, S., Gomez, F., Martell, E., Wells, D., Ziminski, K., Sheridan, J., and J. Reede. 2007. “Teacher Resource Guide: Reflection in Action Building Healthy Communities™.” Teacher Resource Guide. Office for Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School. (Fall): 1–4.

Rochlin, B. and S. Gulamhussein-Crandall. 2007. “AP Biology Update: Scholars and Callbacks” K-12 Newsletter, Office for Diversity and Community Partnership, Harvard Medical School. (Spring): 6.

Jernigan, K. and S. Gulamhussein. 2006. “Reflection in Action Building Healthy Communities™.” Health as a Human Right: Health Education, Equality, and Social Justice for All. Program Book Abstract in Society for Public Health Education: 33-34.

Gulamhussein, S. 2005. Water-use efficiency in Hawai‘ian trees: an eco-physiological approach and methodology. Tropical Resources: The Bulletin of the Yale Tropical Resources Institute (24): 30-33.

Gulamhussein, S. 2002. Ecological distribution of the filmy fern genus Trichomanes on Moorea, French Polynesia. Berkeley Scientific Journal 6(2): 81-84.

Select professional experience
Research Experience

Ph.D. Student, Gilbert Lab, University of California, Santa Cruz, forest ecology & evolution (2009-Current)
Berlyn Research Fellow, Yale University, plant ecophysiology (2005-2008)
Tropical Resources Institute Fellow, Yale University: grant-writing workshops (2004-2005)
Field Research Assistant, University of California, Berkeley & United States Department of Agriculture: riparian invasive weed ecology and biocontrol (2001-2002)
Field Research Assistant, University of California, Berkeley: CA coastal grasslands (2000-2001)
Independent Research Project, University of California, Berkeley, Moorea Field Course (2000) teaching experience

Teaching experiences

Science Teaching & Outreach Science Curriculum Program Specialist, Diversity & Community Partnership, Harvard University (2006-2008)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, Tropical Forest Ecology & Management, Yale University (2004)
Senior Staff Coordinator, Boston University Marine Program (2002-2003)
Development Intern, Operation Crossroads Africa - Kenya Program (2002)
Education Intern, University of California Botanical Garden (2001)

Expanded Research Interests.
Plant functional traits and phylogenetic community structure in Californian forests: investigating the impact of climate change. Plant functional traits are a suite of physiological responses such as leaf life span, water-use efficiency, or water potential that have evolved over time to tolerate different site conditions. Because functional traits determine how plants might respond under stressful climatic conditions, quantifying how these traits vary across native species can help us predict the likelihood that they will thrive under different climatic scenarios. Although functional trait analysis is commonly used in ecological research, recent efforts to integrate ecological and evolutionary approaches are particularly powerful. A phylogenetic approach is useful when describing community structure because closely related species are more likely to share particular physiological traits, so that traits can be mapped across species and across habitat types. Hence, we can explain why certain species co-occur based on their response to specific site conditions and their evolutionary history. Such research is crucial for informing conservation of native species because we can make first-order predictions about how multiple target species are likely to perform even when limited time and resources permit us to make critical experiments on only a subset of species.