Photograph taken by Tanner Strachan

Dr. Amanda Godbold MSc.

Post-Doctoral Fellow

Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

agodbo@gmail.com

CV - download

Hello, let me introduce myself..

My name is Amanda Godbold, and I am a conservation paleobiologist. My research centers on exploring metacommunity dynamics and the various factors that drive biodiversity across different spatial and temporal scales. I am especially fascinated by how these patterns shift and interact depending on the scale of analysis. My primary focus is on reef ecosystems, where I investigate the intricate and essential roles played by corals and sponges in shaping community structure, ecosystem function, and resilience over time.

In other words, I study how reef ecosystems change over time, focusing on how corals and sponges help shape their environment. By understanding the roles these organisms play, I aim to figure out what makes reefs resilient, which can guide efforts to protect them.

Professional Goal

I strive to secure a position that fosters my insatiable curiosity through meaningful and impactful research while encouraging continuous growth both professionally and personally. I value opportunities that challenge me to expand my knowledge, refine my skills, and contribute in innovative ways.

Equally, I am deeply committed to mentorship and cultivating an environment where others can thrive. Empowering individuals to discover their passions, develop their talents, and achieve their aspirations is a cornerstone of my professional purpose. I am eager to contribute to a culture of collaboration and growth, where advancing knowledge and supporting others go hand in hand.

"We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are."

My academic journey

Recent Publications

Ancient Frameworks as Modern Templates: Exploring Reef Rubble Consolidation in an Ancient Reef System

Both natural and human-induced stressors cause reef erosion, resulting in reef rubble formation. This rubble, when consolidated, can facilitate reef recovery, sparking interest in rubble artificial stabilization as a method for reef restoration. However, our understanding of the natural processes governing coral reef regeneration within rubble beds is limited. This study examines the regeneration processes within ancient rubble frameworks in a Late Triassic carbonate platform. Results show that these Late Triassic rubble environments exhibit successional trajectories similar to those of contemporary rubble environments. Key organisms such as sponges, calcareous red algae, bryozoans, microbes, and scleractinian corals, which are instrumental in the consolidation of modern reef rubble, appear to have played comparable roles during the Late Triassic. The similarities between Late Triassic and modern reef rubble stabilization highlight enduring ecological mechanisms important for reef regeneration. This study deepens our understanding of reef dynamics and offers valuable insights for improving current reef restoration strategies, grounded in time-tested natural processes.

Temporal dynamics of Devonian reef communities: Insights into natural phase shifts and long-term resilience in the face of environmental variability

Living coral cover is rapidly decreasing due to global climate change and local human impacts. Response to the ongoing transformation of coral reefs requires a deep understanding of the mechanisms that regulate community assembly and sustain biodiversity in these systems. The goal of this study is to test the persistence of Devonian reef communities across 70 sea-level fluctuation cycles. Abundance data were collected for in situ coral and calcareous sponge taxa found along 164 transects across two field localities within the Canning Basin, Western Australia. The Bray-Curtis dissimilarity index was used to quantify the dissimilarity in taxonomic composition among transects. Despite the notable persistence of reef communities over numerous cycles (ranging from 22 to 29 cycles) spanning hundreds of thousands of years, significant taxonomic shifts unfolded over millions of years, primarily driven by the diversity and composition of coral assemblages. This indicates that while reef communities exhibit persistence over intermediate time scales, they undergo changes in taxonomic composition over extended periods. The observed shifts in taxonomic composition likely reflect the profound changes in Earth-surface systems that occurred during the Devonian (i.e., fluctuations in global sea-surface temperatures and sea-level). Therefore, sustained abiotic processes can act to disrupt community structure over extended time scales as the threshold for community persistence is exceeded. This study helps establish baseline community composition dynamics in systems devoid of human influence and thus deepens our understanding of naturally occurring phase shifts. Understanding the factors that contribute to the persistence of community assembly across multiple scales is crucial for conserving coral reef ecosystems in the face of ongoing environmental changes.

Contrasting terrestrial and marine ecospace dynamics after the end-Triassic mass extinction event.

Mass extinctions have profound impacts on Earth's biosphere, particularly in marine ecosystems, where ecological severity is well-studied. However, understanding the ecological response of terrestrial ecosystems to mass extinctions has been hindered by the lack of a comparable ecospace methodology. This study introduces a new terrestrial ecospace framework, categorizing fauna based on tiering, motility, and feeding traits. Analyzing Paleobiology Database data across the end-Triassic mass extinction, a period of global warming, both terrestrial and traditional marine ecospace methodologies are applied. The findings reveal higher extinction severity for terrestrial functional groups compared to marine, tighter coupling of taxonomic and functional richness in the terrestrial realm, and sustained ecological dissimilarity post-extinction in terrestrial ecosystems. These results suggest greater ecological pressure from the end-Triassic mass extinction on terrestrial ecosystems, leading to prolonged ecological flux compared to marine ecosystems.

Palaeoecology of the Hiraiso Formation and implications for the recovery following the end-Permian mass extinction

This study explores the Hiraiso Formation in northeast Japan, an underexplored Early Triassic marine ecosystem. Conducting a comprehensive palaeoecological analysis, it examines temporal and spatial variations in benthic faunas, using redox proxies to understand depositional environments. Focused on the Early Triassic recovery pace, it investigates the habitable zone hypothesis, indicating wave-aerated marine environments as oxygenated refuges. Despite uncertain age, new ammonoid findings support an early Spathian age. Ichnofossils exhibit an onshore-offshore pattern, revealing high diversity in offshore transition settings and lower diversity in basinal settings. Body fossils show no spatial or temporal changes due to wave reworking, indicating allochthonous assemblages. The ecological state suggests an advanced recovery for the Early Triassic, marked by the Spathian as pivotal in post-mass extinction recovery. Onshore-offshore distribution supports the habitable zone hypothesis, extending beyond anoxic events to oxygen-influenced ecological gradients. The lack of full recovery is attributed to persistent oxygen limitation, elevated Early Triassic temperatures, and a gentle temperature/water-depth gradient within the habitable zone.

Precarious ephemeral refugia during the earliest Triassic

This study investigates the concept of refuges in paleoecology, focusing on a community ∼50 k.y. post-end-Permian mass extinction (EPME). Preserved in the Shangsi section, south China, the assemblage comprises trace fossils, bivalves, and echinoids on a microbial mat in a slope environment. The microbial community served as a stable substrate, food source, and oxygen supply, forming a refuge during environmental stress. Despite the prevailing interpretation of shallow-water microbial communities as refugia, this deeper site played a crucial role for organisms sensitive to surface temperatures of 34 °C. The success of a cidaroid echinoid, migrating to cooler deep waters for development, underscores the importance of such refugia for survival post-EPME. The refuge was short-lived, collapsing when conditions became suboptimal, allowing opportunistic taxa to colonize. This study suggests that earliest Triassic refugia might have been restricted to ephemeral environmental settings until organisms adapted to persisting harsh conditions.

View all projects

"The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don't know." - Albert Einstein

Photograph taken by Tanner Strachan

Dive into ancient wisdom and modern challenges

Explore a curated collection of recently published, compelling, and thought-provoking articles.

01.

Extreme ocean temperatures are affecting Florida’s coral reef

02.

Deep ocean expedition leaves UCalgary scientist awestruck

03.

Emigration patterns of motile cryptofauna and their implications for trophic functioning in coral reefs

04.

Benthic composition changes on coral reefs at global scales

How to get involved

I've compiled a list of remarkable organizations providing a variety of engagement opportunities, spanning from educational resources to involvement in hands-on data collection.

CoralWatch combines worldwide coral health monitoring with educational and public outreach efforts, fostering reef awareness through user-friendly and captivating tools.

For over two decades, NOAA Coral Reef Watch employs various data sources in a decision support system, assisting global stakeholders, including resource managers and researchers, in addressing coral reef stressors due to climate change.

WCS Canada employs a distinctive combination of field-based scientific research and policy initiatives to safeguard wildlife throughout Canada.

The National Ocean Service furnishes data, tools, and services to safeguard ecosystems, bolster climate resilience, and promote economic sustainability.

The Ocean Agency has devised a distinct approach to expedite backing for action—a formula designed to evoke not only awareness but also concrete steps. They term it Impact Science Communication.

The Ocean Portal, part of the Smithsonian's Ocean Initiative, works with the Sant Ocean Hall and Sant Marine Science Chair to promote public understanding and stewardship of the ocean.

Photograph taken by Tanner Strachan

Dr. Amanda Godbold MSc.

Hello, let me introduce myself..

Professional Goal

"We do not see things as they are, we see them as we are."

Recent Publications

Photograph taken by Tanner Strachan

Dive into ancient wisdom and modern challenges

Explore a curated collection of recently published, compelling, and thought-provoking articles.

How to get involved

I would love to hear from you