Comprehensive Datasets of the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program (1995-2017) in the Southeastern Caribbean Sea

Authors

Frank Muller-Karger, University of SoUniversity of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, Florida – U.S.uth Florida
Yrene Astor, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Ramon Varela, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Robert Thunell, University of South Carolina, Department of Geological Sciences, Columbia, South Carolina – U.S.
Mary Scranton, State University of New York, Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook, New York – U.S.
Gordon Taylor, State University of New York, Marine Sciences Research Center, Stony Brook, New York – U.S.
Kristen Buck, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, Florida – U.S.
Kent Fanning, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, Florida – U.S.
Claudia Benitez-Nelson, University of South Carolina, Department of Geological Sciences, Columbia, South Carolina – U.S.
Laura Lorenzoni, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, Florida – U.S.
Enrique Montes, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, Florida – U.S.
Eric Tappa, University of South Carolina, Department of Geological Sciences, Columbia, South Carolina – U.S.
Luis Troccoli, Universidad de Oriente, Estado Sucre - Venezuela
Rafael Diaz-Ramos, Universidad de Oriente, Estado Sucre - Venezuela
Sonia Subero-Pino, Universidad de Oriente, Estado Sucre - Venezuela
Jaimie Rojas, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Luis Gonzalez, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Javier Gutierrez, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Jesus Narvaez, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Alberto Rosales, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Laurencia Guzman, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Juan Capelo, Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales, Estación de Investigaciones Marinas de Margarita, Estado Nueva Esparta – Venezuela
Digna Rueda-Roa, University of South Florida, College of Marine Science, St. Petersburg, Florida – U.S.Follow

Document Type

Data

Publication Date

2023

Abstract

The Cariaco Basin, located off eastern Venezuela in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, is the world's largest marine anoxic basin and the site of one of the longest-running oceanographic studies on record. The CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program collected various oceanographic parameters from 1995 until 2017 at the Cariaco station (10.50° N, 64.67° W). The Cariaco Basin exhibits pronounced seasonal and interannual variations in hydrographic properties and primary production due to seasonal coastal upwelling. Additionally, due to its restricted circulation and high primary production, the basin is anoxic below approximately 250 meters.

Monthly oceanographic cruises were conducted aboard the R/V Hermano Ginés of the Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales de Venezuela. These cruises collected data on hydrographic conditions, nutrient and carbon concentrations, primary productivity, phytoplankton and zooplankton populations, and other biogeochemical observations throughout the water column (surface to 1300 meters). Additional seasonal cruises to the station focused on chemical and microbial processes. The downward flux of particulate material was measured using sediment traps moored at various depths.

Dr. Frank Muller-Karger from the University of South Florida spearheaded the CARIACO project, which also included investigators from Stony Brook University and the University of South Carolina in the USA, as well as from Fundación La Salle, Universidad de Oriente, and Universidad Simón Bolívar in Venezuela.

This database contains several master files encompassing various variables. Examples include a general master file for diverse hydrographic variables collected from Niskin bottle samples, individual master files for HPLC pigments, Dissolved Organic Matter, CTD profiles, phytoplankton and zooplankton taxonomy and biomass, and a master file for the seasonal extra cruises containing biogeochemical and microbiological data. A handbook of the methods is also included.

Scholar Commons Citation

Muller-Karger, Frank; Astor, Yrene; Varela, Ramon; Thunell, Robert; Scranton, Mary; Taylor, Gordon; Buck, Kristen; Fanning, Kent; Benitez-Nelson, Claudia; Lorenzoni, Laura; Montes, Enrique; Tappa, Eric; Troccoli, Luis; Diaz-Ramos, Rafael; Subero-Pino, Sonia; Rojas, Jaimie; Gonzalez, Luis; Gutierrez, Javier; Narvaez, Jesus; Rosales, Alberto; Guzman, Laurencia; Capelo, Juan; and Rueda-Roa, Digna, "Comprehensive Datasets of the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program (1995-2017) in the Southeastern Caribbean Sea" (2023). Marine Science Faculty Publications. 2587.
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/msc_facpub/2587