CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Biogeochemical and Microbiological Measurements

Over 21 years of biogeochemical and microbiological variable measurements were collected from the Cariaco Basin in the Caribbean Sea. Data were gathered by the Stony Brook team and partners via semi-annual 24-hour cruises, typically during upwelling and non-upwelling periods. The program ran from November 1995 to November 2015.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal trends in microbial activity using cruise date and station location data across the 21-year time-series.
• Model the relationship between water column geochemistry (e.g., carbon, sulfur, nitrogen concentrations) and microbial activity at oxic-anoxic transition depths.
• Compare biogeochemical variables between upwelling (Mar-May) and non-upwelling (Oct-Nov) periods using the semi-annual cruise schedule.
• Investigate spatial variability in the western basin and sill north of the main station using location data from cruises 108 to 132.

Strengths

• 21-year temporal coverage from 1995 to 2015 provides a long-term ecological record.
• Semi-annual sampling during distinct seasonal periods (upwelling/non-upwelling) captures intra-annual variability.
• Data includes measurements from multiple stations in the western basin and on the sill for spatial analysis.

Limitations

• Sample size and specific row/column counts are unknown.
• Data collection ended in 2015, limiting analysis of recent oceanographic conditions.
• The single Excel spreadsheet format may require reformatting for large-scale computational analysis.

Provenance

Source

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), originating from the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program.

Collection Method

Measurements taken using CTD and Niskin bottles during semi-annual 24-hour research cruises aboard the RV Hermano Gines.

Time Range

1995-11-13 to 2015-11-14

Freshness

Data collection concluded in November 2015; no ongoing updates.

Geography

Cariaco Basin, Caribbean Sea, with a primary time-series station and additional stations in the western basin and on the northern sill.