cariaco-phytoplankton

Study Extent

Cariaco Trench, Southern Caribbean

Sampling

The CARIACO program was established in November 1995 through sponsorship of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and Venezuela's Fondo Nacional de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (FONACIT). This long tern ocean time series joint effort has involved five major Venezuelan institutions and three universities in the U.S. The infrastructure is also a contribution to the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone Program (LOICZ). Monthly oceanographic cruises to the CARIACO station (10.5° N, 64.67° W) have been conducted since November 1995 to examine the hydrography, primary production, and settling flux of particulate material. We use the 75-foot R/V Hermano Gines of the Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales (FLASA) located on Margarita Island, Venezuela. Water is collected using a rosette ensemble equipped with twelve 8-lt. bottles and a CTD (conductivity-temperature-depth meter); the CTD also has an oxygen sensor, a fluorometer for chlorophyll-a estimates, and a transmissometer. Data are read out real-time on a computer screen on board the ship as we lower the rosette ensemble to approximately 1,380 m, the bottom of the Cariaco Basin. Water samples are analyzed for various parameters including phytoplankton biomass, dissolved and particulate nutrient and carbon concentration, and primary productivity rates. We also measure total bacterial production. Winds are measured at Santiago Mariño airport (10.9°N 63.96°W) and at the Meteorological station of La Salle (10.54°N, 64.06°W, height 3m). The data collected through the CARIACO ocean time series project is available freely through this web page and through the Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Data Management Office (DMO) at WHOI (http://ocb.whoi.edu/cariaco.html). Data and description of the CARIACO program is also available in Spanish at http://cariaco.intecmar.usb.ve/ To measure the flux of settling particles, we use five automated sediment traps placed at 150, 225, 410, 810, and 1210 m on a mooring. These funnel-shaped traps are synchronized to collect samples over 2 week periods into a series of jars. The traps are retrieved and re-deployed every 6 months (May and November), and samples are used to estimate carbonate, organic carbon, nitrogen, and biogenic silica fluxes and various other geochemical parameters. To measure currents at the CARIACO ocean time series station, we use a Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP) which is deployed during each monthly cruise. The LADCP profiles the water column between 0 and 400m; below 400m there is not enough backscatter to produce a good signal (Virmani and Weisberg, 2009). see http://imars.marine.usf.edu/pubs/CARIACO_Methods_Manual.pdf

Quality Control

see http://imars.marine.usf.edu/pubs/CARIACO_Methods_Manual.pdf

Method steps

1. see http://imars.marine.usf.edu/pubs/CARIACO_Methods_Manual.pdf

Phytoplankton from 0-100m

1. Acanthoica sp.
2. Acanthoica quattrospina
3. Achnanthes sp.
4. Akashiwo sanguinea
5. Alexandrium cohorticula
6. Alexandrium monilatum
7. Alexandrium sp.
8. Alexandrium tamarense
9. Amphidinium klebsii
10. Amphidinium schroederi
11. Amphidinium sp.
12. Amphidinium turbo
13. Amphisolenia bidentata
14. Amphisolenia palaeotheroides
15. Amphora laevis
16. Amphora lineata
17. Amphora sp.
18. Anabaena sp.
19. Anacystis sp.
20. Anoplosolenia brasiliensis
21. Anthosphaera robusta
22. Asterionella japonica
23. Asterionellopsis glacialis
24. Asterionellopsis kariana
25. Asterionellopsis sp.
26. Asterodinium sp.
27. Asterodinium spinosum
28. Asterolampra sp.
29. Asteromphalus flabellatus
30. Bacteriastrum comosum
31. Bacteriastrum delicatulum
32. Bacteriastrum elongatum
33. Bacteriastrum hyalinum
34. Bacteriastrum sp.
35. Bacterosira sp.
36. Balechina coerulea
37. Bellerochea malleus
38. Bellerochea sp.
39. Biddulphia cf. alternans
40. Bleakeleya notata
41. Blepharocysta splendor-maris
42. Braarudosphaera bigelowii
43. Brachidinium capitatum
44. Brachidinium sp.
45. Brachiomonas sp.
46. Caeratium pavillardi
47. Calcidiscus leptoporus
48. Calcidiscus sp.
49. Calciopappus caudatus
50. Calciosolenia murrayi
51. Calyptrolithina sp.
52. Calyptrolithophora sp.
53. Calyptrophora sp.
54. Calyptrosphaera sp.
55. Calyptrosphaera sphaerodidea
56. Campylodiscus sp.
57. Campylosira cymbelliformis
58. Centrodinium maximum
59. Centrodinium sp.
60. Cerataulina bergonii
61. Cerataulina pelagica
62. Cerataulus sp.
63. Ceratium azoricum
64. Ceratium belone
65. Ceratium breve
66. Ceratium bucephalum
67. Ceratium candelabrum
68. Ceratium carriense
69. Ceratium dens
70. Ceratium falcatiforme
71. Ceratium falcatum
72. Ceratium furca
73. Ceratium fusus
74. Ceratium gibberum
75. Ceratium horridum
76. Ceratium humile
77. Ceratium karstenii
78. Ceratium kofoidii
79. Ceratium lineatum
80. Ceratium longinum
81. Ceratium longipes
82. Ceratium macroceros
83. Ceratium symmetricum
84. Ceratium teres
85. Ceratium trichoceros
86. Ceratium tripos
87. Ceratocorys horrida
88. Ceratolithus cristatus
89. Ceratoperidinium falcatum
90. Chaetoceros affinis
91. Chaetoceros anastomosans
92. Chaetoceros atlanticus
93. Chaetoceros breve
94. Chaetoceros castracanei
95. Chaetoceros cf. holsaticus
96. Chaetoceros cf. neglectus
97. Chaetoceros coarctatus
98. Chaetoceros compressus
99. Chaetoceros concavicornis
100. Chaetoceros constrictus
101. Chaetoceros convolutus
102. Chaetoceros costatus
103. Chaetoceros curvisetus
104. Chaetoceros dadayi
105. Chaetoceros danicus
106. Chaetoceros debilis
107. Chaetoceros decipiens
108. Chaetoceros diadema
109. Chaetoceros dichaeta
110. Chaetoceros didymus
111. Chaetoceros fallax
112. Chaetoceros gracilis
113. Chaetoceros holsaticus
114. Chaetoceros laciniosus
115. Chaetoceros lauderi
116. Chaetoceros levis
117. Chaetoceros lorenzianus
118. Chaetoceros messanensis
119. Chaetoceros neglectus
120. Chaetoceros pelagicus
121. Chaetoceros pendulus
122. Chaetoceros peruvianus
123. Chaetoceros protuberans
124. Chaetoceros pseudocurvisetum
125. Chaetoceros radicans
126. Chaetoceros socialis
127. Chaetoceros sp.
128. Chaetoceros sp. -2
129. Chaetoceros sp. -3
130. Chaetoceros sp. -crossed setae
131. Chaetoceros sp. -Z
132. Chaetoceros spp.
133. Chaetoceros subsecundus
134. Chaetoceros subtilis
135. Chaetoceros tenuissimus
136. Chaetoceros teres
137. Chaetoceros tetrastichon
138. Chaetoceros tortissimus
139. Chattonella sp.
140. chlorophyte
141. Chroococcus sp.
142. Chrysochromulina sp.
143. Cladopyxis setifera
144. Cladopyxis sp.
145. Climacodium frauenfeldianum
146. Climacodium sp.
147. Climacosphenia sp.
148. coccolithophorid
149. Cocconeis sp.
150. Cochlodinium constrictum
151. Cochlodinium faurei
152. Cochlodinium polykrikoides
153. Cochlodinium sp.
154. Cochlodinium strangulatum
155. Cochlodinium virescens
156. Corethron hystrix
157. Coronosphaera mediterranea
158. Corythodinium sp.
159. Coscinodiscus centralis
160. Coscinodiscus excentricus
161. Coscinodiscus granii
162. Coscinodiscus nitidus
163. Coscinodiscus perforatus
164. Coscinodiscus sp.
165. Coscinodiscus wailesii
166. Coscinosira polychorda
167. Coscinosira sp.
168. Crucigenia sp.
169. cyanobacteria -colonial
170. cyanobacteria -filaments
171. cyanobacterias
172. Cyclolithella ferrazae
173. Cyclolithella sp.
174. Cyclotella sp.
175. Cyclotella striata
176. Cylindrotheca closterium
177. Dactyliosolen fragilissimus
178. Dactyliosolen mediterraneus
179. Dactyliosolen sp.
180. Desmidium sp.
181. Detonula pumila
182. diatom -centric
183. diatom -centric paired
184. diatom -centric small
185. diatom -large pennate
186. diatom -small
187. diatoms
188. Dictyocha fibula
189. dinoflagellate -A
190. dinoflagellate -armored
191. dinoflagellate -armored chain
192. dinoflagellate -naked
193. dinoflagellate -naked 2
194. dinoflagellate -naked internal star
195. dinoflagellate -naked large
196. dinoflagellates
197. Dinophysis acuminata
198. Dinophysis caudata
199. Dinophysis cf. sacculus
200. Dinophysis exigua
201. Dinophysis hastata
202. Dinophysis okamurae
203. Dinophysis ovum
204. Dinophysis sp.
205. Diploneis bombus
206. Diploneis crabro
207. Diploneis sp.
208. Diplopsalis lenticula
209. Diplopsalis rotunda
210. Discosphaera tubifer
211. Dissodinium gerbaultii
212. Distephanus sp.
213. Ditylum brightwellii
214. Dunaliella sp.
215. Ebria sp.
216. Ebria tripartita
217. Emiliana sp.
218. Emiliania huxleyi
219. Entomoneis alata
220. Erythropsidinium sp.
221. Eucampia cornuta
222. Eucampia groenlandica
223. Eucampia zodiacus
224. Eunotia sp.
225. Eutreptia sp.
226. Eutreptiella eupharyngea
227. Eutreptiella gymnastica
228. Eutreptiella sp.
229. Exuviella sp.
230. flagellate
231. Fragilaria sp.
232. Fragilariopsis cf. oceanica
233. Fragilariopsis sp.
234. Fragilidium sp.
235. Glenodinium sp.
236. Gloeocapsa sp.
237. Gloeotrichia echinulata
238. Goniodoma polyedricum
239. Goniodoma sp.
240. Gonyaulax apiculata
241. Gonyaulax diegensis
242. Gonyaulax digitale
243. Gonyaulax fragilis
244. Gonyaulax minuta
245. Gonyaulax polygramma
246. Gonyaulax sousae
247. Gonyaulax sp.
248. Gonyaulax spinifera
249. Gonyaulax turbynei
250. Grammatophora marina
251. Grammatophora serpentina
252. Grammatophora sp.
253. Guinardia cylindrus
254. Guinardia delicatula
255. Guinardia flaccida
256. Guinardia sp.
257. Guinardia striata
258. Gymnodinium catenatum
259. Gymnodinium cf. impudicum
260. Gymnodinium cf. mikimotoi
261. Gymnodinium conicum
262. Gymnodinium flavum
263. Gymnodinium gelbum
264. Gymnodinium gibbera
265. Gymnodinium impudicum
266. Gymnodinium mirabile
267. Gymnodinium mitratum
268. Gymnodinium ochraceum
269. Gymnodinium punctatum
270. Gymnodinium rotundatum
271. Gymnodinium rubrum
272. Gymnodinium sanguineum
273. Gymnodinium scopulosum
274. Gymnodinium sp.
275. Gymnodinium sp. large
276. Gymnodinium sp. -large
277. Gymnodinium sp. -small
278. Gymnodinium splendens
279. Gymnodinium spp.
280. Gymnodinium variabile
281. Gyrodinium aff. grave
282. Gyrodinium biconicum
283. Gyrodinium cf. aciculatum
284. Gyrodinium fissum
285. Gyrodinium foliaceum
286. Gyrodinium fulvum
287. Gyrodinium fusiforme
288. Gyrodinium lachryma
289. Gyrodinium nasutum
290. Gyrodinium pingue
291. Gyrodinium sp.
292. Gyrodinium sp.
293. Gyrodinium sp. -3
294. Gyrodinium spp.
295. Gyrodinium spirale
296. Gyrodinium striatissimum
297. Gyrodinium varians
298. Gyrodinium virgatum
299. Gyrosigma sp.
300. Halopappus sp.
301. Haslea wawrikae
302. Helicosphaera hyalina
303. Helicosphaera sp.
304. Helicotheca tamesis
305. Helladosphaera cornifera
306. Helladosphaera sp.
307. Hemiaulus hauckii
308. Hemiaulus heibergii
309. Hemiaulus membranaceus
310. Hemiaulus sinensis
311. Hemidinium sp.
312. Heterocapsa sp.
313. Heterocapsa triquetra
314. Histioneis sp.
315. Histioneis tubifera
316. Johannesbaptistia pellucida
317. Johannesbaptistia sp.
318. Katodinium sp.
319. Lauderia annulata
320. Lauderia borealis
321. Lauderia shroederii
322. Leptocylindrus danicus
323. Leptocylindrus mediterraneus
324. Leptocylindrus minimus
325. Licmophora abbreviata
326. Licmophora tenuis
327. Lingulodinium polyedra
328. Lioloma pacificum
329. Lioloma sp.
330. Lyngbya birgei
331. Lyngbya sp.
332. Lyrella lyra
333. Mastogloia erythraea
334. Melosira moniliformis
335. Melosira sp.
336. Melosira sp.
337. Merismopedia sp.
338. Mesodinium rubrum
339. Mesoporos perforatus
340. Meuniera membranacea
341. Michaelsarsia adriaticus
342. Michaelsarsia elegans
343. Microcystis aeruginosa
344. Miraltia sp.
345. Murrayella biconica
346. Myrionecta rubra
347. Navicula brevis
348. Navicula cancellata
349. Navicula cf. directa
350. Navicula crabro
351. Navicula distans
352. Navicula hennedyi
353. Navicula lyra
354. Navicula membranacea
355. Navicula septentrionalis
356. Navicula sp.
357. Navicula spp.
358. Navicula yarrensis
359. Nematodinium sp.
360. Neostreptotheca sp.
361. Nitzschia angularis
362. Nitzschia cf. fontifuga
363. Nitzschia cf. sicula
364. Nitzschia fluminensis
365. Nitzschia insignis
366. Nitzschia lanceolata
367. Nitzschia longissima
368. Nitzschia paradoxa
369. Nitzschia recta
370. Nitzschia rostrata
371. Nitzschia sicula
372. Nitzschia sigma
373. Nitzschia socialis
374. Nitzschia sp.
375. Nitzschia spp.
376. Noctiluca miliaris
377. Noctiluca scintillans
378. Odontella aurita
379. Odontella longicruris
380. Odontella mobiliensis
381. Odontella regia
382. Odontella sinensis
383. Odontella sp.
384. Oolithotus fragilis
385. Ophiaster hydroideus
386. Ophiaster sp.
387. Ornithocercus magnificus
388. Ornithocercus quadratus
389. Ornithocercus sp.
390. Ornithocercus steinii
391. Oscillatoria sp.
392. Oxyphysis sp.
393. Oxytoxum elegans
394. Oxytoxum elongatum
395. Oxytoxum gracile
396. Oxytoxum laticeps
397. Oxytoxum longiceps
398. Oxytoxum milneri
399. Oxytoxum obliquum
400. Oxytoxum reticulatum
401. Oxytoxum sceptrum
402. Oxytoxum scolopax
403. Oxytoxum sp.
404. Oxytoxum sphaeroideum
405. Oxytoxum tesselatum
406. Oxytoxum viride
407. Pandorina sp.
408. Papposphaera sp.
409. Paralia sulcata
410. Peridinium quinquecorne
411. Periphyllophora mirabilis
412. Phaeodactylum tricornutum
413. Phalacroma favus
414. Phalacroma ovum
415. Phalacroma scrobiculatum
416. Phalacroma sp.
417. Pinnunavis yarrensis
418. Plagiogramma sp.
419. Plagioselmis sp.
420. Plagiotropis seriata
421. Plagiotropis sp.
422. Planktoniella sol
423. Pleurosigma affine
424. Pleurosigma angulatum
425. Pleurosigma formosum
426. Pleurosigma lineare
427. Pleurosigma rigidum
428. Pleurosigma sp.
429. Podocystis adriatica
430. Podolampas bipes
431. Podolampas elegans
432. Podolampas palmipes
433. Podolampas sp.
434. Podolampas spinifer
435. Polykrikos sp.
436. Pontosphaera discopora
437. Porosira sp.
438. Proboscia alata
439. Pronoctiluca phaeocysticola
440. Pronoctiluca spinifera
441. Prorocentrum balticum
442. Prorocentrum compressum
443. Prorocentrum concavum
444. Prorocentrum gracile
445. Prorocentrum mexicanum
446. Prorocentrum micans
447. Prorocentrum minimum
448. Prorocentrum rostratum
449. Prorocentrum scutellum
450. Prorocentrum sp.
451. Prorocentrum triestinum
452. Protoperidinium avellana
453. Protoperidinium breve
454. Protoperidinium brevipes
455. Protoperidinium cerasus
456. Protoperidinium cf. steinii
457. Protoperidinium conicoides
458. Protoperidinium depressum
459. Protoperidinium diabolum
460. Protoperidinium divergens
461. Protoperidinium globulus
462. Protoperidinium grande
463. Protoperidinium hirobis
464. Protoperidinium latum
465. Protoperidinium leonis
466. Protoperidinium minutum
467. Protoperidinium mite
468. Protoperidinium murrayi
469. Protoperidinium nudum
470. Protoperidinium oceanicum
471. Protoperidinium okamurae
472. Protoperidinium orbiculare
473. Protoperidinium ovatum
474. Protoperidinium pellucidum
475. Protoperidinium pentagonum
476. Protoperidinium pyriforme
477. Protoperidinium quarnerense
478. Protoperidinium quinquecorne
479. Protoperidinium roseum
480. Protoperidinium rotundatum
481. Protoperidinium sp.
482. Protoperidinium sp. -2
483. Protoperidinium spinifera
484. Protoperidinium steinii
485. Protoperidinium subinerme
486. prymnesiophyta
487. Pseliodinium vaubanii
488. Pseudoeunotia doliolus
489. Pseudoguinardia recta
490. Pseudo-nitzschia cf. lineola
491. Pseudo-nitzschia pseudodelicatissima
492. Pseudo-nitzschia pungens
493. Pseudo-nitzschia seriata
494. Pseudo-nitzschia sp.
495. Pseudo-nitzschia subfraudulenta
496. Pseudosolenia calcar-avis
497. Pyramimonas sp.
498. Pyrocystis elegans
499. Pyrocystis gerbaultii
500. Pyrocystis hamulus
501. Pyrocystis lunula
502. Pyrocystis noctiluca
503. Pyrocystis obtusa
504. Pyrocystis robusta
505. Pyrodinium bahamense
506. Pyrophacus horologium
507. Rhabdosphaera claviger
508. Rhizosolenia acicularis
509. Rhizosolenia acuminata
510. Rhizosolenia bergonii
511. Rhizosolenia calcaravis
512. Rhizosolenia castracanei
513. Rhizosolenia cylindrus
514. Rhizosolenia delicatula
515. Rhizosolenia hebetata
516. Rhizosolenia hyalina
517. Rhizosolenia imbricata
518. Rhizosolenia robusta
519. Rhizosolenia setigera
520. Rhizosolenia sp.
521. Rhizosolenia styliformis
522. Rhodomonas marina
523. Rhodomonas sp.
524. Schizothrix calcicola
525. Schizothrix sp.
526. Schroederella delicatula
527. Schroederella sp.
528. Scrippsiella sp.
529. Scrippsiella spinifera
530. Scrippsiella subsalsa
531. Scrippsiella trochoidea
532. Skeletonema costatum
533. Sphaerodinium javanicum
534. Staurastrum sp.
535. Stauroneis constricta
536. Stelladinium sp.
537. Stephanopyxis cf. nipponica
538. Stephanopyxis palmeriana
539. Stephanopyxis turris
540. Streptotheca thamensis
541. Striatella sp.
542. Striatella unipunctata
543. Surirella fastuosa
544. Surirella recedens
545. Synechococcus sp.
546. Synedra affinis
547. Synedra decipiens
548. Synedra fulgens
549. Synedra gaillonii
550. Synedra hennedyana
551. Synedra sp.
552. Syracolithus quadriperforatus
553. Syracosphaera florida
554. Syracosphaera histrica
555. Syracosphaera lamina
556. Syracosphaera pulchra
557. Syracosphaera rotula
558. Syracosphaera sp.
559. Teleaulax sp.
560. Tetraselmis sp.
561. Thalassionema bacillare
562. Thalassionema frauenfeldii
563. Thalassionema nitzschioides
564. Thalassionema sp.
565. Thalassiosira aestivalis
566. Thalassiosira anguste-lineata
567. Thalassiosira decipiens
568. Thalassiosira delicatula
569. Thalassiosira eccentrica
570. Thalassiosira gravida
571. Thalassiosira hyalina
572. Thalassiosira nordenskioldii
573. Thalassiosira rotula
574. Thalassiosira sp.
575. Thalassiosira sp. -3 small
576. Thalassiosira sp. -A
577. Thalassiosira sp. -B
578. Thalassiosira sp. -large B
579. Thalassiosira sp. -small
580. Thalassiosira sp. -X
581. Thalassiosira spp.
582. Thalassiosira subtilis
583. Thalassiothrix delicatula
584. Thalassiothrix longissima
585. Thalassiothrix mediterranea
586. Thoracosphaera heimii
587. Torodinium sp.
588. Trachelomonas sp.
589. Trichodesmium erythraeum
590. Trichodesmium thiebautii
591. Tripos azoricus
592. Tripos furca
593. Tripos fusus
594. Tripos gibberus
595. Tripos humilis
596. Tripos lineatus
597. Tripos massiliensis
598. Tripos minutus
599. Tripos pentagonus
600. Tripos praelongus
601. Tripos ranipes
602. Tripos schmidtii
603. Tripos symmetricum
604. Tripos trichoceros
605. Tripos vultur
606. Tropidoneis lepidoptera
607. Umbellosphaera irregularis
608. Umbellosphaera sp.
609. Umbilicosphaera sibogae
610. Zygosphaera hellenica

The ocean time series study area is the Cariaco Basin; a large (∼160 km long, 70 km wide) and deep (∼1,400 m)basin, located on the Venezuelan continental shelf (Figure 1 and 2), occupying an area of approximately 11.200 km2. It is bound to the north by a sill connecting Margarita Island to Cabo Codera, at a mean depth of about 100 m with two channels breaching this sill (La Tortuga: ∼135 m and Centinela: ∼146 m). The basin is divided into two sub-basins, one eastern and one western, separated by a saddle of approximately 900m deep (Schubert, 1982). The upper waters of the basin are in constant exchange with Caribbean waters through the channels, but the sill depth restricts any water exchange below 140m. The Cariaco Basin experiences marked seasonal upwelling (Richards, 1975; Muller-Karger et al., 2001), induced by the Trade winds, which blow more intensely during the first half of the year (February-May), with sustained measured speeds of (>6 m s-1) and an E NE direction. Between August-November, winds are weaker (<6 m s-1) and the direction varies, often associated with meteorological perturbations (depressions, hurricanes) that cross the Caribbean. During the last decade, 1996, 1997, 2001 and 2003 have been years of strong wind, while between the years 1997-2000 winds remained low (Figure 3). Since 2004 wind strength has remained below average historical values, which have affected the primary production of the area significantly. Variations in wind strength are tightly coupled with the hydrography of the region, and control the intensity of the upwelling. Because of the upwelling, which brings essential nutrients to surface waters, primary production rates are high. Figure shows satellite images of a typical upwelling in the Cariaco Basin (see caption for details). Much of the organic material produced in the upper water column remains ungrazed and sinks, generating a flux of particles between the surface and the deep basin. Sill restricts water motion and the lateral flux of material below about 140 m depth, making Cariaco a natural sediment trap within a continental shelf. Because the turnover of basin waters is slow, the decomposition of the sinking material leads to permanent anoxia below about 250m. Around this depth, at the oxic-anoxic interface, a unique environment exists. The interface harbors a rich microbial community mostly composed of chemoautrotrophs, which generate and transform organic material, and likely alter the flux and composition of particles that travel through the water column (Scranton et al., 2006). Cariaco Basin (Rodrigo Lazo, USB)Because of these permanent anoxic conditions (no bioturbation), sediments accumulate at the bottom of the basin in varves (laminated sediments, Figure), providing a detailed record of annual to decadal scale change over several dozen millennia (Peterson et al., 2000; Haug et al., 2001). The lamina alternate between light and dark, corresponding respectively to the highly productive upwelling period and terrigenous material coming from the coast. The scientific community in general has recognized the importance of this highly detailed sedimentary record in the Cariaco Basin. However, in order to understand it and accurately interpret it, it is necessary to understand the seasonal changes that occur in the region, as well as the biogeochemistry of the water column.