Collaborative Research: The Cariaco Basin Oceanographic Time Series Program

这笔赠款将提供资金，用于在1995年11月开始的五年内继续在北纬10º 30 '西经64º 40'的Cariaco盆地进行海洋学时间序列的工作。CARIACO（Carbon Retention In A Colored Ocean）是美国国家科学基金会（NSF）支持的三个海洋地球化学时间序列站之一。该时间序列通过继续收集精心挑选的一套生物、化学、地质和物理测量数据，实现了了解影响沉入卡里亚科海盆底部的颗粒通量的海洋过程的科学目标。这项工作的一个关键目标是通过在Cariaco盆地维持一个观测设施，为海洋碳和生物地球化学以及古气候研究界服务。该设施允许研究跨越季节、年际和年代际时间尺度的时间变化和趋势，提供一套核心观测和样本与社区分享，并为进入这一独特的海洋环境提供便利。 CARIACO是由美国三个研究机构的科学家在NSF的支持下进行的联合研究（马萨诸塞州达特茅斯大学、斯托尼布鲁克大学和南卡罗来纳大学哥伦比亚）与丰达西翁和委内瑞拉国际热带生态中心合作。位于加勒比海东南部委内瑞拉大陆边缘的一个400米深的低气压，在一个浅岩床（~140米）上方与热带大西洋表面开放连接。由于周转缓慢，下沉物质分解导致约250 m以下缺氧。这些条件保存了国际社会用来研究全新世和晚更新世气候变化的极好的沉积物记录。了解影响下沉物质的过程是了解将物质从海洋表面转移到底部的“生物碳泵”的关键，也是了解海洋的关键。在过去，现在和未来的气候中的作用。在这方面，CARIACO有助于解释保存在这一沉积物记录中的气候历史。CARIACO计划还试图教育公众了解这种关系。智力价值：科学计划由以下假设指导：（1）颗粒物的沉降通量包含上层海洋条件的事件到年际尺度变化的记录，包括上升流，通风，生产力和陆源输入事件。(2)养分供应的变化导致生态系统的变化，这些变化在沉降颗粒的化学性质和数量上得到了保留。(3)该盆地水文地理的时间变化与区域风的变化、靠近岩床的加勒比海涡旋的通过以及大西洋的环流变化直接相关。(4)细菌的生产和碳分解附近的缺氧-缺氧过渡区控制溶解氧在中间深度（通风事件）的横向运输。(5)在缺氧-缺氧过渡区附近的化能自养细菌改变了垂直颗粒通量的组成和数量以及溶解有机物浓度，CARIACO生成的观测数据用于评估横向输送和上升流的变化、水柱化学的强迫和变化、浮游植物、浮游动物和细菌群落组成、初级生产力和细菌生产的变化（化能自养和异养），并导致水柱化学和沉降到底部的颗粒通量的组成和数量的变化。该计划使用了密集的传统海洋学和气象学技术，以及包括卫星和分子观测在内的现代工具。更广泛的影响：CARIACO解决了美国政府海洋研究优先计划和实施战略以及美国气候变化科学计划战略计划中确定的一些最高优先事项。这些不间断的长期热带记录对于研究气候变化与大尺度海洋地球化学之间的关系具有重要价值。许多科学家认为，热带地区在各种时间尺度（包括与社会相关的时间尺度）上在这些全流域过程中发挥着关键作用。CARIACO的测量还将有助于了解影响区域渔业和灾难性天气模式的过程。加勒比海盆地研究中心制定了一项开放共享数据、样本和基础设施的政策，以便利第三方在加勒比海盆地进行更广泛的研究或过程研究。该项目汇集了国际上的物理、化学、地质和生物海洋学家。它具有技术转让和人力资源开发的影响，为来自拉丁美洲的科学家、技术人员和学生提供了一个机会，使他们能够参与物流规划、实地工作、数据分析和联合出版物，以解决与当地和全球相关的问题。这些交流也对包括少数民族在内的美国学生产生了重要的教育影响。委内瑞拉政府认为CARIACO是其最重要的海洋学研究项目之一，并将继续为当地参与者提供大量资金。

This award will provide funds to continue operating the oceanographic time series started in November 1995, in the Cariaco Basin at 10º 30'N, 64º 40'W, for five years. CARIACO (CArbon Retention In A Colored Ocean) is one of three ocean biogeochemistry time series stations supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF). The time series addresses the scientific objective of understanding ocean processes that affect the flux of particles sinking to the bottom of the Cariaco Basin, by continuing collection of a carefully-selected set of biological, chemical, geological and physical measurements. A key objective of this effort is to serve the Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) and the paleoclimate research communities by maintaining an observing facility in the Cariaco Basin. The facility permits studies of the temporal variability and trends that span seasonal, interannual and interdecadal time scales, provides a set of core observations and samples to share with the community, and facilitates access to this unique oceanographic setting. CARIACO is a joint research effort by scientists at three U.S. institutions supported by NSF (University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth, Stony Brook University, and the University of South Carolin at Columbia) in partnership with the Fundacion LaSalle de Sciencias Naturales and the Centro Internacional de Ecologia Tropical in Venezuela.The Cariaco Basin is a 1,400-m deep depression located on the Venezuelan continental margin in the southeastern Caribbean Sea, openly connected to the surface tropical Atlantic Ocean above a shallow (~140 m) sill. Because of slow turnover, decomposition of sinking material leads to anoxia below about 250 m. These conditions preserve an excellent sediment record that is used by the international community to study Holocene and late Pleistocene changes in climate. Understanding processes that affect the sinking material is the key to understanding the "biological carbon pump" that transfers materials from the surface ocean to the bottom, and to understanding the ocean?s role in past, present, and future climate. In this regard, CARIACO aids in the interpretation of the climate history preserved in this sediment record. The CARIACO program also seeks to educate the public about this relationship.Intellectual merit: The scientific program is guided by the following hypotheses: (1) The sinking flux of particulate matter contains a record of event- to interannual-scale changes in upper ocean conditions, including upwelling, ventilation, productivity, and terrigenous input events. (2) Changes in nutrient availability results in ecosystem shifts that are preserved in the chemistry and amount of sinking particles. (3) Temporal changes in the hydrography of the basin are directly related to regional wind variability, the passage of Caribbean Sea eddies near the sill, and circulation changes in the Atlantic Ocean. (4) Bacterial production and carbon decomposition near the oxic-anoxic transition zone are controlled by lateral transport of dissolved oxygen at mid-depth (ventilation events). (5) Chemoautotrophic bacteria near the oxic-anoxic transition zone alter the composition and amount of the vertical particulate flux and the dissolved organic matter concentration.CARIACO generates observations used to assess variability in lateral transport and upwelling, forcing and variations in water column chemistry, phytoplankton, zooplankton and bacteria community composition, variations in primary productivity and bacterial production (chemoautotrophic and heterotrophic), and resulting changes in water column chemistry and the composition and quantity of particulate flux sinking to the bottom. This program uses intensive traditional oceanographic and meteorological techniques, as well as modern tools including satellite and molecular observations.Broader impacts: CARIACO addresses some of the highest priorities identified in the U.S. government's Ocean Research Priorities Plan and Implementation Strategy and the Strategic Plan for the U.S. Climate Change Science Program. The uninterrupted, long-term tropical record is of value to investigations of the relationship between climate change and large-scale ocean biogeochemistry. Many scientists believe the tropics play a pivotal role in these basin-wide processes on a variety of time scales including those relevant to society. CARIACO measurements will also help understand processes that affect regional fisheries and catastrophic weather patterns. CARIACO has established a policy of open sharing of data, samples, and infrastructure, to facilitate the conduct of broader studies or of process studies in the Cariaco Basin by third parties. This project brings together an international workforce of physical, chemical, geological and biological oceanographers. It has technology transfer and human resource development impacts, providing an opportunity for scientists, technicians and students from Latin America to participate in logistics planning, fieldwork, data analysis, and joint publications that address issues of local and global relevance. These exchanges also have an important educational impact on U.S. students including minorities. The Venezuelan government considers CARIACO among their most important oceanographic research programs, and will continue significant funding to local participants.