Collaborative Research: The Cariaco Basin Oceanographic Time Series Program

这笔奖金将提供资金，继续操作1995年11月在加勒比海盆地北纬10度30分、西经64度40分开始的海洋学时间序列，为期五年。CARIACO（碳保留在有色海洋）是由美国国家科学基金会（NSF）支持的三个海洋生物地球化学时间序列站之一。通过继续收集一套精心挑选的生物、化学、地质和物理测量数据，时间序列解决了了解影响沉降到卡里亚科盆地底部的粒子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卡里亚科盆地维持一个观测设施，为海洋碳和生物地球化学（OCB）和古气候研究界提供服务。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，提供一套与社区分享的核心观测和样本，并促进利用这一独特的海洋学环境。CARIACO是由美国国家科学基金会支持的三家美国机构（马萨诸塞大学达特茅斯分校、石溪大学和南卡罗来纳大学哥伦比亚分校）的科学家与LaSalle自然科学基金会和委内瑞拉国际热带生态中心合作开展的一项联合研究。卡里亚科盆地是位于加勒比海东南部委内瑞拉大陆边缘的一个1400米深的洼地，与热带大西洋表面的浅海（约140米）开放相连。由于周转缓慢，下沉物质的分解导致250米以下缺氧。这些条件为国际社会研究全新世和晚更新世气候变化提供了良好的沉积记录。理解影响物质下沉的过程是理解将物质从海洋表面转移到海底的“生物碳泵”的关键，也是理解海洋的关键。美国在过去、现在和未来气候中的作用。在这方面，CARIACO有助于解释保存在这些沉积物记录中的气候历史。加勒比合作组织的项目还试图教育公众了解这种关系。知识价值：科学计划以以下假设为指导：(1)颗粒物质的下沉通量包含了上层海洋条件的事件至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)养分有效性的变化导致了生态系统的变化，这些变化在化学和下沉颗粒的数量上得到了保留。(3)盆地水文学的时间变化与区域风变率、海槽附近加勒比海涡旋通过和大西洋环流变化有直接关系。(4)氧-缺氧过渡区附近的细菌生产和碳分解受中深度（通气事件）溶解氧的侧向输送控制。(5)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质浓度。CARIACO产生的观测结果用于评估横向运输和上升流的变异性、水柱化学、浮游植物、浮游动物和细菌群落组成的强迫和变化、初级生产力和细菌生产（化学自养和异养）的变化，以及水柱化学和沉到海底的颗粒通量的组成和数量的变化。该计划使用密集的传统海洋学和气象技术，以及包括卫星和分子观测在内的现代工具。更广泛的影响：加勒比海洋合作组织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。不间断的长期热带记录对研究气候变化与大尺度海洋生物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上，包括与社会相关的时间尺度上，在这些盆地范围内的过程中起着关键作用。加勒比合作组织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。加勒比合作组织制定了一项开放共享数据、样本和基础设施的政策，以促进第三方在加勒比合作组织盆地进行更广泛的研究或过程研究。该项目汇集了物理、化学、地质和生物海洋学家的国际劳动力。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参与后勤规划、实地考察、数据分析和联合出版物的机会，以解决与当地和全球相关的问题。这些交流也对包括少数族裔在内的美国学生产生了重要的教育影响。委内瑞拉政府将加勒比海合作组织视为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.