Zooplankton biomass and species composition and abundance in the southeastern Caribbean Sea (Cariaco Basin, October 2001 – January 2017) collected by the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program

The CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program (formerly known as CArbon Retention In A Colored Ocean) started on November 1995 (CAR-001) and ended on January 2017 (CAR-232). Monthly cruises were conducted to the CARIACO station (10.50° N, 64.67° W) onboard the R/V Hermano Ginés of the Fundación La Salle de Ciencias Naturales de Venezuela. The program studied the relationship between surface primary production, physical forcing variables like the wind, and the settling flux of particulate carbon in the Cariaco Basin. This depression, located on the continental shelf of Venezuela, shows marked seasonal and interannual variation in hydrographic properties and primary production (carbon fixation rates by photosynthesis of planktonic algae). Zooplankton sampling was done during each CARIACO time-series cruise from October 2001 to January 2017 (cruises CAR071 - CAR232). Oblique BONGO net tow samples from 200 m to the surface were analyzed to determine biomass (dry weight and ash content) and taxonomic composition.

卡里亚科海洋时间序列计划（CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program）前身为“有色海洋中的碳留存”（CArbon Retention In A Colored Ocean），于1995年11月启动（项目编号CAR-001），2017年1月正式收官（项目编号CAR-232）。研究团队每月搭乘委内瑞拉自然科学拉萨尔基金会的“赫尔莫诺·希内斯号”（R/V Hermano Ginés）研究船，前往站位坐标为10.50°N、64.67°W的卡里亚科站位开展月度巡航调查。该计划核心研究内容为表层初级生产力、风力等物理驱动因子与卡里亚科盆地颗粒碳沉降通量之间的关联机制。卡里亚科盆地坐落于委内瑞拉大陆架之上，其水文特性与初级生产力（浮游藻类光合作用固碳速率）存在显著的季节及年际变化特征。2001年10月至2017年1月期间的历次卡里亚科时间序列巡航（巡航编号CAR071至CAR232）均同步开展浮游动物采样工作：研究人员对从200米水深至表层的斜向BONGO网（BONGO net）拖网样本进行分析，以测定其生物量（干重与灰分含量）及分类学组成。