Dataset: Time-Series of Phytoplankton Taxonomy and Density collected by the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Project from November 1995 to January 2017

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).

One of the monthly measurements taken by the program was water sampling at different depths for phytoplankton taxonomy (occurrence and density). Those water samples were collected with Niskin bottles during the first CTD Cast of the morning at 1, 7, 25, 35, 75, and 100 m depth. Phytoplankton taxonomy and density was determined at each depth at the level of species or genera. Values of zero are real and denote that a specific species was not found at that cruise/depth. 

Web page of the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series Program: http://imars.usf.edu/cariaco

A complete list of publications from the CARIACO Ocean Time-Series project can be found at: http://imars.usf.edu/view/biblio/803738/year

These data were also funded by the following awards:
- 23914: Ley Orgánica de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación, LOCTI (Estación de Investigaciones Marinas), Venezuela.
- 2011000353: Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research, IAI (IAI-CRN3094).