Seasonal variability in the hydrological and chemical structure of the suboxic waters at the cariaco time-series station

For more than ten years, the CARIACO Time-Series Program has studied seasonal patterns and interannual variability at the Cariaco Basin. Monthly core physical and biogeochemical observations have been collected since November 1995 at the CARIACO Time-Series station (10° 30' N, 64° 40' W). A region with suboxic conditions (oxygen and sulfide concentrations <1 μM) is found at intermediate waters at the station. The characteristics of this region show time and space variability, depending on the dynamics of the water. In general, ammonium, nitrate and nitrite disappeared within the suboxic region, although there is a steep ammonium concentration increase with depth after the oxic-anoxic interface suggesting its consumption at this boundary. Our data shows that intrusions are a major factor in affecting the chemical characteristics of the water column.