CARIMED (CARbon, tracers, and ancillary data In the MEDiterranean Sea): A ship-based data synthesis product – overview and quality control procedures

Abstract. The Mediterranean Sea (MedSea) is highly sensitive to climate-driven changes in temperature, oxygen, and pH, among other variables. To better assess these long-term trends, we developed CARIMED (CARbon, tracers, and ancillary data In the MEDiterranean Sea), the first comprehensive, harmonised data synthesis product for the MedSea. CARIMED integrates hydrographic, inorganic carbon, transient tracer, and ancillary measurements from 46 research cruises spanning the period from 1976 to 2018, containing observations for the entire water column across all MedSea sub-basins. A substantial component of the data was retrieved from fragmented or locally archived historical records, thus consolidating previously inaccessible measurements. Following global synthesis approaches, CARIMED applies a quality-controlled, and bias-adjusted framework. A key adaptation was the secondary quality control (2QC) procedure, specifically tailored to the MedSea's unique hydrography, utilising sub-basin divisions and supplementary checks (including statistical consistency assessments) to resolve complex, often contradictory, inter-cruise offsets. This rigorous process minimised systematic biases, yielding a dataset with improved consistency, and highlights the urgent need for adapted standard operating procedures and reference materials to address the MedSea biogeochemical particularities. CARIMED delivers two complementary, freely available products: the aggregated original cruise data product (https://doi.org/10.20350/digitalCSIC/17785; García-Ibáñez et al., 2025) and the final bias-adjusted data synthesis product (https://doi.org/10.25921/cp5b-zq67; Álvarez et al., 2025). This essential resource establishes a new benchmark for assessing long-term biogeochemical trends, validating regional ocean models, and supporting climate-change mitigation and adaptation strategies in this rapidly changing semi-enclosed basin.

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Published
2025-12-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-2025-759
Primary Topic
Marine and coastal ecosystems
Type
article
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article

CARIMED (CARbon, tracers, and ancillary data In the MEDiterranean Sea): A ship-based data synthesis product – overview and quality control procedures

Elisa F. Guallart, Toste Tanhua, Carolina Cantoni, Valeria Ibello et al.
Marine and coastal ecosystems
article

CARIMED (CARbon, tracers, and ancillary data In the MEDiterranean Sea): A ship-based data synthesis product – overview and quality control procedures

Elisa F. Guallart, Toste Tanhua, Carolina Cantoni, Valeria Ibello, Michele Giani, Malek Belgacem, Thibaut Wagener, Alex Kozyr, Ekaterini Souvermezoglou, Monserrat Vidal, Louisa Giannoudi, Carsten Schirnick, Laurent Coppola, Lidia Urbini, Mehdia Asma Keraghel, Fı́z F. Pérez, Susana Flecha, Maribel García-Ibañez, Anton Vélo, Marta Álvarez, Patrizia Ziveri, Férial Louanchi, Anna Luchetta, Giuseppe Civitarese, Abed El Rahman Hassoun, Rubén Acerbi, Emma I. Huertas, Katrin Schroeder, Nico Lange, Noelia M. Fajar
article en

Abstract

Abstract. The Mediterranean Sea (MedSea) is highly sensitive to climate-driven changes in temperature, oxygen, and pH, among other variables. To better assess these long-term trends, we developed CARIMED (CARbon, tracers, and ancillary data In the MEDiterranean Sea), the first comprehensive, harmonised data synthesis product for the MedSea. CARIMED integrates hydrographic, inorganic carbon, transient tracer, and ancillary measurements from 46 research cruises spanning the period from 1976 to 2018, containing observations for the entire water column across all MedSea sub-basins. A substantial component of the data was retrieved from fragmented or locally archived historical records, thus consolidating previously inaccessible measurements. Following global synthesis approaches, CARIMED applies a quality-controlled, and bias-adjusted framework. A key adaptation was the secondary quality control (2QC) procedure, specifically tailored to the MedSea's unique hydrography, utilising sub-basin divisions and supplementary checks (including statistical consistency assessments) to resolve complex, often contradictory, inter-cruise offsets. This rigorous process minimised systematic biases, yielding a dataset with improved consistency, and highlights the urgent need for adapted standard operating procedures and reference materials to address the MedSea biogeochemical particularities. CARIMED delivers two complementary, freely available products: the aggregated original cruise data product (https://doi.org/10.20350/digitalCSIC/17785; García-Ibáñez et al., 2025) and the final bias-adjusted data synthesis product (https://doi.org/10.25921/cp5b-zq67; Álvarez et al., 2025). This essential resource establishes a new benchmark for assessing long-term biogeochemical trends, validating regional ocean models, and supporting climate-change mitigation and adaptation strategies in this rapidly changing semi-enclosed basin.

Universidade da Coruña (ES), Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats (ES), Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (US), Middle East Technical University (TR), Aix-Marseille Université (FR), Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research (NO), GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel (DE), Sorbonne Université (FR), Instituto Español de Oceanografía (ES), National Council for Scientific Research (LB), Instituto de Investigacións Mariñas (ES), Institut Català de Ciències del Clima (ES), NORCE Research AS (NO), Istituto di Scienze Marine del Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IT), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR), Ecole Nationale Supérieure des Sciences de la Mer et de l'Aménagement du Littoral (DZ), Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía (ES), Institut de Ciències del Mar (ES), NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (US), NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (US), Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche (FR), National Institute of Oceanography and Applied Geophysics (IT), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (FR), Universidade de Vigo (ES), Universitat de Barcelona (ES)
Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, European Commission, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Agencia Estatal de Investigación, National Centers for Environmental Information
Life below water
Openalex Percentile: Top 28%
Marine and coastal ecosystems
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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