Natural cave passages penetrating a coastal aquifer in the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) were accessed to investigate how regional meteorology and hydrology control methane dynamics in karst subterranean estuaries. Three field trips were carried out in January 2015, June 2015, and January 2016 to obtain year-long high-resolution temporal records of water chemistry and environmental parameters below and above the surface at a site (Cenote Bang) within the Ox Bel Ha cave network. These efforts resulted in ...

Natural cave passages penetrating a coastal aquifer in the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) were accessed to test the hypothesis that chemoclines associated with salinity gradients (haloclines) within the flooded cave networks of the karst subterranean estuary are sites of methane oxidation. Two field trips were carried out to the fully-submerged cave system located 6.6 km inland from the coastline in January 2015 and January 2016. Vertical chemical profiles across the water column haloclines were obtained using ...

Natural cave passages penetrating coastal aquifers in the Yucatan Peninsula (Quintana Roo, Mexico) were accessed to investigate how regional meteorology and hydrology control dissolved organic carbon and methane dynamics in karst subterranean estuaries, the region of aquifers where fresh and saline waters mix. Three field trips were carried out in December 2013, August 2014, and January 2015 to obtain 1) physicochemical and 2) geochemical data from the water column and 3) temporal records of water chemistry ...

Natural cave passages penetrating coastal aquifers in the Yucatan Peninsula (Quintana Roo, Mexico) were accessed to investigate how regional meteorology and hydrology control dissolved organic carbon and methane dynamics in karst subterranean estuaries, the region of aquifers where fresh and saline waters mix. Three field trips were carried out in December 2013, August 2014, and January 2015 to obtain 1) physicochemical and 2) geochemical data from the water column and 3) temporal records of water chemistry ...

Natural cave passages penetrating coastal aquifers in the Yucatan Peninsula (Quintana Roo, Mexico) were accessed to investigate how regional meteorology and hydrology control dissolved organic carbon and methane dynamics in karst subterranean estuaries, the region of aquifers where fresh and saline waters mix. Three field trips were carried out in December 2013, August 2014, and January 2015 to obtain 1) physicochemical and 2) geochemical data from the water column and 3) temporal records of water chemistry ...

Subterranean estuaries extend inland into density-stratified coastal carbonate aquifers that contain a surprising diversity of endemic animals (mostly crustaceans) within a highly oligotrophic environment. How complex ecosystems thrive in this globally-distributed, cryptic habitat (termed anchialine) is poorly understood. The northeastern margin of the Yucatan Peninsula contains over 250 km of mapped, diver-accessible caves passages where previous studies have suggested chemoautotrophic processes are the ...

Subterranean estuaries extend inland into density-stratified coastal carbonate aquifers that contain a surprising diversity of endemic animals (mostly crustaceans) within a highly oligotrophic environment. How complex ecosystems thrive in this globally-distributed, cryptic habitat (termed anchialine) is poorly understood. The northeastern margin of the Yucatan Peninsula contains over 250 km of mapped, diver-accessible caves passages where previous studies have suggested chemoautotrophic processes are the ...

Natural flooded caves were accessed along the coastline of the Yucatan Peninsula (Quintana Roo, Mexico) to investigate how regional meteorologic and hydrologic processes control solute transport, mixing, and salinization in the coastal aquifer. Instruments were deployed to monitor environmental parameters within the Ox Bel Ha Cave System accessed through the sinkhole Cenote Bang. These efforts resulted in temporal hydrologic records of specific conductivity, water level (pressure), dissolved oxygen, flow ...