We thank Larry Peterson for his assistance with porosity data through Hole1002C and the revised biostratigraphy of the succession of Cariaco Basin, Bernard Beaudoin and Martine Audignier of the Paris School of Mines for their porosity data from some samples of the La Luna Formation, Maurice Renard for providing all facilities for the sampling of the Querecual core sections, Angeline Miller of the ODP for many thorough corrections of form and language, and Mark Leckie and Walter Dean for helpful review of the manuscript. Financial support for analysis was provided by ODP France.