Abundance,distribution and habitat preference of Hippocampus guttulatus and Hippocampus hippocampus in a semi‐enclosed central Mediterranean marine area

Population abundance, distribution and habitat preference of the Mediterranean sympatric seahorses Hippocampus guttulatus and Hippocampus hippocampus were investigated in a semi‐enclosed sea system (Apulian coast, Ionian Sea). A total of 242 individuals of seahorses were sighted in the 11 transects surveyed in summer 2011. Hippocampus guttulatus (n = 225) were 14 times more abundant than H. hippocampus (17). The mean abundance of H. guttulatus for all the pooled sites was 0.018 m^?2 (SE ± 0.003) ranging from a maximum of 0.035 (SE ± 0.007) to a minimum of 0.008 (SE ± 0.002). The size structure of long‐snouted seahorse shows a population ranging from 7 to 14 cm (SL) with a peak at 10 cm (TL). Juveniles (96.0 ± 8.0 mm) represent a significant fraction of the population, accounting more than 21% of the sighted individuals. In Mar Piccolo, H. guttulatus is able to shelter both in monotonous habitats, including the algal beds, and diversified ones, such as the rich filter‐feeder communities that colonize hard substrates. By contrast, H. hippocampus is mainly associated with habitats of low complexity. Today, the Mar Piccolo di Taranto is among the most heavily polluted water bodies in South Italy, with trace metals, hydrocarbons, pesticides and organic wastes affecting both biotic and abiotic matrices. However, despite the high level of degradation, the presence of a large mussel farm has avoided the impact of towed fishing gears, and eutrophication of water bodies has ensured a high trophic level that supports large crustacean populations, potential prey for seahorses.     

Spatial and seasonal patterns in sighting rate and life-history composition of the white shark Carcharodon carcharias at Mossel Bay,South Africa

White sharks Carcharodon carcharias aggregate at specific times of the year at localities along the South African coast. At Mossel Bay, on the southern Cape coast, four sites were sampled (Seal Island, Hartenbos, Kleinbrak and Grootbrak) to investigate spatial and seasonal patterns in relative abundance and life-history composition. These are known aggregation sites within the bay, each having particular physical and/or biological characteristics. Sightings-per-unit-effort data were collected from February to December 2008–2010. Sighting rates demonstrated significant seasonal and interannual variation at the four sites. The highest mean sighting rate was recorded at Seal Island and the lowest at Hartenbos, which might be a consequence of differences in prey availability. The greatest interannual variability was recorded at Kleinbrak, followed by Seal Island, with little variability at Grootbrak and Hartenbos. White sharks appeared to concentrate at Grootbrak and Kleinbrak in summer and autumn, at Seal Island in winter, and at Hartenbos and Seal Island in spring. All life-history stages were present year-round but their occurrence was influenced significantly by season (p < 0.05), although not site. Few adults (325–424 cm total length) were seen, with the highest frequency being in spring, whereas that of young-of-the-year (≤174 cm) was in autumn. Juveniles (175–324 cm) constituted 78% of the animals sighted, indicating that Mossel Bay is an important aggregation site for this life-history stage.     

獐子岛海域和胶州湾表层微微型浮游植物丰度和生物量的季节变化比较

为全面了解黄海典型海区微微型浮游植物的季节变化特征,于2009年7月至2010年6月在北黄海獐子岛海域和2010年1~12月在南黄海胶州湾进行逐月调查采样,利用流式细胞仪检测了表层海水中微微型浮游植物(picophytoplankton)的丰度,包括聚球藻(Synechococcus,SYN)和微微型真核浮游植物(picoeukaryotes,PEUK),并分析了其与环境因子的关系。獐子岛海域和胶州湾SYN和PEUK全年广泛分布,獐子岛海域SYN丰度范围在0.05×10³~120.00×10³cells/mL之间,丰度在秋季最高;胶州湾SYN丰度范围在0.02×10³~61.80×10³cells/mL之间,丰度在夏季最高。獐子岛海域PEUK丰度范围在0.01×10³~18.76×10³cells/mL之间,丰度在秋季最高;胶州湾PEUK丰度范围在0.25×10³~95.57×10³ cells/mL之间,丰度在春季最高。獐子岛海域微微型浮游植物丰度组成以SYN为主;而胶州湾以PEUK为主。PEUK是两海区微微型浮游植物生物量的主要贡献者。相关性分析结果表明,温度是影响两海区SYN丰度季节变化的最主要因素;影响PEUK季节分布的因素不完全一致,獐子岛海域PEUK丰度主要受温度调控;胶州湾PEUK丰度主要受温度和营养盐浓度影响。与已有研究比较,这两个海区的微微型浮游植物生物量对浮游植物生物量的贡献明显高于其他温带沿岸海域,预示微微型浮游植物在獐子岛海域和胶州湾生态系统中的重要作用,值得进一步深入研究。     

胶州湾微微型浮游植物丰度及其与环境因子的相关性分析

利用流式细胞仪对胶州湾微微型浮游植物4个季节的丰度分布进行了研究,并分析了微微型浮游植物与环境因子的相关性。结果表明,聚球藻的丰度在2.17×102—2.329×104个/ml之间,高值区主要分布在湾内西部和湾口海域;仅夏季、冬季丰度之间有显著性差异;夏季在垂直分布上差异显著,在B3、C4、D5连续站昼夜变化趋势基本一致,分别在13:00和3:00出现峰值。微微型真核浮游植物的丰度分布在1.028×103—8.651×104个/ml之间,主要活跃于湾内西部海域;四季丰度在垂直分布上差异不显著;春、夏季丰度明显高于秋、冬季;夏季连续站昼夜变化趋势与聚球藻基本一致。通过主成分分析表明,聚球藻和微微型真核浮游植物丰度在不同季节受不同环境因子的影响,在冬季与温度有关,温度升高,二者的丰度增高。在其它季节,二者丰度主要受营养盐等环境因子的影响。     

崇明东滩潮沟浮游动物数量分布与变动

根据2008年4-12月对上海市崇明岛东滩潮沟进行4个季节的浮游动物调查资料,研究了崇明东滩潮沟浮游动物的数量分布及变动。结果表明,调查区浮游动物总丰度较高,四季变化明显。受潮汐作用的影响,夏、秋、冬三季落潮时丰度大于涨潮时,春季涨潮时丰度则大于落潮时。浮游动物在6条潮沟的平面分布不均匀,春季东旺沙边滩区和北八边滩区的数量明显多于近团结沙边滩区,夏、秋季分别以东旺沙边滩区和北八滧边滩区的数量最多,冬季则以近团结沙边滩区的数量最多。主要优势种细巧华哲水蚤(Sinocalanus tenellus)、中华华哲水蚤(Sinocalanus sinensis)、火腿许水蚤(Schmackeria poplesia)、四刺窄腹剑水蚤(Limnoithona etraspina)和四刺破足猛水蚤(Mesochra quadrispinosa)等数量的季节、潮汐变化及各时期的空间分布格局差异明显,其数量分布情况决定了浮游动物总数量的分布。盐度是影响冬、春季涨潮时浮游动物总丰度分布的主要因子,水温则是影响夏、秋季涨潮时总丰度分布的主要因子。此外,径流及潮流等动力因素对潮沟浮游动物数量的时空分布也产生重要影响。     

Saldanha Bay,South Africa II: estimating bay productivity

Saldanha Bay is a narrow-mouth bay on the west coast of South Africa linked to the southern Benguela upwelling system. Bay productivity was investigated by use of the conventional light-and-dark bottle oxygen method, and, for comparison, through assimilation of the stable isotope tracer ¹³C. Gross community production GCP and net community production NCP, as determined from the oxygen method, were respectively 2.6 and 2.4 times higher than estimates determined from the stable isotope method. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations increased with the onset of spring and well-defined subsurface maxima developed in association with increasingly stratified conditions (mean water column Chl a concentrations ranged from 5.4 to 31.5?mg m^?3 [mean 15.5?mg m^?3; SD 7.6]). A sharp decline in photosynthetic rates P* (GCP normalised to Chl a concentration) with depth was attributed to light limitation, as demonstrated by the high vertical attenuation coefficients for downward irradiance K_d, which varied from 0.29 to 0.70?m^?1 (mean 0.48?m^?1; SD 0.12). Productivity maxima were consequently near-surface despite the presence of deeper subsurface biomass maxima. The community compensation depth Z_cc, where gross community production balances respiratory carbon loss for the entire community, ranged from 2.9 to 9.2?m (mean 5.8?m; SD 2.2), and was typically shallower than the 1% light depth for PAR (photosynthetically available radiation), Z1%PAR, which is traditionally assumed to be the depth of the euphotic zone and which ranged from 6.6 to 15.9?m (mean 9?m; SD 2.6). Autotrophic communities, where organic matter is produced in excess of respiratory demand, were confined on average to the upper 5.8?m of the water column, and often excluded the bulk of the phytoplankton community, where light limitation is considered to lead to heterotrophic community metabolism. Estimates of integrated water column productivity ranged from 0.84 to 8.46?g C m–2 d^?1 (mean 3.35?g C m^?2 d^?1; SD 1.9).     

莱州湾近岸海域浮游纤毛虫群落组成和季节变化

浮游纤毛虫是真核微型生物的重要类群,在浮游生态系统中发挥着重要作用。利用传统形态学与高通量测序技术相结合的方法,于2020年9月至2021年8月对莱州湾三山岛近岸浮游纤毛虫进行每月两次的调查。对环境DNA的18S rRNA基因的V4区进行高通量测序,结果显示无壳寡毛类(占纤毛虫序列丰度的40.14%)和砂壳纤毛虫(10.67%)是优势类群,并且具有明显的季节变化。无壳寡毛类在冬季序列相对丰度最高,主要由急游虫属(Strombidium)和急游虫科未定类群(Strombidiidae_X)组成;砂壳类在春夏季序列相对丰度最高,主要由砂壳目未定类群(Tintinnida_XX)和拟铃虫属(Tintinnopsis)组成。浮游纤毛虫群落的β多样性呈现显著的季节变化,而α和β多样性在站点间差异均不显著。与环境因子的RDA分析显示,总有机碳和溶解氧含量是影响纤毛虫群落结构的主要环境驱动因子。形态学方法共检获鉴定17种纤毛虫,分别隶属于7个属,其中砂壳类在多样性和检获频率上均为最优势类群。研究填补了莱州湾三山岛海域浮游纤毛虫的多样性、群落结构和季节动态研究的空白,同时为深入研究温带海湾近岸浮游纤毛虫群落的长期变化规律以及对环境因子的响应机制提供本底资料。     

北黄海獐子岛海域浮游动物群落年际变化

本文比较了海洋普查期间（1959年1-12月）和2009-2010年獐子岛海域附近站位的浮游动物的种类组成、优势种、丰度、生物多样性,结果显示,北黄海区域浮游动物群落物种组成未发生较大的变化,在獐子岛海域以及整个北黄海,中华哲水蚤和强壮箭虫的优势种地位没有发生变化,细足法虫戎也一直出现且为冬春季的优势种;太平洋磷虾在2009-2010年獐子岛海域虽然全年均有出现,但是全年均不是优势种,而在1959年的獐子岛海域,作为优势种出现在4月和11月;1959年与2009年相较,腹针胸刺水蚤在春夏季优势种的地位被沃氏纺锤水蚤所取代。2009年浮游动物丰度（131.26 ind/m3）比1959年（78.90 ind/m3）高;浮游动物多样性指数（H'）均在夏秋季高于冬春季节,且年平均多样性指数也有所提高。     

Vertical distribution of zooplankton in Canary Island waters: implications for export flux

Zooplankton biomass, gut fluorescence and electron transfer system (ETS) activity were measured in vertical profiles (0–900 m) in two different size classes (<1 and >1 mm) in Canary Island waters. Both size fractions displayed a typical pattern of distribution with higher biomass, gut fluorescence and ETS in the shallower layers at night. By day, however, the vertical distribution varied between the size fractions, with higher biomass of the small fraction in the 0–200 m and a layer of large organisms at depth (∼500 m). For both size fractions, average ETS activity was higher by day than at night at depths between 200 and 600 m. Similarly, gut fluorescence was slightly higher by day below 200 m. The downward export of respiratory carbon was 1.92 and 4.29 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ for samples obtained southwest of Gran Canaria Island and west of Tenerife Island respectively, being 2.68 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ for the whole area. These values represented 16–45% (22–28% for the area) of the calculated passive particulate export production resulting from primary production. The estimated “gut flux” accounted for 0.35 (western zone) and 2.37 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ (southwest of Gran Canaria), being 1.28 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ for the whole area and represented between 3 and 25% (11–14% for the whole area) of the estimated passive particle export flux. These results agree with previous estimates and suggest that diel-migrant zooplankton can play an important role in the downward flux of carbon.     

Larval fish distribution in shallow coastal waters off North Western Iberia (NE Atlantic)

Monthly sampling for ichthyoplankton was conducted at three stations very near to the coast (near to shore shallow stations before the surf zone in direction to the shoreline) of Atlantic northwestern Portugal within contrasting localities: rocky shore, in front of a sandy beach receiving an estuary and a fishing port with heavy anthropogenic impact. Sampling was conducted from August 2002 to October 2003, always at full moon, at low tide and high tide in daylight hours, at the water column using a 48 cm diameter plankton net with 335 μm mesh. Analysis of the physico-chemical parameters pointed out the spatial (horizontal) homogeneity of the sampling area. Fish larvae from 41 taxa belonging to 17 families were identified; Blenniidae, Labridae, Ammodytidae, Clupeidae, Gobiidae, Soleidae and Gobiesocidae were the most representative during the study period. Parablennius gattorugine, Ammodytes tobianus, Symphodus melops, Sardina pilchardus, Lipophrys pholis and Coryphoblennius galerita were the most representative species (percentage contribution to total abundance). Peak abundance of fish eggs occurred during May, June and August 2003 and fish larvae occurred during May and July 2003 and August 2002 and 2003; there was a pronounced winter/early spring (March 2003) peak in larval abundance dominated by the small sandeel A. tobianus. This study identifies the occurrence of a conspicuous assemblage of larval fishes at very nearshore shallow environments of a variety of species with different adult habitats: the fish larvae assemblage was dominated by intertidal species. The present study has shown that temporal and spatial variations in the larval fish assemblage are related to environmental conditions and biological dynamics: the results suggest that abiotic conditions mediate biotic parameters, and that both abiotic and biotic characteristics regulated the larval fishes at very nearshore shallow environments.     

2018年烟台四十里湾及其邻近海域网采浮游植物群落结构的时空变化

本文基于2018年5月（春季）、8月（夏季）、11月（秋季）和2019年1月（冬季）季度航次调查,采用冗余分析（RDA）和Bray-Curtis相似性聚类分析方法,讨论了烟台四十里湾及其邻近海域网采浮游植物丰度、优势种组成、多样性指数、均匀度指数的分布特征以及浮游植物与环境因子的关系。本年度调查共发现浮游植物4门69属116种,其中硅藻门50属85种,甲藻门15属27种,着色鞭毛藻门3属3种,未定类1种（三深碎裂藻,Ebria tripartita）。浮游植物丰度在8月份达到年度最高值,为2.89×10⁸cells/m³,秋季次之,春季最低,春、秋、冬季浮游植物丰度均为~10⁵cells/m³。硅藻门在4个季节中均占绝对优势,除春季出现甲藻门（夜光藻）优势种外,其余季节浮游植物优势种均为硅藻门。相邻季节浮游植物优势种更替明显,未出现4个季节共有的优势种。浮游植物多样性和均匀度指数均在夏季达到最低值,分别为1.58和0.31。RDA排序分析显示,不同季节影响浮游植物群落分布的环境因子不同,总体来讲,温度、溶解氧浓度、SiO₃^2-浓度和NO₃^-浓度对浮游植物的丰度和平面分布有显著影响。Bray-Curtis相似性聚类结果显示,2018年每个季节浮游植物群落分布均可分为两个类群,其分布受营养盐分布的影响较为明显。     

A potential source of recruitment of Acartia pacifica nauplii: viable benthic resting eggs

Many estuarine and coastal planktonic copepods depend on the hatching of benthic resting eggs for recruitment of nauplii to the water column population. The distribution and abundance of viable resting eggs of Acartia pacifica in the Xiamen Bay were determined by the presence of nauplii in the laboratory. The number of viable eggs varied temporally and spatially. The maximum number (9.2×10⁴m^-2) of viable eggs was in summer. In spring the average abundance of viable eggs was 5.6×10⁴ m^-2. The abundances of viable eggs in fall and winter were similar, respectively 2.7×10⁴ and 3.3×10⁴ m^-2, which were the lowest in the year. The numbers of viable eggs inside the stations of the Xiamen Bay were higher than those outside the stations. The viable eggs were found at all depths (0～10 cm),although not in every station. The maximin number did not necessarily occur in the uppermost centimeter of the sediments but often occurred several centimeters below the water-sediment interface. The accumulation of viable eggs in the seabed of a subtropical bay constitutes a potential source of recruitment of nauplii into the pelagic population.     

短小拟五角蟹的分布新记录

2022年9月作者在浙江宁波象山港海域采集到短小拟五角蟹(Paranursia abbreviata),由此短小拟五角蟹的地理分布记录从中国的海南岛、广东、香港和福建扩展到东海北部,即浙江北部的象山港。本文对其形态特征进行了详细的描述,并讨论了其与历史记载的外形差异。由于象山港冬季水温较低,推测短小拟五角蟹在象山港的出现可能是台湾暖流携带幼体定居导致的偶然现象。     

南海北部上层鱼类浮游生物多样性和丰度的季节变化

The objective of this study was to investigate the seasonal variations of ichthyoplankton diversity and abun-dance in the northern South China Sea based on the data collected during summer, winter and spring. In total, 95 taxa of larval fishes were identified. The greatest number of species was recorded in spring, followed by summer and winter. The number of species was distributed mainly in the coastal waters from the east of Leizhou Peninsula to the southeast of Hainan Island during the surveyed periods of summer and spring, but in the offshore waters during winter. The abundance of larval fish was lowest in winter, increased in spring, and reached the maximum in summer. High abundance of larval fish was generally restricted to coastal waters with the isobaths less than 50 m. Seasonal variations of larval fish richness, abundance and diversity index were significant （P〈0.001）. Carangidae was the most common and abundant taxon in summer and winter, whileSardinella sp.,Thrissa mystax andLeiognathus sp. were dominant in spring. High diversity and abundance of larval fish might be attributed to increased temperature and coastal upwelling in spring and summer.     

冬季和春季长江口及其近海水域浮游病毒丰度的分析

采用荧光显微技术,对2006年长江口及近海水域20个站点的表层及10m层或潜水体冬、春两季的浮游病毒丰度进行了检测,对浮游病毒丰度在季节（冬、春两季）、水平分布和垂直分布上的变化进行了探讨.调查区浮游病毒丰度在冬、春季节上并无明显差异,但在水平分布上存在很大差异,河口区浮游病毒直接检测量（Virus Direct Count, VDC）达到10^7个/ml,近海水域VDC为10^6个/ml,河口区的浮游病毒丰度都明显高于近海水域病毒丰度 （P＜0.01）.在垂直分布上,冬、春两季长江口水域水深小于10m的站位,表层浮游病毒丰度与底层病毒丰度无明显差别,水深大于10m的站位,表层水样的浮游病毒丰度都高于10m水层病毒丰度,说明长江口浮游病毒的垂直分布与站位总水深有关.还通过比较各站点VDC与叶绿素a含量的数据,分析了二者之间的相关性：冬季浮游病毒丰度与叶绿素a含量成正相关性;春季浮游病毒丰度与叶绿素a含量成负相关性,但病毒丰度受叶绿素a含量的影响仅为10%-11%.     

獐子岛海域浮游甲藻及有毒微藻的年际变化研究

2011—2017年,每月一次,通过对獐子岛海域29个站位浮游甲藻的调查,探究浮游甲藻种群结构的年际变化特征。发现了浮游甲藻19属47种,其中原多甲藻属(Protoperidinium)种类最多为17种,鳍藻属(Dinophysis)和角藻属(Ceratium)各4种,裸甲藻属(Gymnodinium)和原甲藻属(Prorocentrum)各3种,膝沟藻属(Gonyaulax)和环沟藻属(Gyrodinium)各2种,原角藻属(Protoceratium)、夜光藻属(Noctiluca)和凯伦藻属(Karenia)等均为1种。浮游甲藻种类数呈逐年递增,季节上呈现夏季和秋季较多,春季次之,冬季最少。浮游甲藻密度变化区间为(2.376—339.323)×10~4/m~3,平均密度为65.479×10~4/m~3,亦呈现夏季和秋季较高,春季次之,冬季最低,但密度呈逐年递减,且不同站位间差异较大。调查期间,不同季节优势种类有相同性,如三角角藻(Ceratium tripos)、梭角藻(Ceratiumfusus)和亚历山大藻(Alexandriumsp.)为四季优势种,但亦有差异,如鳍藻(Dinophysisspp.)和夜光藻(Noctilucascintillans)为夏季和秋季优势种,网状原角藻(Protoceratium reticulatum)为冬季和春季优势种。优势种中有毒微藻呈逐年增多趋势,有毒的链状裸甲藻(Gymnodiniumcatenatum)、米氏凯伦藻(Kareniamikimotoi)和具尾鳍藻(Dinophysiscaudata)等非优势种在獐子岛海域首次发现。浮游甲藻群落的香农-威纳指数、丰富度指数、均匀度指数均为秋季夏季春季冬季,呈逐年递增趋势。近年来,獐子岛海域浮游生物群落甲藻化和有毒化趋势明显,可能与海水营养盐比例失衡、海水酸化、北黄海冷水团、双壳贝类大规模养殖等有关。     

山东长岛潮间带大型底栖动物生态特征研究

2015年11月(秋季)、2016年2月(冬季)、2016年6月(春季)、2016年9月(夏季)大潮期间对山东长岛列岛中南长山岛和北长山岛的3个不同底质类型的潮间带采样点进行了系统的大型底栖动物调查,研究了其数量特征和季节变化,包括群落种类组成、密度和生物量、优势种、物种多样性等,结果表明:本次调查共鉴定出大型底栖动物隶属7个门,共81种。其中环节动物门多毛类动物25种,软体动物门25种,节肢动物门22种,棘皮动物门6种,其他类群共3种(包括纽虫、腔肠动物和鱼类各1种)。潮间带大型底栖动物平均密度为118.97 ind./m~2,软体动物和甲壳动物占据了研究区域底栖群落的密度主要成分,两者分别占比为39.58%和36.68%。各采样点平均密度为北长山岛(BCS)(141.17 ind./m~2)避险角(NCS1)(122.33ind./m~2)明珠广场东(NCS2)(93.42ind./m~2);各采样点平均生物量为128.03g/m~2,软体动物和甲壳动物占据了研究区域底栖群落的生物量主要成分,两者分别占比为58.56%和35.32%。平均生物量北长山岛(BCS)(234.95g/m~2)避险角(NCS1)(99.99g/m~2)明珠广场东(NCS2)(49.13g/m~2)。从季节来看,各站点的物种数、平均密度和生物量季节变化的规律性不明显,总体为秋、春季较多,夏、冬季较少。3个站点物种多样性指数(H′)、丰富度指数(D)和均匀度指数(J′)平均值分别为2.30、1.99和0.79,各潮区中,均为中潮带低潮带高潮带,各季节变化不明显。优势种受底质类型和季节变化的影响明显,没有在各站点和季节均为优势种的种类,主要的优势种有平背蜞(Gaetice depressus)、绒螯近方蟹(Hemigrapsus penicillatus)、短滨螺(Littorina brevicula)等。与以往历史资料相比,长岛潮间带生物出现了一定变化,种类和数量减少,与烟台近岸潮间带大型底栖动物种类组成差别很大。     

烟台四十里湾浮游植物群落的季节变化及其对环境的指示意义

2009年8,10,12月及2010年3月分别对烟台四十里湾的12个站位开展了四个航次的季节调查.研究发现浮游植物3门45属73种,其中硅藻46种,甲藻24种,褐胞藻3种.硅藻是构成调查区域浮游植物群落的主要类群.浮游植物种类与数量呈现出明显的季节变化特征.夏季(8月)物种数最多(57种),秋季(10月)次之(40种)...     

White sharks Carcharodon carcharias at Bird Island,Algoa Bay,South Africa

We present the first quantitative study of the occurrence, size and sex of white sharks Carcharodon carcharias at Bird Island, Algoa Bay. Twenty-two boat trips were made to Bird Island between November 2009 and October 2011 to chum for sharks. A total of 53 sharks was observed over the study period, ranging in size from 1.5 to 4.5 m total length (TL) and with the majority (60.3%) being <3 m TL. The sex ratio of sharks for which sex could be determined was not significantly different from unity. In both study years, sharks were present only in the winter between April and November with a maximum of 1.2 sharks sighted per hour. A zero-altered model, comprising a logistic regression to model presence/absence and a log-normal generalised linear model for abundance, showed that season explained the presence of sharks, peaking in mid-July, with abundance being significantly higher with higher barometric pressure. This study identified Bird Island as an important white shark aggregation site on the east coast of South Africa. These data are crucial not only to improve our understanding of white shark seasonal distribution and biology, but also for the long-term management and conservation of the species in South Africa.