Abstract
A survey of the region eastward of Nantucket provided an opportunity to examine the cold temperate–boreal boundary along the high‐energy Great South Channel. Here described are the benthic macroinvertebrate community types encountered, with a focus on the influence of climate change on the range boundaries of the benthic biomass dominants and the potential existence of transient multiple stable states. The survey identified three primary community types. The shallowest sites were occupied by a surfclam‐dominated community, comprising an abundance of large (≥150 mm) surfclams, and a few common attached epibiota primarily attached to exposed surfclam shell. Two communities exist at intermediate depths, one dominated by submarket and small market‐size surfclams (