abstract Regional benthic surveys have been conducted in the Lower Bay Complex (Lower Bay, Raritan Bay, and Sandy Hook Bay) over a four-decade period from 1957–95. The data showed that the benthos is broadly structured by the sedimentary and hydrographic regime into a north-south pattern. Species associated with muddy sediments dominated Raritan and Sandy Hook Bays and a sand fauna was prevalent in Lower Bay. Both assemblages were dominated by sessile surface depositing feeders and suspension feeders. While faunal associations have remained stable over time, community structure was characterized by high annual variability, and there was clear evidence of habitat changes over several decades. Detailed analysis of benthic community structure was hampered by a number of problems including: 1) high annual variability, 2) differences in sampling methods among regional studies, 3) goodness-of-fit problems in the multivariate analyses, and 4) weak faunal-environmental relationships.

Introduction

The Lower Bay Complex is a triangular body of water that is bounded by Brooklyn, the Atlantic Ocean and Sandy Hook on the east, New Jersey to the south, and Staten Island to the west (Fig. 18.1). It consists of three connected bays: Lower Bay, Raritan Bay, and Sandy Hook Bay. It is a generally shallow, well-mixed estuary, with only dredged ship channels, sand mining areas, and the region near the Narrows exceeding 8 m in depth.