Evaluating ecosystem change as Gulf of Alaska temperature exceeds the limits of preindustrial variability

•We evaluated the community-level impacts of extreme Gulf of Alaska temperatures.•Plankton community response to temperature indicates bottom-up climate effects.•Upper trophic level responses to temperature have changed over time.•Correlations among climate and community variables have also changed over time.•We found no evidence of an incipient shift to an alternative community state.