Death assemblages found in the Augusta Roadstead harbour (Mediterranean Sea) reflected some modifications in benthic environment that occurred since the 1960s, when the construction of dams closed the commercial harbour. In particular, evidence of a drop in the hydrodynamic levels were found, together with a mud sedimentation increasing. Furthermore, a turbidity phase characterized by a dominant Corbula gibba was identified as due to extensive dredging. Such temporary communities, distributed in accordance to the degree of instability and pollution, preceded the present day, very poor and destructured benthic assemblages.