Delta-associated molluscan life and death assemblages in the northern Adriatic Sea: Implications for paleoecology, regional diversity and conservation

► Living and dead molluscs characterize delta-associated habitats well. ► Death assemblages have high species richness and evenness, but low beta diversity. ► No large-scale redistribution of empty shells occurred. ► Death assemblages capture regional molluscan diversity better than live assemblages. ► Surface molluscan composition does not indicate a recent human-induced faunal change.