Effects of an experimental in situ diesel oil spill on the benthic community of unvegetated tidal flats in a subtropical estuary (Paranaguá Bay, Brazil)

► We used a M-BACI model to assess the responses of macrobenthic associations to diesel oil. ► Massive mortality was recorded just after the impact, but faunal recovery was extremely fast. ► Benthic associations were resilient or tolerant to disturbance at the tested experimental scales.