摘要：Organic pollution of domestic origin represents the most important cause of water quality deterioration in rural and mountainous areas of the northern Apennines. In this study, the ecological consequences of a small sewage dump in the Caramagna Creek (northwestern Italy) were analyzed. The addition of organic matter and nutrients led to a dramatic change in the taxonomic richness and density of the macrobenthic community. Also functional, biological, and ecological composition of the invertebrate assemblages changed downstream of the effluent. Interestingly, benthic chlorophyll a showed only a weak increase in the downstream section, despite the increased levels of nutrients. This work emphasizes the importance of better management of sewage treatment also in remote areas.
