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Microbial community assembly and metabolic function during mammalian corpse decomposition.

Jessica L Metcalf1, Zhenjiang Zech Xu2, Sophie Weiss3

  • 1Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA. Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA 92037, USA. robknight@ucsd.edu jessica.metcalf@colorado.edu.

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Microbial communities drive nutrient cycling during vertebrate decomposition. This reproducible process, primarily from soil microbes, aids nitrogen cycling and offers forensic insights.

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Area of Science:

  • Microbiology
  • Biogeochemistry
  • Ecology

Background:

  • Vertebrate corpse decomposition is crucial for nutrient cycling in terrestrial ecosystems.
  • Microbially mediated decomposition processes remain poorly understood.
  • Understanding microbial community assembly is key to nutrient cycling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the principles governing microbial community assembly during vertebrate decomposition.
  • To characterize microbial communities and their metabolic roles in decomposition.
  • To assess the reproducibility of decomposition processes for forensic applications.

Main Methods:

  • Deep microbial community characterization (DNA sequencing).
  • Community-level metabolic reconstruction.
  • Soil biogeochemical assessment.

Main Results:

  • Identified key bacterial and fungal groups involved in nitrogen cycling.
  • Observed a reproducible network of decomposer microbes emerging on predictable timescales.
  • Decomposer communities are primarily sourced from bulk soil, with key members present ubiquitously at low abundance.
  • Soil type had minimal impact on community development.

Conclusions:

  • Microbial decomposition of vertebrate corpses is a reproducible process.
  • This reproducibility has significant implications for forensic science.
  • The study provides a foundational understanding of microbial roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling.