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Updated: Mar 2, 2026
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Linking Predation Risk, Herbivore Physiological Stress and Microbial Decomposition of Plant Litter
Published on: March 12, 2013
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A comparative in situ decomposition study using still born piglets and leaf litter from a deciduous forest
Ayodeji O Olakanye1, Andrew Nelson2, T Komang Ralebitso-Senior1
1Department of Science, School of Science and Engineering, Teesside University, Borough Road, Middlesbrough, Teesside, TS1 3BX, United Kingdom.
Forensic Science International
|May 18, 2017
Summary
Forensic ecogenomics uses microbial shifts to estimate time since death. Piglet and leaf litter decomposition revealed seasonal microbial patterns, aiding postmortem interval estimations.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Science
- Microbiology
- Ecology
Background:
- Cadavers and plant litter are energy sources driving complex decomposition processes impacting environmental microbiota.
- Molecular microbiology, particularly 16S rRNA gene sequencing, enables forensic ecogenomics to address knowledge gaps in decomposition studies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate subsurface microbiome shifts as a novel tool for establishing a "postmortem microbial clock."
- To augment postmortem interval (PMI) and time-since-burial estimations using microbial data.
Main Methods:
- An in situ study involving triplicate underground burials of piglets (human taphonomic proxies) and Quercus robur leaf litter.
- Monitoring of microbial community structure and composition over 270 days.
Main Results:
- Microbial community shifts were directly correlated with seasonal temperature changes, with more pronounced shifts observed during summer.
- Methylococcaceae were identified as potential seasonal bacterial indicators for establishing a postmortem microbial clock.
- Methylophilaceae and Anaerolineaceae differentiated between piglet and leaf litter soils 180 days post-internment.
Conclusions:
- Subsurface microbiome analysis offers a promising approach for developing a postmortem microbial clock.
- Seasonal microbial variations are crucial factors to consider when estimating PMI and time since burial.
- Specific microbial taxa can serve as indicators for environmental conditions and decomposition progression.
