Decomposition of juvenile-sized remains: a macro- and microscopic perspective

There is currently a dearth of research investigating the progression and rate of decomposition for juvenile remains. It is thought that juveniles and infants decompose at an increased rate relative to adults due simply to body mass and that skeletal preservation is commonly dependent on intrinsic levels of bone mineral density (BMD). This study investigates the environmental variables important in driving juvenile decomposition as well as examining if currently accepted methodology for quantifying adult decomposition can be applied to juvenile remains. Furthermore, histological analysis is undertaken to test the Histological Index (HI) as a semi-quantitative indicator of decomposition. Thirty-five Sus scrofa ranging between 1.8 and 22.7 kg were deposited to simulate body mass of human infant and juvenile remains. Pigs were deposited every season over two years in the southeastern US with five depositional types: bagged, blanket wrapped, and surface control foetal remains, surface, and buried juvenile remains. Remains were scored quantitatively throughout soft tissue decomposition. Following study completion and skeletonization, a femur was selected from each set of remains for histological analysis. Thick sections were assessed under standard brightfield light and scored using Oxford Histological Index (OHI). Results indicate that seasonal variation is an important factor to consider even when using a standardized time variable such as accumulated degree days (ADD), particularly variation in soil moisture. Soil moisture was a consistent significant variable in the mixed effects model. The pattern of decomposition using total body score (TBS) was similar to that observed by others prior to log transformation with a rapid incline early in decomposition with levelling off. The correlation between time in days, ADD, and TBS was not as strong as those previously reported (R ² = 0.317 and 0.499, respectively) suggesting that TBS as it is currently formulated cannot be directly applied to juvenile remains. Finally, the OHI model performed moderately well, but was variable even within seasons across multiple years.