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Updated: Jun 2, 2026

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

Insects shape the cadaver decomposition microbiome and postmortem interval estimation accuracy.

Victoria Nieciecki^1,2, Valerie A Seitz¹, Zachary M Burcham¹

¹Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.

|April 27, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Insect access delays microbial decomposition indoors, impacting postmortem interval (PMI) predictions. Including indoor microbial data and insect activity improves PMI models for forensic science.

Keywords:

Calliphoridae Ignatzschineria Thiopseudomonas blow flies built environment decomposition indoors larvae maggots microbiome forensics

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Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing

Microbiota Analysis Using Two-step PCR and Next-generation 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing

Published on: October 15, 2019

Area of Science:

Forensic Science
Microbial Ecology
Decomposition Biology

Background:

Carrion decomposition relies on insects and microbes, forming specialized networks.
Microbiome-based models show promise for estimating postmortem interval (PMI).
The impact of indoor environments on cadaver microbiome assembly is unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate how enclosed shelter affects microbial community assembly during human decomposition.
To assess the impact on postmortem interval (PMI) modeling.
To understand the role of insects in dispersing decomposer microbes.

Main Methods:

Comparison of microbial communities in indoor versus outdoor human cadaver decomposition.
Analysis of microbial community assembly and successional patterns.
Development and testing of machine learning models for PMI prediction using microbial data.

Main Results:

Indoor cadavers showed delayed colonization by key decomposer microbes due to restricted insect access.
Machine learning models trained on outdoor data underestimated PMI for indoor cadavers.
Delayed blow fly maggot colonization correlated with increased PMI prediction errors.

Conclusions:

Insects are crucial for dispersing microbes that drive decomposition and influence PMI predictions.
Incorporating indoor microbial data and insect activity significantly improves PMI model accuracy.
Microbiome-based forensic tools show feasibility across diverse decomposition environments.