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The Effect of Body Mass on Outdoor Adult Human Decomposition
Author(s) -
Roberts Lindsey G.,
Spencer Jessica R.,
Dabbs Gretchen R.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of forensic sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.715
H-Index - 96
eISSN - 1556-4029
pISSN - 0022-1198
DOI - 10.1111/1556-4029.13398
Subject(s) - decomposition , forensic anthropology , demography , zoology , body mass index , medicine , biology , ecology , geography , archaeology , sociology
Forensic taphonomy explores factors impacting human decomposition. This study investigated the effect of body mass on the rate and pattern of adult human decomposition. Nine males and three females aged 49–95 years ranging in mass from 73 to 159 kg who were donated to the Complex for Forensic Anthropology Research between December 2012 and September 2015 were included in this study. Kelvin accumulated degree days ( KADD ) were used to assess the thermal energy required for subjects to reach several total body score ( TBS ) thresholds: early decomposition ( TBS ≥6.0), TBS ≥12.5, advanced decomposition ( TBS ≥19.0), TBS ≥23.0, and skeletonization ( TBS ≥27.0). Results indicate no significant correlation between body mass and KADD at any TBS threshold. Body mass accounted for up to 24.0% of variation in decomposition rate depending on stage, and minor differences in decomposition pattern were observed. Body mass likely has a minimal impact on postmortem interval estimation.