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An Experiment to Characterize the Decomposer Community Associated with Carcasses ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) on Oahu, Hawaii
Author(s) -
Dibner Hannah,
Mangca Valdez Chelsie,
Carter David O.
Publication year - 2019
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 - 10.1111/1556-4029.14009
Subject(s) - decomposer , carrion , biology , firmicutes , larva , habitat , zoology , ecology , bacteria , ecosystem , 16s ribosomal rna , genetics
Pig ( Sus scrofa domesticus ) carcasses were decomposed on the soil surface of a terrestrial habitat on the island of Oahu, Hawaii to begin characterizing the decomposer community. Results showed that carcasses can decompose rapidly on Oahu, primarily due to the activity of fly larvae, with ~80% of mass lost by 8 days (~220 ADD) postmortem. Scavenging was conducted exclusively by the small Indian mongoose ( Herpestes javanicus ), first feeding on larvae then feeding on the remains. Carcasses were habitats of warm temperature, little to no oxygen, slightly acidic/neutral pH , and high sodium concentration. Larval masses selected for a microbial community comprised of multiple bacterial taxa from phyla Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, particularly genera Clostridium , Proteus , and Providencia . These larval masses were well established from 3 to 8 days (~90 to ~220 ADD) postmortem. These data provide helpful, novel insight into the structure and activity of carcass decomposer communities on Oahu.