Abstract
The decomposition of vertebrate cadavers on the soil surface produces nutrient-rich fluids that enter the soil profile, leaving clear evidence of the presence of a cadaver decomposition island. Few studies, however, have described soil physicochemistry under human cadavers, or compared the soil between human and non-human animal models. In this study, we sampled soil to 5 cm depth at distances of 0 cm and 30 cm from cadavers, as well as from control sites 90 cm distant, from five human and three pig cadavers at the Australian Facility for Taphonomic Experimental Research (AFTER). We found that soil moisture, electrical conductivity, nitrate, ammonium, and total phosphorus were higher in soil directly under cadavers (0 cm), with very limited lateral spread beyond 30 cm. These patterns lasted up to 700 days, indicating that key soil nutrients might be useful markers of the location of the decomposition island for up to 2 years. Soil phosphorus was always higher under pigs than humans, suggesting a possible difference in the decomposition and soil processes under these two cadaver types. Our preliminary study highlights the need for further experimental and replicated research to quantify variability in soil properties, and to identify when non-human animals are suitable analogues.
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Acknowledgements
We are indebted to the donors involved in research at AFTER and to the invaluable contribution they have made to forensic science. We thank all UTS staff and students who assisted with donor acquisition and placement. Natasha Mansfield assisted with soil sample preparation. Andrew Higgins provided expert technical advice on soil analytical procedures. PSB received funding from the Australian Research Council (DE150100026).
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PB, CS, BD, MU and JW contributed to the study conception and design. Material preparation, data collection and laboratory and data analysis were performed by PB, AR, and BD. PB wrote the first draft of the manuscript and all authors commented on versions of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
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The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest. Research described in this manuscript involved deceased humans and animals. The human cadavers were delivered through the UTS body donation program, approved by the UTS Human Research Ethics Committee Program Approval (UTS HREC REF No. ETH15–0029). Pigs were purchased post-mortem from a licensed abattoir, therefore requiring no ethics approval in accordance with the Australian Code of Practice for the Care and Use of Animals for Scientific Purposes (2004).
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Barton, P.S., Reboldi, A., Dawson, B.M. et al. Soil chemical markers distinguishing human and pig decomposition islands: a preliminary study. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 16, 605–612 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00297-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-020-00297-2