Microbial succession in decomposing carrion is driven by time, modulated by insects and microbial perturbation
Donna B. McIntyre, Philip S. Barton, Sarah Preston, Benjamin M. Long · 2026
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Description
Donna McIntyre and co-authors tracked microbes on rotting piglet bodies in this 2026 study. Decay is driven by microbes, insects, and their interplay, but the microbial side is still poorly known. The team placed 12 piglets in a rural area of southern Australia.
Some bodies were kept free of insects, and some had their surface microbes disturbed. Gene tests tracked which bacteria were present over time. Time was the main driver of change, with early and late stages marked by different bacterial groups. Insect access and microbe disturbance shaped stability more than total variety. The authors say time of death estimates in forensic work should weigh both time and microbe shifts.
Catalog record
| CREATOR | Donna B. McIntyre, Philip S. Barton, Sarah Preston, Benjamin M. Long |
|---|---|
| YEAR | 2026 |
| COLLECTION | PAPERS |
| FORMAT | TXT |
| FILE SIZE | 41 KB |
| VERSION | 1.0 |
| LICENSE | CC BY 4.0 |
| RIGHTS | CC BY |
| SOURCE | Europe PMC |