Temperature affects microbial decomposition of cadavers ( Rattus rattus) in contrasting soils

• Published in: Applied soil ecology : a section of Agriculture, ecosystems & environment Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 129 - 137
• Main Authors: Carter, David O., Yellowlees, David, Tibbett, Mark
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.09.2008; [Amsterdam]: Elsevier Science; Elsevier
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; animal models; Biochemistry and biology; biodegradation; Biological and medical sciences; Carbon dioxide; Carcass; Chemical, physicochemical, biochemical and biological properties; dead animals; enzyme activity; forensic science; Forensic taphonomy; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gravesoil; Microbial biomass; Microbiology; Phosphodiesterase; phosphoric diester hydrolases; Physics, chemistry, biochemistry and biology of agricultural and forest soils; Protease; proteinases; Q10; rats; Rattus rattus; savanna soils; soil enzymes; soil pH; Soil science; soil temperature; soil texture; soil types; tropical soils; Queensland; Protease; Carbon dioxide; pH; Forensic taphonomy; Gravesoil; Q 10; Microbial biomass; Carcass; Phosphodiesterase; Microbial activity; Temperature effect; Esterases; Decomposition; Phosphoric diester hydrolases; Soil science; Rattus rattus; Enzyme; Rodentia; Ecology; Peptidases; Soils; Q10; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Hydrolases; Cadaver
• ISSN: 0929-1393; 1873-0272
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2008.03.010

The ecology of soils associated with dead mammals (i.e. cadavers) is poorly understood. Although temperature and soil type are well known to influence the decomposition of other organic resource patches, the effect of these variables on the degradation of cadavers in soil has received little experimental investigation. To address this, cadavers of juvenile rats ( Rattus rattus) were buried in one of three contrasting soils (Sodosol, Rudosol, and Vertosol) from tropical savanna ecosystems in Queensland, Australia and incubated at 29 °C, 22 °C, or 15 °C in a laboratory setting. Cadavers and soils were destructively sampled at intervals of 7 days over an incubation period of 28 days. Measurements of decomposition included cadaver mass loss, carbon dioxide–carbon (CO 2–C) evolution, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), protease activity, phosphodiesterase activity, and soil pH, which were all significantly positively affected by cadaver burial. A temperature effect was observed where peaks or differences in decomposition that at occurred at higher temperature would occur at later sample periods at lower temperature. Soil type also had an important effect on some measured parameters. These findings have important implications for a largely unexplored area of soil ecology and nutrient cycling, which are significant for forensic science, cemetery planning and livestock carcass disposal.