Swine carrion decomposition - 2010 (Ohio, USA)

Vertebrate carrion in terrestrial ecosystems is an unpredictable, ephemeral resource pulse that contributes to local biodiversity and nutrient transformation dynamics. We hypothesized that carrion with delayed insect access would demonstrate marked shifts in bacterial community succession. There was a significant difference in the epinecrotic bacterial communities among sampling days; however, there was no significant differences among replicate carcasses, nor were there significant interactions. Carrion decomposition has been rarely studied compared to other organic matter processes (e.g., leaf detritus), and these data suggest that the ecology of carrion-insect interactions can contribute to a broader understanding of decomposition processes and ecosystem function.