Bacterial communities on decaying piglets in German forests. Nekropig_Biodiv_Exploratories

Vertebrate carrion host complex multi-kingdom communities and the chemically mediated dynamics between putrefactive microorganisms and insect colonizers have recently received increased attention in carcass research. However, the strength of these interkingdom interactions and the temporal and spatial factors that regulate these are poorly studied. We have used 75 stillborn piglet cadavers across three forest regions in Germany to survey the relationship between three actors (epinecrotic bacteria, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and attracted flies of four families) in the first days of decomposition and the temporal and spatial factors that regulate this interkingdom interdependence.