Faculty Sponsor(s)
Elizabeth DeVisser
Location
Jereld R. Nicholson Library: Grand Avenue
Subject Area
Health, Human Performance and Athletics
Description
The medicolegal community relies heavily upon determining the postmortem interval (PMI), the knowledge of how much time has elapsed since the person has died. Forensic taphonomy is the study of postmortem changes caused by outdoor environmental conditions that play a crucial role in decomposition rates. These include local temperatures, humidity, soil, plants, and insect and other scavenger activity. Minimal research exists examining the rate of surface decomposition in the Pacific Northwest climate. The purpose of this pilot study is to analyze the rate of decomposition in the microclimate of McMinnville, Oregon. A deceased juvenile pig (Sus scrofa) was placed in a secure cage in Cozine Creek on February 17, 2019. Data collection continues until May 2019 and includes daily observations, photographs, weather data, and insect collection for entomological assessment. Statistical analysis will be performed once all data is collected. Preliminary results suggest weather fluctuations and insect activity significantly influence decomposition rates. During the first four weeks, cold weather conditions did not favor decomposition: snow, low temperatures, and few insects. Once temperatures reached 13℃, a dramatic increase in insect activity and intensity was observed. Dermestid beetles, maggot masses, and blowflies were present, and within days a substantial increase in decomposition occurred.
Recommended Citation
Hyem, Audrey; Cattell, Cailyn; and DeVisser, Elizabeth, "Pig Tales: Forensic Taphonomy in Cozine Creek" (2019). Linfield University Student Symposium: A Celebration of Scholarship and Creative Achievement. Event. Submission 39.
https://digitalcommons.linfield.edu/symposium/2019/all/39
Pig Tales: Forensic Taphonomy in Cozine Creek
Jereld R. Nicholson Library: Grand Avenue
The medicolegal community relies heavily upon determining the postmortem interval (PMI), the knowledge of how much time has elapsed since the person has died. Forensic taphonomy is the study of postmortem changes caused by outdoor environmental conditions that play a crucial role in decomposition rates. These include local temperatures, humidity, soil, plants, and insect and other scavenger activity. Minimal research exists examining the rate of surface decomposition in the Pacific Northwest climate. The purpose of this pilot study is to analyze the rate of decomposition in the microclimate of McMinnville, Oregon. A deceased juvenile pig (Sus scrofa) was placed in a secure cage in Cozine Creek on February 17, 2019. Data collection continues until May 2019 and includes daily observations, photographs, weather data, and insect collection for entomological assessment. Statistical analysis will be performed once all data is collected. Preliminary results suggest weather fluctuations and insect activity significantly influence decomposition rates. During the first four weeks, cold weather conditions did not favor decomposition: snow, low temperatures, and few insects. Once temperatures reached 13℃, a dramatic increase in insect activity and intensity was observed. Dermestid beetles, maggot masses, and blowflies were present, and within days a substantial increase in decomposition occurred.
