Analysis of microbial activity in aquatic decomposition environments

Abstract

Most decomposition research focuses on terrestrial decomposition. There are limited studies covering aquatic decomposition even though drowning is the third leading cause of death worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different aquatic environments on decomposition. The three different water sources were from Prickett’s Creek, Tygart River, and tap water. To observe the postmortem interval (PMI), one adult mouse was placed in each water type. PMI morphology, temperature, pH, and microbe presence were recorded for 3 months. Results show an increase in microbe functional diversity after specimen placement. The mouse submerged in the Prickett’s Creek water underwent decomposition faster then the mice submerged in river water and tap water. The pH in each container ranged between 6-8 which is consistent with decomposition data and not significant. Temperature did not appear to be significant. Data suggests that microbe functional diversity from the initial week and the last week of collection is significantly different (p = 0.015). There was also a significant difference between micro presence and water source (p = 0.005) with Tygart River having the most diversity. These results indicate that there is microbe diversity among the water sources and that these microbes may affect decomposition.