An analysis of Arthropod succession in Carrion and the effect of its decomposiion on the soil fauna.

Abstract

The present study falls into two clearly defined parts, one dealing with the succession of carrion-frequenting organisms in dead guinea pigs, the other examining the influence of carrion on the typical soil fauna of a sclerophyll woodland. Five different stages of carcass decomposition were recognized and these were correlated with the animal communities occupying them. These communities were contrasted with the community dwelling in the leaf litter and soil. The various stages of decomposition affected the underlying soil differently, the greatest effect being observed during the "black putrefaction" and "butyric fermentation" stages. During the black putrefaction stage, body fluids which passed into the soil formed a cemented crust with the plant litter and the upper soil layer. The liquified decomposition products during the butyric fermentation stage destroyed the underlying plants as well as the soil fauna. The decomposition resulted in the production of two distinct zones in the upper soil layers which differed both physically and in arthropod populations from a control area. The fauna of the "carrion zone", i.e. the area beneath the carcass, differed greatly from that of the control area. The fauna of the "intermediate zone", i.e. the belt surrounding the carrion 10 cm wide, also showed substantial differences. Only carrion dwellers were present in the carrion zone, whereas both these and soil dwellers were present in the intermediate zone. The decomposition of carrion had a marked effect on the soil fauna to a depth of 14 cm, but this was less drastic than in the upper soil layers. The reinvasion of the carrion zone by soil arthropods was not completed after a year. At the end of the study period, subterranean forms were better re-established than soil-surface or litter dwellers.