Aquatic Succession
Definition
The predictable sequence in which aquatic invertebrate species colonise submerged remains, analogous to the terrestrial blowfly succession but driven by different taxa and water-temperature accumulation.
Related terms
- Accumulated Degree Hours (ADH)
- A temperature-corrected measure of developmental time. Calculated by summing (hourly ambient temperature minus the species-specific base temperature threshold) across the period of...
- Chironomidae
- Non-biting midges whose blood-red larvae (bloodworms) are among the earliest colonisers of submerged organic matter. Their development rates are temperature-dependent and well...
- Ephemeroptera
- Mayflies. Aquatic nymphs of some genera, including Baetis and Ephemerella, have been recovered from submerged remains in Europe and North America. Their...
- Submersion Interval
- The period for which a body was beneath the water surface. Distinct from the post-mortem interval, because the body may have died...
- Trichoptera
- Caddisflies, whose larvae build protective cases from plant material, sand, or other debris. They colonise decomposing organic matter and can help establish...
Explained in
- Aquatic Forensic Entomology and Submerged RemainsThe predictable sequence in which aquatic invertebrate species colonise submerged remains, analogous to the terrestrial blowfly succession but driven by differ...