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.
- Analogous to
- Terrestrial blowfly succession
- Driving factor
- Water-temperature accumulation
- Colonisers
- Aquatic invertebrate taxa
Common questions
Why can't standard terrestrial PMI formulas be applied to a submerged body?+
Blowflies that drive terrestrial succession largely cannot colonise a fully submerged body, so estimating time since death requires different taxa such as caddisflies, mayflies, and aquatic beetles whose colonisation timing is governed by water temperature and dissolved oxygen rather than air temperature.
What factors complicate aquatic succession estimates compared to terrestrial cases?+
Water current, depth, seasonal temperature swings, and whether the body was submerged continuously or moved between water and air all shift colonisation timing, making reference data for a specific water body more important than in most terrestrial entomology cases.
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...