Limnological Profiling
Definition
Building a characterisation of a water body using physical, chemical, and biological measurements. Forensically, the profile is the reference against which biological material recovered from evidence is compared to assess whether exposure to that water body is supported.
- Inputs
- Physical, chemical and biological water measurements
- Forensic role
- Reference for comparing recovered biological material
- Related field
- Aquatic scene analysis
Common questions
What kinds of measurements make up a limnological profile?+
Typically temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and the diatom or algal species assemblage present, since each varies characteristically between water bodies.
How is a limnological profile actually used in a case?+
Diatoms or other biological traces recovered from a body, clothing or a vehicle are compared against the profile of a suspected water body to assess whether the evidence is consistent with exposure there.
Related terms
- Aquatic Macrophyte
- Vascular aquatic plants, including submerged, floating, and emergent species such as Elodea, Potamogeton, Phragmites, and Nymphaea. Fragments of these plants on a...
- Cyanobacteria
- Photosynthetic prokaryotic bacteria, often called blue-green algae. Form surface scums in warm, nutrient-rich water. Contain characteristic cellular structures (heterocysts, akinetes) identifiable microscopically....
- Limnology
- The scientific study of the biology, chemistry, and physics of inland waters (lakes, rivers, ponds, wetlands). Its reference databases of species assemblages...
- Macroalgae
- Filamentous or thalloid algae visible to the naked eye, such as Spirogyra, Cladophora, Enteromorpha, and Chaetophora. They colonise sheltered margins, shallow water,...
- Phytoplankton
- Microscopic photosynthetic organisms that live suspended in the water column. Includes diatoms plus green algae, cyanobacteria, chrysophytes, dinoflagellates, and euglenoids. The full...