Soil inversion
Definition
The displacement of soil horizons when ground is dug. Subsoil is brought to the surface and topsoil is buried, disrupting the established plant community and creating bare ground that is colonised by opportunistic species.
Related terms
- Cadaver decomposition island (CDI)
- The zone of altered soil chemistry (elevated nitrogen, phosphate, microbial biomass, and volatile organic compounds) beneath and around a decomposing body, persisting...
- Near-infrared (NIR) reflectance
- The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum (700-1200 nm) that healthy green vegetation reflects strongly due to the structure of chloroplasts. Stressed, sparse,...
- Nitrophilous plant
- A plant species that grows preferentially on nitrogen-rich soils. Examples include stinging nettle (Urtica dioica), broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius), and elder (Sambucus...
- Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)
- A widely used spectral index calculated as (NIR - Red) / (NIR + Red). Values range from -1 to +1; healthy dense...
- Phytosociology
- The study of plant community composition and its relationship to environmental conditions. In forensic contexts, the plant assemblage over a suspected burial...
Explained in
- Vegetational Disturbance and Clandestine Grave DetectionThe displacement of soil horizons when ground is dug. Subsoil is brought to the surface and topsoil is buried, disrupting the established plant community and c...