Succession
Definition
The predictable sequence of different insect species colonising remains as decomposition progresses. Early stages attract blow flies; later stages attract beetles, moths, and secondary predator insects. The assemblage at a scene reflects how far through succession the remains have progressed.
- Early colonisers
- Blow flies arrive first; beetles, moths, and secondary predators follow
- Plant succession on remains
- Starts with algal crusts, progresses through mosses and lichens to higher plants
- Forensic use
- The insect and plant community composition reflects postmortem interval
Common questions
What does succession mean in forensic entomology?+
Succession is the predictable sequence of different insect species that colonise remains as decomposition progresses. Blow flies arrive early; beetles, moths, and predator insects come later. The mix of insects found at a scene tells you how far along decomposition has gone.
How does succession happen on decomposing remains?+
There are two distinct succession processes on remains. Insect succession runs from early blow flies through to beetles, moths, and predators as decomposition advances. Separately, plant succession on remains runs from algal crusts through mosses to lichens and finally higher plants. In both cases, early colonisers change conditions and allow later species to establish.
Why is succession useful in forensic investigations?+
The insect and plant assemblages at a scene reveal the postmortem interval. By identifying which species are present, a forensic investigator can estimate how long decomposition has been underway and narrow the timeframe for when death occurred.
Related terms
- Biological Soil Crust (Biocrust)
- A community of cyanobacteria, algae, mosses, fungi, and lichens that colonises bare soil surfaces and forms a thin coherent mat. Relevant to...
- Calliphoridae
- The blowfly family: metallic-coloured flies that are typically the earliest colonisers of exposed remains. Forensically important genera include Calliphora, Lucilia, Chrysomya, and...
- Crustose Lichen
- A lichen growth form in which the thallus grows flat against and into the substrate (bone, stone, wood) and cannot be removed...
- Epilithic / Epixylous Colonisation
- Growth of organisms on rock or stone surfaces (epilithic) or on dead wood (epixylous). In forensic contexts, colonisation of bone surfaces by...
- Larviposition
- The act of depositing live larvae rather than eggs. Flesh flies are larviparous: the egg hatches internally, and a first instar larva...
- Lichenometry
- The use of lichen thallus diameter to estimate the minimum age of a surface. Based on the known or measured radial growth...
- Muscidae
- A large family including house flies (Musca domestica) and stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans). Non-metallic, typically dull grey or brown. Secondary or later...
- Oviposition
- The act of laying eggs. Blow flies oviposit directly onto remains, choosing moist, sheltered sites such as body orifices and wounds. Temperature...
- Sarcophagidae
- The flesh fly family. Grey or black with longitudinal thoracic stripes and a chequered abdomen. Larviparous (deposit live larvae), so colonisation appears...
- Thallus
- The body of a lichen, consisting of fungal hyphae housing algal or cyanobacterial cells. The thallus diameter or area is the measurement...
Explained in these topics
- Flies of Forensic Importance: Blow Flies and Flesh FliesThe predictable sequence of different insect species colonising remains as decomposition progresses. Early stages attract blow flies; later stages attract beet...
- Plant Growth on Remains as PMI IndicatorThe sequential change in community composition on a surface or in a habitat over time, driven by the modification of conditions by early colonisers that enable...