Colonization of Artificial Substrates by Invertebrate Macrofauna in a River Ecosystem—Implications for Forensic Entomology

Aleksandra Bartkowska (), Tomasz Mieczan and Wojciech Płaska
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Aleksandra Bartkowska: Department of Hydrobiology and Protection of Ecosystems, University of Life Sciences, Dobrzańskiego 37, 20-262 Lublin, Poland
Tomasz Mieczan: Department of Hydrobiology and Protection of Ecosystems, University of Life Sciences, Dobrzańskiego 37, 20-262 Lublin, Poland
Wojciech Płaska: Department of Hydrobiology and Protection of Ecosystems, University of Life Sciences, Dobrzańskiego 37, 20-262 Lublin, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-11

Abstract: Forensic entomology includes the analysis of organisms colonizing various parts of the body in order to determine the circumstances of an incident, mainly the time, place, and cause of death. The presence of insects and other arthropods on carcasses can be a source of knowledge for the judicial system. However, this type of research (on submerged bodies) is less published. The aim of our study was to analyse the qualitative and quantitative structure of macroinvertebrates colonizing potential evidence in an upland river. The experimental research involved an eight-week exposure to articles of clothing made of different materials: natural materials (bottom sediments with plants from a river), synthetic (socks), and cotton (t-shirts). Control samples of water after 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks were taken from experiment locations in the River Bystrzyca with a tube apparatus and hand net. The results indicated that the abundance of organisms on a given substrate depended on the period of development of invertebrate macrofauna and the time of exposure of the substrates. The abundance of aquatic macrofauna on the exposed items increased in direct proportion to the duration of the experiment, which may indicate the adaptability of these organisms to new habitat conditions. Among the taxonomic groups used in forensic entomology, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Odonata were the most abundant. The remaining taxa (including Heteroptera), though not widely used in judicial proceedings, can also provide valuable information about the circumstances of an incident.

Keywords: forensic biology; macroinvertebrates; substrate exposure; habitat conditions; adaptations (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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