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Taphonomy, Trauma and Skeletal Biomechanics > CMA 1 > Flashcards

CMA 1 Flashcards

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1
Q

define taphonomy

A

The study of the processes by which organic remains change after death

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2
Q

environmental taphonomic factors

A

abiotic + biotic

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3
Q

cultural taphonomic factors

A

mortuary activities, cultural modifications

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4
Q

ante mortem

A

before death

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5
Q

peri-mortem

A

period at or around death

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6
Q

Post-mortem

A

from death to recovery

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7
Q

post-recovery

A

from recovery to analysis

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8
Q

two stages of decomp

A
  1. Autolysis
  2. Putrefaction
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9
Q

6 stages of decomp

A
  1. Fresh
  2. Bloating
  3. Putrefaction
  4. Black putrefaction
  5. Buytric Fermentation
  6. Dry Decay
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10
Q

Autolysis

A

> cellular self-destruction
caused by lack of oxygen
Build up of CO = decreased pH
Releases nutrient rich fluid
colder = slower

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11
Q

Putrefaction

A

> Caused by autolysis = anaerobic environment
Release of carbohydrates feeds bacteria
produces gases + aromatic compounds

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12
Q

Order of Putrefaction

A
  1. Intestines, stomach, digestive tract, heart + blood
  2. Air passages and lungs
  3. Kidneys and bladder
  4. Brain + nervous tissue
  5. Skeletal muscles
  6. connective tissue + skin
  7. bones
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13
Q

bone diagenesis

A

bacteria eliminate collagen from within the bone

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14
Q

biotic factors

A

> insect activity
Animal scavenging
Human interaction/intervention

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15
Q

affect of insects on decomp

A

> as no. of insects increase so does temp
Larval mass = further tissue exposure = more insects
more consumption > more access > more eggs

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16
Q

Effect of animal scavenging on decomp.

A

> increase if they scavenge the body
decrease if they scavenge insects

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17
Q

order of scavenging

A
  1. Face and neck
  2. Thorax
  3. Upper extremities
  4. Lower extremities
  5. Trunk
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18
Q

evidence of rodent scavenging

A

parallel striations

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19
Q

effect of clothing type on decomp.

A

> man-made fibres insulate
natural allow air flow
wrappings (plastic) will increase decomp.

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20
Q

high humidity low temp

A

slow decomp

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21
Q

high humidity high temp.

A

rapid decomp

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22
Q

low humidity low temp.

A

freeze drying = no decomp.

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23
Q

low humidity high temp.

A

dehydration/mummification = no decomp.

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24
Q

rainfall/ground water on decomp.

A

adipocere formation (saponification): waxy substance from hydrolysis of fat - protects body from decomp.

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25
livor mortis
settling of RBC according to gravity = indicates body position
26
Algor mortis
Change in body temp to match environment temp - can be used to measure PMI
27
Rigor Mortis
Gradual stiffening of muscles after death due to build of ATP - can be used to measure PMI but not accurate
28
marbling
> caused by sulfhaemoglobin through vascular system > progressive decolouration of body
29
bloating
>production of gases (volatile organic compounds) = cadaverine and putrescine >eventually will purge through body cavities along with fluids
30
Saponification
>hydrolysis of body fats >Adipocere formation >requires water >forms anaerobic environment
31
dehydration - mummification
>removes water access for bacteria, slowing and stopping decomp. >high temp. low humidity >sand burials
32
dehydration - freezing
>removes access to water = arrests decomp >arctic expeditions
33
dissolution
dissolving body in acid or lyme
34
resomation
alkaline hydrolysis (type of dissolution)
35
maceration
controlled putrefaction = leaves only skeleton
36
promession
freeze-dried to produce a powder
37
mushroom burial
mushroom suit
38
Methods of detecting deposition sites
1. Aerial Photography 2. Thermal Imaging 3. Ground Penetrating Radar 4. Resistivity 5. Magnetometry 6. Scent dogs
39
decomp gases
putrescine + cadaverine
40
ground penetrating radar
>can be problems with clay soils >good for penetrating concrete or paved layers
41
Resistivity
> requires some level of moisture > ploughing and paving cause problems >dry soil and frozen ground problematic
42
magnetometry
>useful in less disturbed soils >problematic in urban areas (power lines)
43
water detection
>ground penetrating radar >only viable in fresh water environments >scent dogs
44
Methods for determining PMI
1. Potassium conc. of vitreous humour 2. Algor mortis (body temp) 3. Livor mortis 4. Rigor mortis 5. last meal 6. entomology
45
Radiocarbon dating
>N14 forms C14 >plants + animals take up C14 during life > At death, C14 decreases at known rate = PMI
46
total body score
Head & neck + Torso + limbs
47
Accumulated degree days
>measurement of thermal units required for growth and development of insects to adult stage
48
mixed assemblage causes
>mass fatality events >mass graves >ossuary
49
sorting steps
1. sort bone/tooth from other debris 2. Sort human from non-human 3. Inventory bones by type or side 4. Examine morphology 5. determine age/sex/ethnicity 6. Consistency of size, length, robusticity, joint surface congruency 7. evidence of duplication
50
Imaging of commingled remains
>radiography >computed tomography
51
SWGANTH guidelines for commingled remains
1.Visual pair matching 2.Articulation 3.process of elimination 4.Osteometric Comparison 5. Taphonomy (not primary technique)
52
Determining how many individuals present
>MNI (minimum) >MLNI (most-likely) >MaxNI (maximum)
53
MNI calc.
Max left or right of any single element (ignore pairs)
54
Grand minimum total calc.
L+R-P
55
MLNI calc.
(L+1)(R+1)/(P+1) - 1
56
which quantification method to use?
>MNI underestimates until majority of remains uncovered >MLNI overestimates but generally more accurate
57
Use of forensic entomology
> Estimating PMI > Body transfer > Confirm cadaver presence > DNA > Detect Drugs
58
Necrophages
>First species feeding on corpse tissue (blowflies, beetles, clown beetles)
59
Omnivores
>feed on the corpse and associated maggots >large populations of omnivores may slow decomp. >ants, wasps and beetles
60
Predators of necrophages
>Beetles and wasps
61
Incidental bugs
>hoverflies, spiders etc. - use the corpse as as an extension of their natural habitat.
62
Bug stages
1.Eggs 2. 1st Instar 3. 2nd Instar 4. 3rd Instar 5. Pupa 6. Adult
63
common colonizers of exposed bodies
>calliphoridae (blowflies)
64
Development Threshold Temperature (DTT)
>Optimum temperature outside which development stops >lower temp slows and halts development >high temp. denatures and kills
65
Effective/Base Temperature
Temp. threshold below which development will not occur
66
Degree Days
The portion of thermal units insects use to grow and develop over one stage.
67
Accumulated Degree Days
Degree days for stages added together to give the full life cycle
68
69
ADD/H calculation
Time x (temp. - ET) = ADD/H

Taphonomy, Trauma and Skeletal Biomechanics (2 decks)

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