Cadavers composition and decomposition

A cadaver is a complex resource that comes with a heavy microbial inoculum in the form of enteric and dermal microbial communities (Clark, Worrell, and Pless 1997 Hill 1995 Noble 1982 Wilson 2005 Yajima et al. 2001). A cadaver also comprises a large amount of water (60%-80%), a relatively high concentration of lipid and protein (Swift, Heal, and Anderson 1979 Tortora and Grabowski 2000) and a narrow C N ratio (Table 2.1). These properties are characteristic of a high-quality resource thus, the breakdown of a cadaver is usually rapid. This breakdown can broadly be described by three processes autolysis, putrefaction, and decay. 

Organic Resource h2o (%) C N Ratio N (gkgr1) P (gkgr1) K (gkgr1) Ca (gkg-1) Mg (gkg-1) References 

Notes Measurements of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg) are presented as grams per kilogram (g kg-1) cadaver mass (dry weight). 

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