Publications by authors named "Kelly L Cobaugh"
Though recent decades have seen a marked increase in research concerning the impact of human decomposition on the grave soil environment, the fate of human DNA in grave soil has been relatively understudied. With the purpose of supplementing the growing body of literature in forensic soil taphonomy, this study assessed the relative persistence of human DNA in soil over the course of decomposition. Endpoint PCR was used to assess the presence or absence of human nuclear and mitochondrial DNA, while qPCR was used to evaluate the quantity of human DNA recovered from the soil beneath four cadavers at the University of Tennessee's Anthropology Research Facility (ARF).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPostmortem succession of human-associated microbial communities ("human microbiome") has been suggested as a possible method for estimating postmortem interval (PMI) for forensic analyses. Here we evaluate human gut bacterial populations to determine quantifiable, time-dependent changes postmortem. Gut microflora were repeatedly sampled from the proximal large intestine of 12 deceased human individuals as they decayed under environmental conditions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- - The study examines how microbial populations in soil beneath decomposing animal cadavers change over time, focusing on their taxonomic and functional succession during the decomposition process.
- - Key findings show that during active decay (7-12 days postmortem), certain bacteria (Proteobacteria and Firmicutes) significantly increased in abundance, while others (like Acidobacteria) decreased; however, total bacterial numbers remained stable.
- - Notably, human-associated bacteria (such as Bacteroides) were consistently found in the soil even up to 198 days after death, indicating they can persist beyond their host's decomposition.