No matter where the body is buried, the microbial network behind the cadaver’s decomposition remains essentially the same. Researchers from Colorado State University (CSU) and the University of ...

An isopod, well-adapted to the harsh conditions of arid-lands, crawls on the desert floor in search of plant litter. New study reveals that in arid ecosystems, larger arthropods such as termites and ...

Earth. While some genetic studies have probed the microbial communities that decompose plant matter, surprisingly, we know very little about the decomposition of vertebrates such as humans. That was ...

Frequent fires maintain nearly 50% of terrestrial ecosystems, and drive ecosystem changes that govern future fires. Since fires are dependent on available plant or fine fuels, ecosystem processes that ...

Using metagenomic sequencing across a realistic temperature gradient, researchers show that carcass decay triggers a surge in carbon-degradation genes, while warming selectively favors pathways that ...

Composting is a natural process that involves the decomposition of organic materials, such as food scraps, yard waste, and other plant-based materials, into nutrient-rich compost. Composting occurs ...