The influence of clothing and wrapping on carcass decomposition and arthropod succession was investigated to provide data to enable estimated postmortem interval in homicide investigations. Six pig carcasses, Sus scrofa, were divided into three sample groups, each with a clothed carcass wrapped and a carcass wrapped with no clothes. Two more carcasses, one with no clothes or wrapping, the other with clothes and no wrapping were used as controls. The clothed or wrapped carcasses had larger visible maggot masses, which moved more freely and these carcasses took longer to dry out. The blow fly maggot masses were dominated by Chrysomya marginalis and Chrysomya albiceps. Oviposition occurred simultaneously on all carcasses. High temperatures in one case caused significant maggot mortality. The Coleoptera community was dominated by Silphidae, Thanathopilus micans larvae, Dermestidae, Dermestes maculatus adults and larvae, and Cleridae, Necrobia rufipes.

[See FA 45, 478-479] Felling crews provided information on the species and number of animals displaced during logging operations in 5010 ha of forest clear felled between May 1980 and Sept. 1981. Overall, 898 individuals of 8 species of glider and opossum were recorded. Geological data were also collected. The data were analysed together with published information on tree species within 22 recognizable communities and NPK concn. in Eucalptus foliage. The fauna tended to be concentrated in communities with Eucalyptus spp. with high nutrient concn. in their foliage. These communities occurred mostly on soils of one geological formation (Devonian intrusives) recognized in the district for the production of highly fertile soils.

No abstract