DIFFERENTIAL DECAY WITHIN VERTEBRATE SKELETAL ELEMENTS

Actualistic taphonomy provides a window into pre-fossilization processes affecting remains. A long-term study is underway, which follows the decay of juvenile pig carcasses in a mid-continental temperate climate, in both forested and grassland habitats. Preliminary results indicate that there appears to be two different types of bone decay: shallow and deep breakdown of the cortical bone. While it would seem that shallow decay should precede breakdown of the bone through deeper layers, this may not necessarily be the case. Shallow cracks and chipping may or may not precede deeper cracking and fragmentation in the environments in question. This difference in the style of cortical bone breakdown may be related to the immediate causes of shallow versus deeper bone destruction – dry/wet and freeze/thaw cycling, versus exposure to heat and light. The specific skeletal element under decay also seems to strongly affect the type and rate of bone decay observed.