A burial environment is a complex and dynamic system. It plays host to an abundance of interdependent chemical physical and biological processes which are greatly influenced by the inclusion of a body and its subsequent decay. However while taphonomy continues to emerge as a valuable forensic tool until now most of the attention has been on the cadaver rather than the grave itself. Soil Analysis in Forensic Taphonomy: Chemical and Biological Effects of Buried Human Remains is the first book to concentrate entirely on the telling impact of soil and its components on the postmortem fate of human remains. Examining the basic physicochemical composition of the soil as it relates to forensic science and taphonomy leading experts from across the worldâ  Offer an introduction to the nature distribution and origin of soil materials in forensic comparisons  Discuss the action of biological soil components including invertebrates fungi and bacteria  Address rates and processes of decomposition and time of death estimates  Detail methods for characterizing and fingerprinting soils  Provide extensive information on the decomposition of hair Edited by Mark Tibbett a soil microbiologist and David Carter a forensic scientist this unique resourceprovides an up-to-date overview of fundamental scientific principles and methods used in forensic taphonomy from a soils-based perspective. It provides an understanding of the processes at work as well as practical methods and advice for those involved with active investigation. . Language: English