Physical and biological fragmentation increases accessible surface area.
Operational definition
Physical postmortem process.
The breakdown of dead organic material into smaller particles without necessarily completing its chemical decomposition.
Fragmentation may be caused by:
- detritivore feeding;
- scavenger activity;
- weathering;
- abrasion;
- freeze–thaw cycles;
- water movement;
- mechanical disturbance.
It generally increases surface area and microbial accessibility.