DEATH, DECOMPOSITION, AND FINAL TRANSFER – Scavenging

Large accessible energy-rich tissues are transferred to consumers.

Operational definition

Postmortem transfer process.

The removal and consumption of dead tissue by macroscopic or relatively large consumers.

Scavenging transfers carrion into:

• scavenger biomass;
• feces and other waste;
• fragmented remains;
• metabolic products;
• heat.

It can substantially alter the location and rate of later decomposition.