Remaining matter and chemical free energy become available to:
- scavengers
- detritivores
- decomposers
- parasites
- microbial communities
Operational definition
Framework-defined postmortem state.
The condition in which the former organism no longer functions as an integrated living system but its remaining matter and chemical free energy persist as dead organic material.
During this state, the remains may become:
- carrion;
- litter;
- dissolved organic matter;
- particulate detritus;
- microbial substrate;
- long-term stored organic matter.
Senescence changes resource allocation and maintenance, whereas death ends integrated homeostatic self-maintenance and begins postmortem autolysis, microbial colonization, and decomposition. (PubMed Central (PMC))