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Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, mercury, and others, are naturally occurring non degradable elements which can accumulate in the environment and in living organisms and can have a significant impact on their physiological functions. Studies have shown that heavy metals can also influence the development and morphology of insects. Insects are the most abundant organisms on earth and play a major role in different ecosystems. They help in the dispersion of organic matter and are an important part of different ecological processes. Forensic entomology focuses on the use of arthropods in legal investigations. Shortly after death, a corpse is quickly colonized by several insect families; blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are among the first colonizers and are therefore often used for the estimation of the time of colonization (TOC) or minimum post‐mortem interval (mPMI). Since larvae feed on the corpse, any xenobiotic present in the remains, including heavy metals, can be ingested, and accumulated by them; these substances can influence their development and, in turn, can alter the estimation of the mPMI. We analyzed the literature on studies pertaining to the detection of heavy metals in blow flies and on their variations in developmental rate, mass, length, fecundity, morphology, immune system, and mortality rate.This article is categorized under: Forensic Biology > Forensic Entomology Forensic Anthropology > Time Since Death Estimation Forensic Biology > Interpretation of Biological Evidence
Heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, zinc, copper, mercury, and others, are naturally occurring non degradable elements which can accumulate in the environment and in living organisms and can have a significant impact on their physiological functions. Studies have shown that heavy metals can also influence the development and morphology of insects. Insects are the most abundant organisms on earth and play a major role in different ecosystems. They help in the dispersion of organic matter and are an important part of different ecological processes. Forensic entomology focuses on the use of arthropods in legal investigations. Shortly after death, a corpse is quickly colonized by several insect families; blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are among the first colonizers and are therefore often used for the estimation of the time of colonization (TOC) or minimum post‐mortem interval (mPMI). Since larvae feed on the corpse, any xenobiotic present in the remains, including heavy metals, can be ingested, and accumulated by them; these substances can influence their development and, in turn, can alter the estimation of the mPMI. We analyzed the literature on studies pertaining to the detection of heavy metals in blow flies and on their variations in developmental rate, mass, length, fecundity, morphology, immune system, and mortality rate.This article is categorized under: Forensic Biology > Forensic Entomology Forensic Anthropology > Time Since Death Estimation Forensic Biology > Interpretation of Biological Evidence
As people, animals and materials are transported across increasingly large distances in a globalized world, threats to our biosecurity and food security are rising. Aotearoa New Zealand is an island nation with many endemic species, a strong local agricultural industry, and a need to protect these from pest threats, as well as the economy from fraudulent commodities. Mitigation of such threats is much more effective if their origins and pathways for entry are understood. We propose that this may be addressed in Aotearoa using strontium isotope analysis of both pests and products. Bioavailable radiogenic isotopes of strontium are ubiquitous markers of provenance that are increasingly used to trace the origin of animals and plants as well as products, but currently a baseline map across Aotearoa is lacking, preventing use of this technique. Here, we have improved an existing methodology to develop a regional bioavailable strontium isoscape using the best available geospatial datasets for Aotearoa. The isoscape explains 53% of the variation (R2 = 0.53 and RMSE = 0.00098) across the region, for which the primary drivers are the underlying geology, soil pH, and aerosol deposition (dust and sea salt). We tested the potential of this model to determine the origin of cow milk produced across Aotearoa. Predictions for cow milk (n = 33) highlighted all potential origin locations that share similar 87Sr/86Sr values, with the closest predictions averaging 7.05 km away from their true place of origin. These results demonstrate that this bioavailable strontium isoscape is effective for tracing locally produced agricultural products in Aotearoa. Accordingly, it could be used to certify the origin of Aotearoa’s products, while also helping to determine if new pest detections were of locally breeding populations or not, or to raise awareness of imported illegal agricultural products.
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