Talk:Decomposition
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[edit] Non-human decomposition
This article should cover all forms decomposition, such as plants and animals, not just humans. -- Kjkolb 07:09, 1 November 2005 (UTC)
- Although this might be a good idea, I deo not think this justifies the significant reduction of content in the 'Decomposition process'-section. 80.134.122.47 14:27, 2 November 2005 (UTC)
- I agree - Dave
- I also agree. I came here looking for wood decay, and fungi is not even mentioned, so I will link that term as a start. I suppose separate sections for plant and animal decomposition would make sense - maybe a link to compost also. Spalding 16:35, 25 July 2006 (UTC)
It really should cover more, such as fruit spoilage, etc. I mean you have the pictures but not the info. Denisse P.
Just did a copyedit, and also found that the article feels topheavy, with a total focus on animal decomposition (mostly human which is not surprising) and almost a complete glossing over on plant decomposition. I don't feel I have the expertise to write the missing section but here's some resources I found:
http://herbarium.usu.edu/fungi/FunFacts/Decay.htm
http://www.ineedcoffee.com/04/decomposition/
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:ENVhU7key0gJ:www.globe.gov/tctg/decomp.pdf%3FsectionId%3D107+vegetable+decomposition&hl=en
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/pagerender.fcgi?artid=533337&pageindex=1 --Fuhghettaboutit 08:19, 8 January 2006 (UTC)
Revolutionary idea. Make a wiki page titled "Plant Decomposition" and add it in there. Chance Gearheart, EMT-IV
- You could just as easily argue that animal decomposition should be under Animal Decomposition. I think the idea here is to give a balanced, perhaps brief account of each type of decomposition. Each type could then be elaborated in their own article. `Zozart .chat 07:21, 12 April 2006 (UTC)
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- Actually, the processes that happen to plants as they decompose, for the most part, happen to animal bodies as well-- nutrients are leached out and organisms shred the material. The reverse is not true. A separate page on animal decomposition, having most of the info found here, would be fitting. 160.94.27.152 16:37, 6 September 2006 (UTC)
Adding info on fungi, etcetera, would jumble the references section between info on plant decomposition, and detailed references on the decomposition of animals. The sections on animals do not, and probably should not, go into the ecological detail about the importance of the process of decomposition. The section on animal decomposition alone can be expanded to a very long article, probably, so I strongly suggest that we move most of this info to Animal decomposition leaving a few sentances and a link from here to there. 160.94.27.152 16:44, 6 September 2006 (UTC) I also realize that there is a compost article. The compost and the composting article together are very informative and long, but do not have anything about the processes of decomposition in nature, nor is that probably where that info belongs. The best solution, I think, is to have Animal decomposition be a new article, and for the proper info to go here.
[edit] Mummification
"In sufficiently dry environments, an embalmed body may end up mummified." - what about mummies found in glaciers? (clem 18:41, 30 Apr 2005 (UTC))
- Looks like it's already been fixed -- 01:47 GMT 26 November 2005
- When you think about it, glaciers could be considered dry since they don't have much liquid water, couldn't they?
*Well antarctica is the driest place on the planet and i'm sure there's plenty of glaciers there so yeah
Miroku Sanna 16:55, 24 December 2005 (UTC)
[edit] Preserving
Pickling, sucrating, salting, drying and freezing are other ways to preserve biological matter, usually used to preserve food. Embalming is just one kind of preserving. The section should be called "Preservation" and embalming should be a sub-section. -Pgan002 23:21, 5 May 2006 (UTC)
[edit] decomposition in plants = compost ?
Is the definition of biological decomposition here too narrow in confining it to only dead organisms? For example, decomposition is quite common in living trees (see CODIT). I believe decay is the more common term for pre-mortem decomposition, but presently decay simply links here, so the Plants section should probably be expanded to include some discussion of decay in living plants, maybe with "For decomposition in non-living plants, see compost" at the end. I'm not really sure on the distinctions of decay vs. decomposition, or how decay works in any plants other than trees, so if anyone else knows more about this, it'd be great if they could add it. If not, I'll add what I can.--Severinus 23:37, 18 September 2006 (UTC)
Decay of plants is incredibly far from being the same as the compost article. The compost article is about composting, and has no information on the natural processes of decomposition and how they drive ecosystems. I think that this information is the stuff most directly connected to the term "decomposition" especially from an ecology standpoint. I vote that animal decomposition get its own separate page, who agrees? 131.212.62.99 21:49, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
I just subordinated the animal headings under Animal decomposition for now. I think the current setup will work if someone wants to expand the Plant decomposition section. Separate articles would also be fine. I'll add a sentence or two clarifying compost's place in plant decomposition.Spalding 23:40, 30 September 2006 (UTC)
