A new study has looked at how microscopic blueprints can be decisive evidence in criminal investigations, helping to determine when a crime occurred or whether a body was moved.
A new review of forensic cases has revealed that some of Earth’s smallest plants, such as mosses and other bryophytes, may play an unexpectedly important role. in solving crimes.
in the journal Forensic Sciences Research, the study brings together all known cases in which these tiny plants were used to assist in investigations.
Bryophytes, which include mosses, liverworts and hornworts, are among the simplest plants on the planet. They do not have true roots, leaves or stems, absorbing nutrients directly from the environment. Their sensitivity to humidity, light and temperature causes different species to group together in highly specific nichessuch as shady ground, tree tops or even the underside of grasses. This ecological precision makes them valuable clues, says Matt von Konrat, head of the Field Museum’s Botanical Collections and one of the review’s lead authors.
“With our article, we wanted to highlight the importance of botanical evidence,” explains von Konrat. “Researchers may be ignoring this simply because they don’t know what they are analyzing.”
The investigation began when Jenna Merkel, a master’s student in forensic science at George Washington University, joined von Konrat as an intern. Together, examined 150 years of scientific literature and discovered a surprisingly small number of documented cases, with just over a dozen worldwide.
The oldest dates back to 1929, when the growth of moss on a skeleton helped to estimate the time elapsed since death. Other cases have emerged in Sweden, Finland, Italy, China and the United States, where bryophytes have helped determine where a crime occurred, when a body was moved or how long remains had been exposed, says the .
One of the most impressive examples came from Michigan. In 2011, a baby was killed by his father, who later provided only vague details about burial site. When researchers found microscopic plant fragments in his shoes, von Konrat’s team was called in to help. After cataloging the region’s grasses, trees and hundreds of species of moss, they compared the material found on the shoes to a precise microhabitat. The analysis reduced the area to a small section of 4.6 square meters, the location that the father later confirmed as the burial site.
“Even the smallest fragments of plants can be powerful evidence,” said Merkel. The team hopes their analysis will encourage researchers to pay more attention to botanical remains.
