Xiang Fei Lin SBF5-03 M. Villani Oct. 07, 2010 Forensic Botany Xiang Fei Lin SBF5-03 M. Villani Oct. 07, 2010

What is Forensic Botany? Forensic Botany is the use of plant materials in solving crimes Plant materials in crime scene can help forensic scientists investigate the crime Plant materials can be found on dead bodies, floor, clothing, etc.

Plants: leaves, stems, roots Some plants materials that can be found in crime scene include leaves, stems, and roots Botanical evidence can be used to determine the crime scene Analysis of cross section of stem and the patterns on leaves can help forensic scientists determine the species of plant

Plants (continued) Different types of root systems help forensic scientists classify the plant A taproot has many small roots extending from the main root A fibrous root consists of many small roots without a single main root

Pollen Palynology is the study of pollen, spores, and some microorganisms Palynology helps forensic investigators link the victim to crime scenes and objects Since pollen is present everywhere, it is a very useful way to approach a crime Pollen can be found on clothing, body, and in the air

Pollen (continued) There are different types of pollen Autogamous plants are self-pollinating and produce little pollen Zoogamous plants release more pollens and are pollinated be animals Anemophilous plants also produce a lot of pollens but are pollinated by the wind

Spores Like pollen, spores are produce in great amounts because it is necessary to increase the chance of the spores developing into plants Pollen and spores are sometimes called the “fingerprint of plants” for their unique sizes and structures that often allows forensic scientists classify the plant species

Seeds Seeds are produced in smaller quantities compared to spores and often contains food storage Seeds are easier to germinate compared to spores because they require less energy to start mitosis and can survive in harsh conditions

Soil Soil and dirt found on victim can be used to trace the crime scene Chemical properties of soil including its pH, iron exchange capacity, oxygen content, and others help determine the crime scenes Particle size and the minerals in soil determines the type of soil

Soil (continued) Microorganisms in soil such as bacteria and fungi helps distinguish different soils

Limnology: Study of fresh water ecology Algae in particular- DIATOMS are useful in linking suspects and victims to crime scenes in or around fresh water. Diatom species are easily identified from the shapes of the species & refractive pattern caused by silica in the cell wall. Diatoms change seasonally Diatom tests are routine in the diagnosis of drowning & in estimating post-mortem intervals.

Crime Scene Investigation Plant materials are one of the easiest evidences to be cross transferred There are cross transfer of evidence as a body is moved from the place of death to another crime scene Botanical evidences including leaves, pollen, spores, and others help determine if there are multiple crime scenes Diatoms are present in the lungs & bone marrow of drowning victims

Recreation of Crime Scene Botanical evidence along with physical evidence can be used to reconstruct the crime scene and the sequence of events

Lab: Analysis of Botanical Evidence Leaves, stems, roots, pollen, spores, seeds are analyzed by their physical structures and patterns. Pollen and spores often requires the use of microscopes to analyze New technology has allowed forensic scientists to extract DNA and determine the plant species

Botanical Evidence and Time of Death Botanical evidence can be used to determine the place and time of death Pollen can be used to estimate the time of death Botanical evidence has been used to determine the time of burial Time of burial can be estimated by studying the new plants growing after the burial

Admission of Evidence in Court Forensic botany is gaining acceptance in court and its potential to help solve crimes has been shown many times Pollen evidence needs to have a correlation with the crime scene to be presented in court and the correlation can been shown through similar pollen assemblages

Research and Cases The earliest use of botanical evidence is the case of the kidnap of Charles Lindbergh’s child Structural pattern was used to determine that the wood of the ladder used to kidnap and the wood of the attic of the kidnapper is of the same species

New Zealand Case A women was raped in an alleyway and when a suspect was found, the police had no evidence to prove that the suspect had been in the alleyway The suspect claimed that the soil stain on his clothing was from his yard but there were pollen of Artemisia arborescens L, a plant that was present at the crime scene, in the sample of soil Pollen was used as a trace evidence in this case to solve the crime

Kevin Neal case Two children were reported missing by a stepfather and the bodies were found in the cemetery Seeds on the stepfather’s clothing were examined and it was found that the seeds did not came from his yard, but from the cemetery that the children were buried in

References Forensic Botany. Palynology. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from: http://myweb.dal.ca/jvandomm/forensicbotany/palynology.html American Society of Plant Taxonomists. (2006). Forensics. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from: http://www.aspt.net/careers/careers6.php Fortune City. Forensic Botany as a Tool in Death Investigations. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from: http://members.fortunecity.com/smashx14/forensics.html Castillo, Fabiola. EzineArticles.com. Forensic Botany - Analyzing Plants and Seeds. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from: http://ezinearticles.com/?Forensic-Botany---Analyzing-Plants-and-Seeds&id=1113205 Coyle, Heather Miller. (2005). Forensic Botany: Principles and applications to criminal casework. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from: http://books.google.com/books?id=hj13MqJaf_0C&lpg=PA13&ots=jy-p5z7kKP&dq=forensic%20botany%20leaf&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false Botanical Society of America. Interesting Jobs - Crime Scene Botanicals - Forensic Botany. Retrieved October 7, 2010, from: http://www.botany.org/planttalkingpoints/crime.php

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