Fungi In Soil Forensics: Indications of the Potential of a Little-Used Tool.

In the course of the last three years, we have found fungi to be of value as a source of additional forensic evidence in over 15 criminal cases, all involving serious crime. Especially valuable is the use of microfungal spores as indicators of trace and contact with soil or plant litter, but fungi can also aid in the dating of events or indicating where ground has been disturbed. Fungi are both extremely numerous, and also characteristic of particular habitats or host plants, which renders them especially valuable in criminal investigations. In general, about six times as many fungi as plants are to be expected in a single vegetated locality. It is the most robust spores that are able to withstand palynological preparative procedures that have proved most efficacious. In some cases these are from extremely rare species, for example one not otherwise found in the UK since 1865. Examples drawn from particular cases in which we have been involved will be given, some of which have not previously been reported in the scientific literature. However, comparisons of soils by culturing the fungi present or by molecular methods are currently fraught with technical difficulties and are not yet sufficiently robust for use in court. Types of situations where it could be advantageous for investigating officers to consider using a mycologist are summarized. The potential of fungi as additional weapons in the armoury of forensic science is only now starting to be realized, and merits more attention than it has hitherto received.