Green clues: unveiling the role of bryophytes in forensic science
Forensic botany is the use of plant material as evidence to aid in forensic investigations. Bryology is the study of bryophytes, which consist of mosses, liverworts, and hornworts. Botanical evidence as a whole, and more specifically potential bryophyte evidence, is an underused potential tool that can provide crucial information in criminal investigations. This paper (i) outlines a review of all bryophyte applications to forensic science, to the best of our knowledge, (ii) demonstrates the potential of using this type of evidence, (iii) presents details into each case, and (iv) highlights the various uses of bryophytes as forensic evidence. From our review, all cases have seemingly been limited to mosses. The overarching goal is for this review to be a resource that encourages law enforcement to search for plant fragments and microscopic bryophytes. Key PointsBryophytes are an underutilized potential tool within forensic science.Bryophytes are ubiquitous as well as have a number of unique features and can be found in almost every environment around the world.Many reported and published case reports exemplify the numerous applications for bryophytes and other botanical evidence within forensic science.
Authors
- Jeffrey D. Wells (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9716-1999)
- Laura Briscoe (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3900-4450)
- Juan Larraín (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9423-6561)
- JF Merkel
- Frank W. Telewski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7957-9841)
- Matt von Konrat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9579-5325)
- R. Jan Stevenson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0694-6775)
- Andrew R. Laurence
- Lloyd R. Stark (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5012-0014)
- Danny Kreider
- G. L. Smith Merrill
- Alan Lichamer
- Anton Reznicek
- Becky Collings
- Peter Carrington
Institutions
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas (US)
- United States Customs and Border Protection (US)
- George Washington University (US)
- Field Museum of Natural History (US)
- New York Botanical Garden (US)
- Forest Preserves of Cook County (US)
- Universidad Bernardo O'Higgins (CL)
- Public Works Department Buildings and Roads (IN)
- Michigan State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Forensic Sciences Research
- Published
- 2025-06-20
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/fsr/owaf026
- Primary Topic
- Forensic and Genetic Research
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- National Science Foundation
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security
- University of Louisville
- Reed College
- Michigan Technological University
- New York Institute of Technology
- Università degli Studi di Camerino
- Universidad de La Rioja
- Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education