{
  "abstract": "Carrion is a ubiquitous resource in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, yet it has long been overlooked in ecological research. Over the past two decades, studies on carrion and the many organisms that exploit it have flourished, revealing not only wide‐ranging ecological functions but also significance far beyond ecology. This growing body of knowledge underscores the need for the formal recognition and consolidation of carrion ecology as a distinct ecological discipline. In this review, we begin by outlining the ecological features that make carrion a unique resource, provide practical definitions of scavenger and scavenging to reduce persistent ambiguities, describe carcass decomposition by linking stages with insect succession, and position carrion within a broader scientific context. Building on this foundation, we then pursue three main goals. First, we show how incorporating carrion ecology enriches ecological concepts and paradigms across levels of biological organisation, from individuals to ecosystems. Second, we emphasise how expanding knowledge of carrion ecology informs many disciplines beyond ecology. Third, we present a conceptual framework that integrates the diverse ecological functions of carrion across eco‐evolutionary timescales and addresses the structured and dynamic connections among the multiple disciplines concerned with carrion. By underscoring the ecological and interdisciplinary relevance of this resource, our framework not only clarifies the components and flows of the carrion system but also highlights opportunities for novel cross‐disciplinary collaborations. As carrion ecology continues to mature as a scientific field, we expect that this review and synthesis will consolidate current knowledge, stimulate innovative research across disciplines, and firmly position carrion ecology within the broader ecological and scientific landscape.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Departamento de Zoología, Facultad de Ciencias Universidad de Granada Av. de Fuentenueva s/n Granada 18071 Spain",
    "Departamento de Biología Aplicada Universidad Miguel Hernández Av. de la Universidad s/n, Elche Alicante 03202 Spain",
    "Instituto de Investigación e Innovación Agroalimentaria y Agroambiental (CIAGRO‐UMH), Universidad Miguel Hernández Ctra. de Beniel km 3.2 Orihuela 03312 Spain",
    "University of Georgia Savannah River Ecology Laboratory PO Drawer E Aiken SC 29802 USA",
    "Department of ESPM UC Berkeley 140 Mulford Hall Berkeley CA 94720‐3114 USA",
    "School of Mathematical Sciences, University of KwaZulu‐Natal Private Bag X54001 Durban 4000 South Africa",
    "Departamento de Biología Animal, Edafología y Geología Universidad de La Laguna (ULL) Av. Astrofísico Francisco Sánchez, s/n, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna Tenerife Canary Islands Spain",
    "Wildlife Ecology and Conservation group Wageningen University and Research Droevendaalsesteeg 3a, PB Wageningen 6708 The Netherlands",
    "Departamento de Ecología Universidad de Alicante Cra. San Vicente del Raspeig sn Alicante 03690 Spain",
    "Instituto Multidisciplinar para el Estudio del Medio “Ramón Margalef”, Universidad de Alicante Cra. San Vicente del Raspeig s/n, Alicante 03690 Spain",
    "Department of Entomology, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program Michigan State University 243 Natural Science Building, 288 Farm Lane East Lansing MI 48824 USA",
    "Departamento de Biología de la Conservación y Cambio Global Estación Biológica de Doñana‐CSIC C/Américo Vespucio 26 Seville 41092 Spain",
    "Department of Oceanography University of Hawai'i at Mānoa 1000 Pope Road Honolulu HI 96822 USA",
    "Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences Adama Mickiewicza 33 Kraków 31‐120 Poland",
    "School of Science, Technology and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast 90 Sippy Downs Drive Sippy Downs QLD 4556 Australia",
    "School of Biology, University of St. Andrews Dyers Brae House St. Andrews KY16 9TH UK",
    "Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre la Evolución Humana (CENIEH) Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3 Burgos 09002 Spain",
    "Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Cottrell Building, Room 4B160 Stirling FK9 4LA UK",
    "Grupo de Investigaciones en Biología de la Conservación, INIBIOMA, CONICET‐Universidad Nacional del Comahue Quintral 1250 Bariloche 8400 Argentina",
    "School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand 1 Jan Smuts Avenue, Wits Johannesburg 2050 South Africa",
    "School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney Rm 308, Heydon‐Laurence Building A08 Camperdown New South Wales 2006 Australia",
    "Departamento de Toxicología, Facultad de Veterinaria Campus Universitario de Espinardo, Universidad de Murcia Murcia 30100 Spain",
    "College of Bioresource Science, Nihon University 1866 Kameino Fujisawa Kanagawa 252‐0880 Japan",
    "Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria Campus Universitario de Espinardo Universidad de Murcia Murcia 30100 Spain",
    "Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida Universidad de Alcalá Ctra. Madrid‐Barcelona km 33.6, 28805 Alcalá de Henares Madrid Spain",
    "Leuphana University Universitäatsallee 1 Lüneburg 21335 Germany",
    "Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC‐UCLM‐JCCM) Ronda de Toledo 12 Ciudad Real 13005 Spain",
    "Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (CSIC) Av. Nuestra Señora de la Victoria 16, Jaca Huesca 22700 Spain",
    "School of Biology and Environmental Science, Earth Institute, University College Dublin Belfield Dublin 4 D04 V1W8 Ireland",
    "Zoology Department School of Natural Sciences, University of Galway Martin Ryan Building, University Rd Galway H91 T8WR Ireland",
    "Research Institute for Humanity and Nature 457‐4 Motoyama, Kamigamo, Kita‐ku Kyoto 603‐8047 Japan",
    "University of Georgia, Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources 180 East Green St Athens GA 30602 USA",
    "School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University 75 Pigdons Road Waurn Ponds Victoria 3216 Australia",
    "Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation Virginia Tech, 310 West Campus Drive Blacksburg VA 24060 USA"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 39,
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    {
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      ],
      "name": "Marcos Moleón",
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      "name": "José A. Sánchez‐Zapata"
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      "name": "Zebensui Morales‐Reyes"
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      "name": "Juan M. Pérez‐García"
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      "name": "Kelly A. Waters",
      "orcid": "0009-0005-6081-8378"
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      "name": "Thijs van Overveld"
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      "name": "Nuria Selva",
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      "name": "Thomas A. Schlacher"
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      "name": "Graeme Ruxton"
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      "name": "Jesús Rodríguez"
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      "name": "Martina‐M. Quaggiotto"
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      "name": "Paula L. Perrig",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-4269-9468"
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      "name": "Norman Owen‐Smith",
      "orcid": "0000-0001-8429-1201"
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      ],
      "name": "Thomas M. Newsome"
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      "affs": [
        21
      ],
      "name": "Isabel Navas"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        22
      ],
      "name": "Yoshihiro Nakashima"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        16
      ],
      "name": "Ana Mateos",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-0676-9836"
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    {
      "affs": [
        23
      ],
      "name": "Carlos Martínez‐Carrasco"
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    {
      "affs": [
        24
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      "name": "Daniel Martín‐Vega"
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        25
      ],
      "name": "Berta Martín‐López"
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        26,
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      "name": "Antoni Margalida"
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    {
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        18
      ],
      "name": "Sergio A. Lambertucci",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2624-2185"
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        28
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      "name": "Adam Kane",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-2830-5338"
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    {
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        29
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      "name": "Kevin Healy"
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    {
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        30
      ],
      "name": "Akane Hashizume"
    },
    {
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        21
      ],
      "name": "Antonio J. García‐Fernández"
    },
    {
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        11
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      "name": "José A. Donázar",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-9433-9755"
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      "name": "M. Eric Benbow",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-2630-0282"
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      "name": "James C. Beasley"
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      "name": "Philip S. Barton",
      "orcid": "0000-0002-8377-2211"
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      "name": "Kathleen A. Alexander"
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      "name": "Eneko Arrondo",
      "orcid": "0000-0003-1728-9800"
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  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b19gp88936v2y.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1002/brv.70203",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13736830/",
  "id": "b19gp88936v2y",
  "issns": [
    "1464-7931",
    "1469-185X"
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  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/brv.70203",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Original Article"
    ],
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      "openalex",
      "1109|Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies"
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  "openalex": "W7169501983",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13736830",
  "pmid": "42466645",
  "published": "2026-07-17",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b19gp88936v2y.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-09T12:22:12Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13736830",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1002/brv.70203"
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:1109|Forensic Entomology and Diptera Studies",
      "subfield": "zoology-behaviour"
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  ],
  "title": "Carrion ecology: concepts, interdisciplinary synthesis, and perspectives",
  "title_text": "Carrion ecology: concepts, interdisciplinary synthesis, and perspectives",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-09T12:22:12Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/b19gp88936v2y",
  "venue": "Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society",
  "versions": []
}