The ecology of carcasses

Soon after an animal dies, the carbon dioxide accumulates making the body acidic. This breaks the lysosome membrane releasing the digestive enzymes - a process called autolysis. Autolysis starts within a few minutes of death and results in putrid-smelling chemicals such as putrescine and cadaverine.
There are masses of bacteria in a body - about as many as cells, but normally controlled by the immune system. Once unconstrained they multiply rapidly feeding on the products of autolysis, such as proteins and carbohydrates; producing gases such as ammonia and methane resulting in a bloated corpse. This is putrefaction. The bloated carcass may rupture opening it up for others.
So soon after death, carcasses start to become a nutrient-rich putrid soup. Delicious to some.
Necrophagous species are those that feed directly on the flesh and juices of the decomposing corpse. Often flies. Can identify corpses soon after death from the putrid smell and lay large numbers of egg. Larvae - the maggots - feed on the decaying flesh.
Beetles can feed on the decaying flesh but many are predators on the flies - also parasitic wasps. Omnivorous species such as ants both feed on the carcass and necrophagous species.
Large scavengers such as vultures not just remove chunks of flesh but open up the carcass making it accessible to others.
The carbon and nutrients are then recycled into the system.
This this provides a pulse of resources into the ecosystem.
At Knepp, England, with Erica McAlister (Natural History Museum), Charlie Burrell and a dead fallow dead.

[@dip-tree]

What a splendid bunch of scientists ! Thoroughly enjoyed the matter-of-fact explanations.

[@Bill_Sutherland]

Thanks. was a hugely enjoyable, if smelly, experience.

[@simonbarrow479]

And here in southern France there are vultures which feed on animal corpses. Farmers have special arrangements where they can leave dead sheep for the vultures. And on these corpses scientists rediscovered a fly whose larvae feed only on marrow. It used to be very common when horses where the main form of transport and was thought to have died out.