Dog poop threatens nature
Many dog owners are convinced that they can walk their animals in nature reserves without any problems. But the poo and puddle of dogs pose a threat to the plants, mosses and fungi that grow there, warn researchers from Ghent.
The animal excrement contains nitrogen and phosphorus. That is beneficial for nettles and bear claw, but unfavorable for many other species. This is how biodiversity in nature reserves decreases further. The diversity of species has been under pressure for decades due to the nitrogen emissions of farms (NH3), road traffic and industry (NOx).
The researchers recognize that they have made an estimate. For example, the impact is a lot smaller when dog owners clean up the poop: almost all phosphorus disappears, and about half of the nitrogen. The nitrogen is also in the urine of dogs, “but of course it is difficult to clean up”,
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