A new study has revealed that dogs that relax in nature are over-fertilizing the ecosystem and causing damage to biodiversity. The study, published in a peer-reviewed biology journal, is based on surveys of pet density in four nature zones in Ghent, Belgium.
While the findings, published in the journal Ecological Solutions and Evidence, have been tested in Belgium, the situation is similar in other reserves close to cities in Europe and the USA, said Pieter De Frenne, a bioengineer from the University of Gent and the study’s author.
“Pet excrement is killing biodiversity” warning
Pieter De Frenne, author of the study, said dog feces and urine are likely to release significant levels of phosphorus and nitrogen into the environment, which are powerful fertilizers. The amount of nutrients that could be released into the environment was evaluated from an estimate of how often the dogs went to the toilet, and how rich their feces and urine were in phosphorus and nitrogen.
De Frenne says, “When there is an excess of nitrogen in the soil, only a number of competitive plants can cope. These plants can overwhelm other plants over time. Orchids are a typical example. They are unrivaled and disappear from the ecosystem.” said.
Assuming that pet owners do not ingest the feces, dogs release about 11 kg of nitrogen and 5 kg of phosphorus per 2.47 acres (1 hectare) per year. This means that dogs can greatly increase the amount of nitrogen that can enter the ecosystem. For most ecosystems, this level should be 20 kg per hectare per year, according to De Frenne.
In a statement accompanying the study, the authors said that air pollution from agriculture and traffic releases between 5 and 25 kg of nitrogen per 2.47 acres (1 hectare) per year. De Frenne stated that park managers have a great job to reduce the burden on biodiversity. An example would be the introduction of more off-leash dog parks in areas with less sensitive ecosystems.
“Dog owners can also encourage their dogs to go to the toilet before taking them to the park or keep them on a leash to prevent the spread of contamination,” De Frenne says. At the very least, feces should be collected so that 97% of the phosphorus and half of the nitrogen is extracted from nature.” said.
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