Browsing by Subject "dog urine"
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(2022)Urban greenspaces are valuable resources for humans and are an integral part of the urban landscape. They are also popular sites for various social and cultural activities, such as dog walking. Dog ownership rates are increasing globally at a rapid rate, hence increasing the dog populations within urban cities. The increasing number of dogs could potentially have negative consequences to the quality of urban parks. Furthermore, there is a lack of research on the impacts of dogs on urban environments. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the impacts of dogs on path-side soils in urban greenspaces. Soil samples were collected from both Helsinki and Lahti. The impact of dog urine was studied by comparing path-side soil samples between areas with high dog activity (i.e., parks) and similar areas with low to no dog activity (i.e., cemeteries). Soil samples were collected three times during the growing season in 2021 at three different treatments: close by 1) an evergreen tree, 2) a lamppost, and 3) a lawn area. The samples were analyzed for soil pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, soil moisture, NO3--N, and NH4+-N. Net N mineralization and net nitrification rates were also calculated. The results indicated that dog urine is a significant contributor to the input of nitrogen in urban parks. Soil NO3-N and NH4+-N concentrations were significantly higher in parks than in cemeteries and exhibited clear seasonal trends. Soil pH was generally lower and electrical conductivity higher in parks than in cemeteries. Poles and trees exhibited the greatest concentrations, suggesting that the impact of dog urine is highly localized around path-side objects. None of the treatments in cemeteries showed little to no changes throughout the growing season. Lastly, the net nitrification rates were significantly higher in parks during spring and summer. In contrast, net mineralization rates were generally higher in cemeteries than parks. These results confirm that urban planners need to take into consideration the impact of dogs to mitigate any potential negative consequences to the quality of urban parks.
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Soil nitrogen content and isotope ratios in urban remnant forests: What have dogs got to do with it? (2024)Keeping dogs (Canis familiaris) affects the environment. One significant effect of dogs in the environment is the production and deposition of urine. Unlike other waste, dog urine cannot be easily collected by owners, leading to unfiltered introduction into the soil. Dog urine is high in urea, which hydrolyzes to ammonium and nitrate. These soil nitrogen forms have the potential to change other soil properties that may cause harm in plant or microbial health, and contributing to eutrophication. In this thesis I investigate the impacts of dogs on soil nitrogen properties and their connection with human population density and closeness to walking paths in urban remnant forests. To evaluate the level of impact of dogs and to gain knowledge on the current nitrogen content and δ15N in urban remnant forests, five urban remnant forests were examined. Within each forest, soil nitrogen forms, δ15N in the soil and foliage samples, as well as total carbon and nitrogen content of the soil were compared, besides basic soil properties between dog-affected and control areas. The study revealed elevated levels of soil electrical conductivity, ammonium, and nitrate, as well as soil and foliage δ15N in dog-affected areas. Unexpectedly, soil acidity was lower in samples taken next to paths where dogs can potentially urinate. Organic matter content and total nitrogen and carbon content of the soils were higher where dogs are not frequent visitors, meanwhile the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio was also higher. These findings show that the impacts of dog urine on the soil should be considered in urban planning and further research is needed to understand the significance of it.
Now showing items 1-2 of 2