A dairr row produces up to 40 litres
of urine daily and this is posing a
serious threat to the European
countryside of moors, bogs and
heaths. Scottish scientists have
found that the ammonia-rich urine
evaporates and adds to the nitrogen
content of the atmosphere. This
nitrogen accumulates in the plant
tissues and attracts pests like
heather beetles. Also, excess nitrogen could lead to a proliferation of
nitrogen-loving plants which could
take over these fragile ecosystems
(New Scientist, Vol 146, No 1970).
The research team found that
nitrogen levels over dairy farms
were 10 times more than normal.
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