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| Titel |
Potential impacts of climate variables on the pollen season of birch (Betula spp.) in Ireland |
| VerfasserIn |
Hazel Proctor, Paul Dowding, Alison Donnelly |
| Konferenz |
EGU General Assembly 2011
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| Medientyp |
Artikel
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| Sprache |
Englisch
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| Digitales Dokument |
PDF |
| Erschienen |
In: GRA - Volume 13 (2011) |
| Datensatznummer |
250055557
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| Zusammenfassung |
| Birch (Betula spp.) grow extensively across Europe and are amongst the most allergenic tree
species in the region causing rhinitis in 10-20% of the adult human population. Betula spp.
are native to Ireland with broad distribution across the country. Current research throughout
Europe on the Betula pollen season has shown strong evidence that increasing spring
temperatures are linked to increased pollen levels in the atmosphere. In order to investigate
any correlation between temperature, (and other climate variables) and pollen in Ireland,
Hirst-type volumetric spore traps were deployed at 3 locations from February to June 2010.
The counts were analysed to establish the beginning, peak and length of the pollen season at
each site and averaged to determine the overall season. Studies have shown Betula
pollen induces allergenic symptoms at 80 grains/m3 but were also found to cause
reactions at concentrations as low as 30 grains/m3 during the peak season. Our
results to date indicated that the season began at the most southerly site in Cork first,
with a peak count on 25th April of 263 grains/m3and total seasonal count of 674
grains/m3 for that site. This was in contrast to the most northerly site near Dublin where
the count peaked on 30th April at 127 grains/m3totalling 1034 grains/m3. At the
second southerly site in Wexford, however, the lowest count was recorded, peaking
at 64 grains/m3on 8th May with a total of 320 grains/m3 for the season. Spring
temperature at all sites revealed that Cork had the highest temperature. The earlier
onset of the pollen season at Cork was as expected as the growing season is on
average earlier in the south of the country due to warmer spring temperatures. The
greater volume of birch pollen trapped at the most northerly site was more than likely
a direct result of birch planting schemes near the trap. Indeed the lowest counts
were recorded at the second most southerly site in Wexford an area dominated
by agriculture with few birch trees in the landscape. Preliminary results for 2010
showed the Betula pollen season in general peaked on 1st of May with an average
count of 151 grains/m3andlasted 23 days. These data will be further analysed using
additional climate variables such as wind and precipitation to determine if they have
influenced the timing of the season. The trapping campaign will be repeated in 2011 and
compared to the 2010 pollen season to establish if there is a significant relationship
between the two years. In addition, the Irish data will also be placed in a European
context by comparison to published results from a range of European countries. |
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