Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling
<p>Bioaerosols are produced by biological processes and directly emitted into the atmosphere, where they contribute to ice nucleation and the formation of precipitation. Previous studies have suggested that fungal spores constitute a substantial portion of the atmospheric bioaerosol budget. Ho...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2021-03-01
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| Series: | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| Online Access: | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/4381/2021/acp-21-4381-2021.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818611124886568960 |
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| author | R. H. H. Janssen R. H. H. Janssen C. L. Heald A. L. Steiner A. E. Perring A. E. Perring J. A. Huffman E. S. Robinson E. S. Robinson C. H. Twohy L. D. Ziemba |
| author_facet | R. H. H. Janssen R. H. H. Janssen C. L. Heald A. L. Steiner A. E. Perring A. E. Perring J. A. Huffman E. S. Robinson E. S. Robinson C. H. Twohy L. D. Ziemba |
| author_sort | R. H. H. Janssen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p>Bioaerosols are produced by biological processes and directly emitted into
the atmosphere, where they contribute to ice nucleation and the formation of
precipitation. Previous studies have suggested that fungal spores constitute
a substantial portion of the atmospheric bioaerosol budget. However, our
understanding of what controls the emission and burden of fungal spores on
the global scale is limited. Here, we use a previously unexplored source of
fungal spore count data from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and
Immunology (AAAAI) to gain insight into the drivers of their emissions.
First, we derive emissions from observed concentrations at 66 stations by
applying the boundary layer equilibrium assumption. We estimate an annual
mean emission of 62 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 31 m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−2</sup></span> s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> across the USA. Based on
these pseudo-observed emissions, we derive two models for fungal spore
emissions at seasonal scales: a statistical model, which links fungal spore
emissions to meteorological variables that show similar seasonal cycles (2 m
specific humidity, leaf area index and friction velocity), and a population
model, which describes the growth of fungi and the emission of their spores
as a biological process that is driven by temperature and biomass density.
Both models show better skill at reproducing the seasonal cycle in fungal
spore emissions at the AAAAI stations than the model previously developed by
Heald and Spracklen (2009) (referred to as HS09). We implement all three
emissions models in the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem to evaluate
global emissions and burden of fungal spore bioaerosol. We estimate annual
global emissions of 3.7 and 3.4 Tg yr<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the statistical model and
the population model, respectively, which is about an order of magnitude
lower than the HS09 model. The global burden of the statistical and the
population model is similarly an order of magnitude lower than that of the
HS09 model. A comparison with independent datasets shows that the new models
reproduce the seasonal cycle of fluorescent biological aerosol particle
(FBAP) concentrations at two locations in Europe somewhat better than the
HS09 model, although a quantitative comparison is hindered by the ambiguity
in interpreting measurements of fluorescent particles. Observed vertical
profiles of FBAP show that the convective transport of spores over source
regions is captured well by GEOS-Chem, irrespective of which emission scheme
is used. However, over the North Atlantic, far from significant spore
sources, the model does not reproduce the vertical profiles. This points to
the need for further exploration of the transport, cloud processing and wet
removal of spores. In addition, more long-term observational datasets are
needed to<span id="page4382"/> assess whether drivers of seasonal fungal spore emissions are
similar across continents and biomes.</p> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:25:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7bf9ecf746e74c98a26890ebbda9cb5a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1680-7316 1680-7324 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T15:25:21Z |
| publishDate | 2021-03-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| spelling | doaj.art-7bf9ecf746e74c98a26890ebbda9cb5a2022-12-21T22:26:31ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242021-03-01214381440110.5194/acp-21-4381-2021Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modelingR. H. H. Janssen0R. H. H. Janssen1C. L. Heald2A. L. Steiner3A. E. Perring4A. E. Perring5J. A. Huffman6E. S. Robinson7E. S. Robinson8C. H. Twohy9L. D. Ziemba10Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USAnow at: TNO Climate, Air and Sustainability, Utrecht, the NetherlandsDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USAClimate and Space Sciences and Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA Department of Chemistry, Colgate University, Hamilton, NY 13346, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80305, USADepartment of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Denver, Denver, CO 80208, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80305, USAnow at: Johns Hopkins University, Dept. of Environmental Health and Engineering, Baltimore, MD, USANorthWest Research Associates, Redmond, WA 98052, USANASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA 23681, USA<p>Bioaerosols are produced by biological processes and directly emitted into the atmosphere, where they contribute to ice nucleation and the formation of precipitation. Previous studies have suggested that fungal spores constitute a substantial portion of the atmospheric bioaerosol budget. However, our understanding of what controls the emission and burden of fungal spores on the global scale is limited. Here, we use a previously unexplored source of fungal spore count data from the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) to gain insight into the drivers of their emissions. First, we derive emissions from observed concentrations at 66 stations by applying the boundary layer equilibrium assumption. We estimate an annual mean emission of 62 <span class="inline-formula">±</span> 31 m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−2</sup></span> s<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> across the USA. Based on these pseudo-observed emissions, we derive two models for fungal spore emissions at seasonal scales: a statistical model, which links fungal spore emissions to meteorological variables that show similar seasonal cycles (2 m specific humidity, leaf area index and friction velocity), and a population model, which describes the growth of fungi and the emission of their spores as a biological process that is driven by temperature and biomass density. Both models show better skill at reproducing the seasonal cycle in fungal spore emissions at the AAAAI stations than the model previously developed by Heald and Spracklen (2009) (referred to as HS09). We implement all three emissions models in the chemical transport model GEOS-Chem to evaluate global emissions and burden of fungal spore bioaerosol. We estimate annual global emissions of 3.7 and 3.4 Tg yr<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> for the statistical model and the population model, respectively, which is about an order of magnitude lower than the HS09 model. The global burden of the statistical and the population model is similarly an order of magnitude lower than that of the HS09 model. A comparison with independent datasets shows that the new models reproduce the seasonal cycle of fluorescent biological aerosol particle (FBAP) concentrations at two locations in Europe somewhat better than the HS09 model, although a quantitative comparison is hindered by the ambiguity in interpreting measurements of fluorescent particles. Observed vertical profiles of FBAP show that the convective transport of spores over source regions is captured well by GEOS-Chem, irrespective of which emission scheme is used. However, over the North Atlantic, far from significant spore sources, the model does not reproduce the vertical profiles. This points to the need for further exploration of the transport, cloud processing and wet removal of spores. In addition, more long-term observational datasets are needed to<span id="page4382"/> assess whether drivers of seasonal fungal spore emissions are similar across continents and biomes.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/4381/2021/acp-21-4381-2021.pdf |
| spellingShingle | R. H. H. Janssen R. H. H. Janssen C. L. Heald A. L. Steiner A. E. Perring A. E. Perring J. A. Huffman E. S. Robinson E. S. Robinson C. H. Twohy L. D. Ziemba Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics |
| title | Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling |
| title_full | Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling |
| title_fullStr | Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling |
| title_full_unstemmed | Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling |
| title_short | Drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget: observational analysis and global modeling |
| title_sort | drivers of the fungal spore bioaerosol budget observational analysis and global modeling |
| url | https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/21/4381/2021/acp-21-4381-2021.pdf |
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