Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps
Grass pollen allergy is widespread all around the globe. With an increasing number of people living in cities, the examination of grass pollen levels within cities and their surroundings has increased in importance. The aim of this study was to examine different temporal and spatial scales of grass...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Atmosphere |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/8/974 |
| _version_ | 1797524704541540352 |
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| author | Johanna Jetschni Susanne Jochner-Oette |
| author_facet | Johanna Jetschni Susanne Jochner-Oette |
| author_sort | Johanna Jetschni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Grass pollen allergy is widespread all around the globe. With an increasing number of people living in cities, the examination of grass pollen levels within cities and their surroundings has increased in importance. The aim of this study was to examine different temporal and spatial scales of grass pollen concentration and deposition across urban and semi-rural environments in the years 2019 and 2020. We installed different types of pollen traps in the city of Ingolstadt (Bavaria, Germany) and its surroundings: volumetric pollen traps at roof level to assess background pollen concentration and gravimetric pollen traps and portable volumetric traps at street level. We considered grass pollen concentration and deposition in the context of land use and management. Our data showed that the grass pollen season in 2020 was longer and more intense than in 2019. Background grass pollen concentration was generally higher at the semi-rural site in both years: peak values were eight times (2019) and more than four times (2020) higher, and Seasonal Pollen Index was more than four times and almost three times higher in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Analyses of spatial variations measured at street level revealed higher numbers for pollen deposition and concentrations at semi-rural than at urban sites. Recorded values were linked to local vegetation and the management of grass areas surrounding the traps. Analyses of diurnal variations at street level in June 2019 showed that pollen concentration for all sites, independent of their degree of urbanization, were highest at noon (22.2 pollen grains/m³ vs. 8.5 pollen grains/m³ in the morning and 10.4 pollen grains/m³ in the evening). Diurnal variations at roof level showed similarities for the same days but differed when considering the whole season. Our data suggest the importance of the management of grass areas as areas cut earlier have a decreased amount of emitted pollen. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:00:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e8554ac313a2497dbdbd97989de437ae |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4433 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T09:00:54Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Atmosphere |
| spelling | doaj.art-e8554ac313a2497dbdbd97989de437ae2023-11-22T06:47:13ZengMDPI AGAtmosphere2073-44332021-07-0112897410.3390/atmos12080974Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen TrapsJohanna Jetschni0Susanne Jochner-Oette1Physical Geography/Landscape Ecology and Sustainable Ecosystem Development, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, 85072 Eichstätt, GermanyPhysical Geography/Landscape Ecology and Sustainable Ecosystem Development, Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, 85072 Eichstätt, GermanyGrass pollen allergy is widespread all around the globe. With an increasing number of people living in cities, the examination of grass pollen levels within cities and their surroundings has increased in importance. The aim of this study was to examine different temporal and spatial scales of grass pollen concentration and deposition across urban and semi-rural environments in the years 2019 and 2020. We installed different types of pollen traps in the city of Ingolstadt (Bavaria, Germany) and its surroundings: volumetric pollen traps at roof level to assess background pollen concentration and gravimetric pollen traps and portable volumetric traps at street level. We considered grass pollen concentration and deposition in the context of land use and management. Our data showed that the grass pollen season in 2020 was longer and more intense than in 2019. Background grass pollen concentration was generally higher at the semi-rural site in both years: peak values were eight times (2019) and more than four times (2020) higher, and Seasonal Pollen Index was more than four times and almost three times higher in 2019 and 2020, respectively. Analyses of spatial variations measured at street level revealed higher numbers for pollen deposition and concentrations at semi-rural than at urban sites. Recorded values were linked to local vegetation and the management of grass areas surrounding the traps. Analyses of diurnal variations at street level in June 2019 showed that pollen concentration for all sites, independent of their degree of urbanization, were highest at noon (22.2 pollen grains/m³ vs. 8.5 pollen grains/m³ in the morning and 10.4 pollen grains/m³ in the evening). Diurnal variations at roof level showed similarities for the same days but differed when considering the whole season. Our data suggest the importance of the management of grass areas as areas cut earlier have a decreased amount of emitted pollen.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/8/974pollen concentrationPoaceae pollenpollen depositionurban-rural differencesspatial and temporal variationspersonal volumetric air samplers |
| spellingShingle | Johanna Jetschni Susanne Jochner-Oette Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps Atmosphere pollen concentration Poaceae pollen pollen deposition urban-rural differences spatial and temporal variations personal volumetric air samplers |
| title | Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps |
| title_full | Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps |
| title_short | Spatial and Temporal Variations of Airborne Poaceae Pollen along an Urbanization Gradient Assessed by Different Types of Pollen Traps |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal variations of airborne poaceae pollen along an urbanization gradient assessed by different types of pollen traps |
| topic | pollen concentration Poaceae pollen pollen deposition urban-rural differences spatial and temporal variations personal volumetric air samplers |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4433/12/8/974 |
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