The late flowering of invasive species contributes to the increase of Artemisia allergenic pollen in autumn: an analysis of 25  years of aerobiological data (1995–2019) in Trentino-Alto Adige (Northern Italy)

AbstractArtemisia pollen is an important aeroallergen in late summer, especially in central and eastern Europe where distinct anemophilousArtemisia spp. produce high amounts of pollen grains. The study aims at: (i) analyzing the temporal pattern of and changes in theArtemisia spp. pollen season; (ii) identifying theArtemisia species responsible for the local airborne pollen load.Daily pollen concentration ofArtemisia spp. was analyzed at two sites (BZ and SM) in Trentino-Alto Adige, North Italy, from 1995 to 2019.The analysis of airborneArtemisia pollen concentrations evidences the presence of a bimodal curve, with two peaks, in August and September, respectively. The magnitude of peak concentrations varies across the studied time span for both sites: the maximum concentration at the September peak increases significantly for both the BZ (p <  0.05) and SM (p <  0.001) site. The first peak in the pollen calendar is attributable to nativeArtemisia species, withA. vulgaris as the most abundant; the second peak is mostly represented by the invasive speciesA. annua andA. verlotiorum (in constant proportion along the years), which are causing a considerable increase in pollen concentration in the late pollen season in recent years.. The spread of these species can affect human health, increasing the length and severity of allergenic pollen exposure in autumn, as well as plant biodiversity in both natural and cultivated areas, with negative impacts on, e.g., Natura 20...
Source: Aerobiologia - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research