Characterisation of pollen seasons in Iceland based on long-term observations: 1988 –2018

AbstractThis paper describes a long-term (1988 –2018) data series from pollen monitoring in two locations in Iceland: Akureyri and Reykjavík. Our data showed a low diversity of airborne pollen present in the aeroplankton of Iceland. We showed thatBetula spp. andPoaceae can be considered the main pollen allergens in Iceland. BothBetula spp. andPoaceae pollen seasons in Iceland are characterised by a late onset compared to continental Europe.Betula spp. seasons are further characterised by a longer duration and low SPI and peak values. IcelandicPoaceae seasons are shorter, but have SPI and peak values comparable to those recorded in continental Europe. We recorded no synchronisation in the intensity of pollen production between our monitoring sites in Iceland, and our data do not confirm the existence of repeatable cycle (bi- or triennial) of high and low pollen production inBetula spp. Statistically significant trends towards increasing SPI values were recorded in Reykjav ík (Betula spp.) and Akureyri (Poaceae).
Source: Aerobiologia - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research