Incidence ofCladosporium, alternaria and total fungal spores in the atmosphere of melbourne (Australia) over three years

Abstract

A Burkard spore trap was used to monitor daily fungal spore counts in the atmosphere of Melbourne (Australia) between October 1991 and December 1994. Annual total spore counts varied widely (range 345 770 in 1994 to 1 106 037 in 1992), of which approximately half were identified asCladosporium sp. and only about 1%Alternaria sp. Highest daily total spore counts were recorded late-summer through to mid-winter, probably corresponding to senescence of annual grasses and leaf fall. Spore counts were negatively correlated with rainfall (P<0.05), significantly correlated with average temperature (P<0.001), and showed a highly significant linear relationship with cumulative temperature throughout the year.