Ragweed in Eastern Europe.

Abstract

Abstract Ambrosia artemisiifolia, common ragweed, is an invasive plant species whose introduction and spread in Eastern Europe has resulted in enormous environmental and economic losses in agriculture and public health in recent decades. The aim of this chapter is: (i) to provide an overview on the origin and distribution of Ambrosia from North America to Europe, with special focus on Eastern Europe, particularly Hungary; and (ii) to identify and quantify those human-related factors on either a regional or global basis that may act to facilitate the spread and pollen production of this plant species. The chapter shows that socio-economic changes, particularly in agriculture following the fall of the Soviet Union, may be factors in contributing to the degree of soil disturbance necessary for ragweed establishment and spread. In addition, a temporal analysis is conducted of ragweed pollen characteristics and local meteorological factors from Szeged, Hungary (located in the biogeographical region of Hungary with the highest recorded ragweed pollen counts). This analysis demonstrates that most of the A. artemisiifolia pollen is from local (<100 km) sources on non-rainy days, but that recent anthropogenic changes in surface temperatures have likely lengthened both the growing season and the time of pollen exposure for common ragweed (i.e. delay in the onset of the autumn frost) in this location. Overall, both ongoing changes in land use and anthropogenic changes in climate are likely to continue to drive the spread of this invasive species, with negative consequences, particularly for allergic rhinitis, in Eastern Europe.