Studies on the Aerobiology of a Himalayan Alpine Zone, Rudranath, India

Abstract

The aerobiology of a Himalayan alpine zone in Rudranath at 3600 m above sea level was investigated. The atmospheric particulates were analyzed by exposing adhesive-coated slides, at intervals of 24 h, on a gravity sampling device. The aerobiological composition was found to be 65.5 7o fungal spores, 23.9go pollen grains, and 10.401o miscellaneous biotic objects. The majority of the flowering plants growing in the alpine environment are entomophilous (insect pollinated); their pollen was trapped in lower numbers, while many anemophilous (windborne) pollen grains traveled from the adjacent temperate and subtropical localities of lower altitudes. However, these species from alpine altitudes act as suitable hosts for several of the fungal elements indicating comparatively higher numbers of sporomorphs. Although a number of these microbes are of ubiquitous nature, the presence of liverworts, mosses, Arthrinium plus hyaline rods, and characteristic unidentified structures, grouped as miscellaneous, are characteristic of this locality.