Abstract
High Pinaceae pollen concentrations in the air and on the surface of puddles before the main pollen season started were observed in Kraków (southern Poland) in May 2013. The paper presents the results of detailed studies of the composition and source of the “yellow rain” in 2013, and as a comparison, the Pinaceae pollen concentrations and samples collected from the ground surface in 2014 were considered. The air samples were collected using the volumetric method (Hirst-type device), while pollen grains sampled from the ground surface were processed using a modified Erdtman acetolysis method. Finally, all samples were studied using a light microscope. In 2013, the period of higher Abies, Picea and Pinus pollen concentrations was observed from the 5 to 12 of May, earlier than the main pollen season occurred. The presence of rainfall on the 12 and 13 of May 2013 caused the pollen deposition on the ground surface, where the prevalence of Pinaceae pollen was found. The synoptic situation and the analysis of the back-trajectories and air mass advection at the beginning of May 2013 indicated that Pinaceae pollen grains could have been transported from Ukraine, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. In contrast, Pinaceae pollen grains deposited on the ground surface as a “yellow” film in May 2014, originated from local sources.
Highlights
There is an increasing interest in the long-range transport of small-sized biological material, because of its negative influence on the environment due to the expansion of the biogeographical ranges of different organisms and on human health due to the dispersion of allergenic pollen and the transport of pathogens (Belmonte et al 2008)
The pollen seasons were stable for a 10-year period (2003–2012), and the coefficient of variation ranged from 3.8–4.4 % to 4.7–5.3 % (Table 2)
In 2014, the airborne Pinus pollen concentration was higher than atmospheric concentrations of Picea pollen, and Abies pollen was not observed (Table 2)
Summary
There is an increasing interest in the long-range transport of small-sized biological material, because of its negative influence on the environment due to the expansion of the biogeographical ranges of different organisms and on human health due to the dispersion of allergenic pollen and the transport of pathogens (Belmonte et al 2008). There are still very few reports on the Pinaceae pollen transport through the air, both pollen and seeds of conifers can be transferred with air masses far away from the source of their production and release (Benkman 1995). Hesselman (1919) indicated that pine pollen was transported by air masses from the forests in Scandinavia up to 30–35 km distance. Dyakowska (1948) reported that pine and spruce pollen was found 600–1000 km far away from Pinaceae forests, while at a later stage she suggested a limitation range for pine pollen shed to be 74.7 km (Dyakowska 1959)
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