Abstract
The aim of the study was to compare phenological observations of pollen seasons of selected early spring trees. Special attention was paid to meteorological conditions which favored or did not favor tree flowering and pollen release. For this reason, we used phenological observation, pollen counts, and meteorological data in five sites in the center of Kraków in the period 2009–2011. Phenological phases (5) of four tree species: <em>Alnus glutinosa</em>, <em>Alnus incana</em>, <em>Corylus avellana</em>, and <em>Betula pendula</em>, were analyzed. It was found that in case of <em>A. glutinosa</em> the pollen season often preceded the flowering period, while for <em>A. incana</em> those two phenomena were more correlated. As regards <em>Corylus avellana</em>, the beginning of the pollen season and phenological phases was simultaneous. However, pollen grains occurred in the air longer, even by a dozen or so days. The phenological phases and pollen seasons of <em>Alnus</em> and <em>Corylus</em> were dependent on meteorological conditions. To give the definition of the relationship between pollen concentration and weather conditions, Spearman rank correlation analysis was applied. High <em>Alnus</em> and <em>Corylus</em> pollen concentrations were found on sunny days with a maximum temperature over 10°C and no precipitation, and when the snow cover was gone. In case of <em>Betula</em>, the phenological phases of the full pollination period usually coincided with the periods of high pollen concentrations. However, <em>Betula</em> pollen sometimes appears earlier and stays in the air longer than the flowering period of local trees in the nearest vicinity. This situation indicates long-distance transport or secondary deposition.
Highlights
The integration of phenological observations and aerobiological studies can deliver a proper interpretation of data obtained from pollen monitoring in different regions [1,2]
Alnus In Kraków, pollen grains of Alnus originate from two species: A. incana and A. glutinosa
In 2010, the onset of the Alnus pollen season was latest, on the 19 of March, and the season was short, only 19 days, it was characterized by high pollen concentrations (SPI 4909 PG/m3) which were 4 times as high as those in 2009 and 2011
Summary
The integration of phenological observations and aerobiological studies can deliver a proper interpretation of data obtained from pollen monitoring in different regions [1,2]. The pollen season of a given plant generally is longer than the flowering period because pollen catches can originate from flowering of local plants. They can result from long-distance transport and redeposition [5]. Variation in meteorological parameters during a year immensely influences the beginning, end and duration of the particular phenological phases of plants. Their life cycle, including leaf development, flowering, fruit ripening, senescence and leaf fall, is useful for climatology, among others as “a natural indicator of periodic changes and regional differences in weather” [6]. Knowledge of the dates and duration of phenological phases as well as of the distribution of potential sources of pollen is required to estimate properly the results of aeropalynological studies [7]
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