ACTA AGROBOTANICA Vol. 6 (): 87 97 7 ANALYSIS OF ALNUS spp. POLLEN SEASONS IN LUBLIN AND WARSZAWA (POLAND), 1-7 Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska 1, Piotr Rapiejko 1 Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Akademicka 15, -95, Poland, e-mail: elzbieta.weryszko@ar.lublin.pl Department of Otolaryngology, Military Institute of Health Service, Szaserów 18, Warsaw -99, Poland Received: 6.1.7 Summary The course of Alnus spp. pollen seasons was compared in two cities, and Warsaw, located at a small distance from each other but included in different climatic regions of Poland. The studies were conducted using the volumetric method. It was shown that Alnus pollen seasons started in Warsaw earlier and were much shorter than in. The span between the start dates of pollen seasons was similar and it was 53-54 days. Peak days occurred in both cities most often in the second decade of March, but in Warsaw they were recorded several days earlier. Maximum concentrations reached higher values in, whereas annual totals were higher in Warsaw. The number of days with the concentration > 5 pollen grains m -3 per 4 hours was 5-7 days for Warsaw and 1-19 days for over 7 years of study. Key words: Alnus, pollen seasons, seasonal variations, regional differentiation, threshold concentrations,,, Poland INTRODUCTION In Poland three species from the genus Alnus and their hybrids occur (Seneta and Dolatowski, 7). Alnus glutinosa L. and A. incana L. trees grow in the lowland and in lower mountainous areas, whereas A. viridis shrubs are noted only in the Western Bieszczady Mountains (Szweykowska and Szweykowski, 1993; Z a j ą c and Z a j ą c, 1). The two former species grow on water edges and lowland bogs, forming a swampy type of deciduous forests called alder woods of great ecological significance. Alnus incana is a pioneer species used in the recultivation of post-industrial areas (Seneta and D olatowski, 7). Alder populations are currently endangered due to the lowering of ground water levels (Mejnartowicz, 7). Alder pollen grains are transported by the wind for long and very long distances. It is favoured by their small size and the low falling velocity. Studies conduc- ted in Warsaw demonstrate that in the close vicinity of flowering alder trees (up to 5 m) the average daily concentration of pollen of this taxon may reach 44, pollen grains in 1 m 3 of air, a value which exceeds many times concentrations recorded in the city centre (R a - piejko, 3; Rapiejko et al. 3). During the early spring period, alder pollen is a frequent cause of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and even bronchial asthma. For alder pollen, the threshold value is taken to be 5 pollen grains in m 3 per 4 h at which pollen allergy symptoms occur (Rantio-Lehtimäki et al. 1991) or 45 pollen grains in m 3 for polish population (Rapiejko et al. 4). The aim of the work was to compare Alnus pollen seasons in and Warsaw, cities belonging to different climatic regions of Poland. MATERIALS AND METHODS The course of Alnus pollen seasons in and Warsaw was studied in the years 1-7. Airborne pollen counts were conducted using the volumetric method by means of a VPPS Lanzoni pollen trap (Hirst 195). In, the trap site was located in the city centre on a building roof (51 14 N, 3 E) at a height of 18 m, whereas in Warsaw in the Bielany district (5 15 N, 1 E), 7 m above ground level. The distance between the cities is 176 km. The pollen concentration was expressed as the number of pollen grains m -3 per 4 h. The beginning and the end of the pollen season was determined using the 98% method, that is, the period was determined retrospectively when 98 percent of Alnus pollen grains occurred in the air (E m berlin et al. 1993). Dynamics of the pollen seasons (Figs 5, 6) was presented on the diagrams proposed by L a t a ł owa et al. (). In both cities, at a distance of -4 km from the trap site, alders grow along river banks, also forming larger tree clusters.
88 Elżbieta Weryszko-Chmielewska, Piotr Rapiejko RESULTS In the years 1-7, the start of the Alnus pollen season, determined using the 98 % method, fell in the period between February and 8 March in, whereas in Warsaw in the period between 4 February and 9 March. The date of the beginning of the pollen season for this taxon in the years 6 and 7 in and in Warsaw was very similar, whereas in the remaining years the difference was 6-16 days (Tab. 1, Fig. 1). After the calculation of averages for the study period, it was found that the Alnus pollen season started earlier in Warsaw than in by days using the 98% method (Tab. ) and by 5 days using the 1% method. Alnus pollen seasons were much shorter in Warsaw than in, except for the year 1 (Fig. ). The length of the pollen season in ranged between 7 and 8 days, whereas in Warsaw between 14 and 51 days (the 98% method) (Tab. 1). The average length of the Alnus pollen season for the seven-year period was 35 days for Warsaw, and for 48 days (the 98 % method) (Tab. ). Maximum concentrations of Alnus pollen grains were noted in between 5 March and April, whereas in Warsaw between 17 February and April (Tab. 1). The average date of the maximum Alnus pollen concentration from the seven-year period was 4 days earlier in Warsaw than in (Tab. ). In, maximum Alnus pollen concentrations in the seasons were generally higher than in Warsaw, in particular in the last four years (Tab. 1). The sevenyear average of this parameter was 46 percent higher for (Tab. ). The analysis of curve patterns illustrating Alnus pollen seasons in both cities in particular years shows that these seasons were compact, and the two species, Alnus glutinosa and Alnus incana, occurring in the study area flowered simultaneously or their flowering dates overlapped partially, e.g. in in 6 (Fig. 3). The pattern of Alnus pollen seasons for and Warsaw, made based on seven-year averages, demonstrates that threshold Alnus pollen concentrations (above 5 grains in m 3 ) can be expected in between 9 March and 1 April, whereas in Warsaw between 7 March and 4 April. Table 1 Characteristics of Alnus pollen seasons in and Warsaw in the years 1-7 (98% method). No. Year City Start Pollen season End Length (days) Maximum concentration pg/m 3 Date 1. 1 5. 9. 3.4 1.4 38 51 174 1145 1.3 1.3.. 8. 8.4 5.3 66 45 7 37 5.3 17. 3. 3 3.3 15.3.4 1.4 9 17 433 356 8.3 3.3 4. 4 7. 19. 7.4.4 8 43 8 873 19.3 18.3 5. 5 5.3 16.3.4 7.4 7 149 987.4 8.3 6. 6 8.3 9.3 1.5 11.4 44 14 1443 954.4.4 7. 7 3. 4. 8.3 7.3 54 51 89 198 1.3 8.3
Analysis of Alnus spp. pollen seasons in and (Poland), 1-7 89 Table Comparison of of Alnus pollen seasons in and Warsaw, an average from the years 1-7. City Start of season Season length (days) Peak day Maximum pollen concentration pg m -3 8. 48.3 146 6. 35 16.3 974 Table 3 Frequency of Alnus pollen counts above certain thresholds recordedin and Warsaw. Year City Number of days with daily Alnus pollen counts >5 grains m -3 >1 grains m -3 >5 grains m -3 >1 grains m -3 1 15 7 1 14 4 7 1 19 4 8 13 3 17 17 9 13 4 1 9 4 1 5 9 4 3 5 1 16 11 1 4 1 6 17 1 15 8 4 3 7 11 11 7 6 Sum 11 11 69 7 18 9 9 1
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Analysis of Alnus spp. pollen seasons in and (Poland), 1-7 97 Analiza sezonów pyłkowych Alnus spp. w ie i Warszawie (Polska) Streszczenie Porównano przebieg sezonów pyłkowych Alnus spp. w dwóch miastach, ie i Warszawie, położonych w niewielkiej odległości ale zaliczanych do różnych regionów klimatycznych Polski. Badania prowadzono metodą wolumetryczną. Wykazano, że sezony pyłkowe Alnus rozpoczynały się w Warszawie wcześniej i były znacznie krótsze niż w ie. Rozpiętość w zakresie startu sezonów pyłkowych była zbliżona i wynosiła 53-54 dni. Dni z maksymalnymi stężeniami ziaren pyłku olszy występowały w obu miastach najczęściej w drugiej dekadzie marca, ale w Warszawie rejestrowano je wcześniej. Maksymalne stężenia osiągały wyższe wartości w ie, natomiast sumy roczne ziaren pyłku olszy były wyższe w Warszawie. Liczba dni ze stężeniem >5 ziaren pyłku m -3 w ciągu 4 godzin wynosiła 5-7 dni dla Warszawy i 1-19 dni dla a w ciągu 7 lat badań.