Alder pollen season in selected cities of Poland in 2020

This paper presents the course of alder pollination season in Poland in 2020. The measurements were performed in Bydgoszcz, Bialystok, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora. Volumetric method with the use of Volumetric Spore Trap (Burkard, Lanzoni) was implemented. Pollen season was defined as the period in which 95% of the annual total catch occurred. The alder pollen season in 2020 started about 10–30 days earlier compared to 2017–2019. The pollen season started first in Szczecin, Opole and Zielona Gora (in the second half of January). In the other cities alder pollen season started in first half of February. The highest daily pollen count was recorded in Lublin (1211 P/m3). In other cities the maximum concentrations ranged from 160 P/m3 in Sosnowiec to 465 P/m3 in Piotrkow Trybunalski. The highest alder pollen concentrations were detected in the first decade of March (March 1st–3rd). Only in Zielona Gora, Wroclaw, Opole and Sosnowiec the maximum concentration was recorded in the third decade of February. The annual pollen sum of Alnus in 2020 was even 5–10 times lower than in years 2019

Ambrosia pollen season in selected cities in Poland in 2018

Ambrosia causes most pollen allergies in North America. After several Ambrosia species were introduced to Europe, an increase in the incidence of allergy to pollen of these plants has been observed in many countries. The aim of this study was to compare Ambrosia pollen seasons in 2018 in 13 cities located in different regions of Poland: Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Drawsko Pomorskie, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw and Zielona Gora. The study was conducted by the volumetric method using Burkard or Lanzoni pollen samplers. The pollen season was determined by the 98% method. The earliest pollen season start dates (the end of July) were recorded in Zielona Gora, Bydgoszcz, Opole and Szczecin, while the latest ones in Drawsko Pomorskie and Bialystok. The longest pollen seasons occurred in Opole, Szczecin and Zielona Gora (79 days). The highest average daily concentrations of Ambrosia pollen were recorded in Bialystok (129 P/m3) and Lublin (99 P/m3), while the lowest ones in Drawsko Pomorskie and Szczecin (4 and 10 P/m3, respectively). The annual pollen sum reached the highest value in Opole (567 pollen grains) and Zielona Gora (555 pollen grains). It can be concluded from the pattern of Ambrosia pollen seasons at the monitoring sites studied that pollen of this taxon originates not only from Ambrosia locations in Poland but also from long-distance transport

Analysis of mugwort (Artemisia) pollen seasons in selected cities in Poland in 2018

The aim of the present study was to compare the mugwort pollen season in 2018 in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Drawsko-Pomorskie, Lublin, Olsztyn, Opole, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Zielona Gora. Pollen concentration measurements were made by the volumetric method using Burkard or Lanzoni pollen samplers. The pollen season was considered as the period during which 98% of the total annual pollen count occurred. The Seasonal Pollen Index (SPI) was calculated as the sum of the average daily pollen concentrations throughout the season determined for the individual cities. The mugwort pollen season started earliest in Bialystok (June 21st) and Bydgoszcz (June 25th), while in the other cities its onset occurred in the first 10 days of July. Significant differences were found in season duration (68–110 days), SPI, and peak value. The longest season occurred in Zielona Gora and Bydgoszcz, while the shortest one in Wroclaw. The highest SPI and maximum concentration values were observed in Lublin and Zielona Gora. In most of the cities, the peak value was recorded in the first 10 days of August. The highest risk of allergy in people sensitive to the pollen of this taxon was found in Zielona Gora, Lublin, and Warsaw

Yew and juniper pollen season in selected cities of Poland in 2020

The study compares the yew and juniper pollen seasons in Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Lublin, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, and Wroclaw in 2020. The investigations were conducted using the volumetric method. The yew and juniper season started in all measurement sites between February 2nd (Szczecin) and March 2nd (Lublin). The peak values of seasonal pollen count occurred between February 23rd (in Szczecin) and March 28th. The highest daily pollen count was recorded in Lublin (867 grains/m3) and the lowest pollen count in Bialystok (45 grains/m3). The highest annual totals were recorded in Lublin and Wroclaw. Most days, with a concentration equal to or above 50 grains/m3, causing symptoms in allergic patients were recorded in Lublin and Warsaw

The impact of data assimilation into the meteorological WRF model on birch pollen modelling

We analyse the impact of ground-based data assimilation to theWeather Research and Forecasting (WRF) meteorological model on parameters relevant for birch pollen emission calculations. Then, we use two different emission databases (BASE – no data assimilation, OBSNUD – data assimilation for the meteorological model) in the chemical transport model and evaluate birch pollen concentrations. Finally, we apply a scaling factor for the emissions (BASE and OBSNUD), based on the ratio between simulated and observed seasonal pollen integral (SPIn) to analyse its impact on birch concentrations over Central Europe. Assimilation of observational data significantly reducesmodel overestimation of air temperature,which is themain parameter responsible for the start of pollen emission and amount of released pollen. The results also show that a relatively small bias in air temperature from the model can lead to significant differences in heating degree days (HDD) value. This may cause the HDD threshold to be attained several days earlier/later than indicated from observational data which has further impact on the start of pollen emission. Even though the bias for air temperature was reduced for OBSNUD, the model indicates a start for the birch pollen season that is too early compared to observations. The start date of the seasonwas improved at two of the 11 stations in Poland. Data assimilation does not have a significant impact on the season's end or SPIn value. The application of the SPIn factor for the emissions results in a much closer birch pollen concentration level to observations even though the factor does not improve the start or end of the pollen season. The post-processing of modelled meteorological fields, such as the application of bias correction, can be considered as a way to further improve the pollen emission modelling

Concentration of pollen of Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae plants in the air of selected Polish cities in 2020

Various concentrations of Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae pollen are detected in the air of many regions of Europe. The highest content of pollen produced by the taxon is reported in southern Europe and in other countries with a warm climate and low precipitation sums. The study was focused on characterization of the Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae pollen season in 11 Polish cities: Bialystok, Bydgoszcz, Cracow, Lublin, Olsztyn, Piotrkow Trybunalski, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warsaw, Wroclaw, and Zielona Gora in 2020. The volumetric method based on the use of the Lanzoni or Burkard pollen sampler was employed in the study. In 2020, the pollen season in the analyzed plant family began in the second half of June and ended during the first ten days of October. The earliest pollen season onset was recorded in Lublin (June 13th) and Szczecin (June 14th), whereas the latest beginning was noted in Wroclaw (July 5th). The earliest and latest end of the pollen season was recorded in Bialystok (September 6th) and in Olszyn (October 5th), respectively. In terms of length, the season was characterized by the shortest duration in Wroclaw (70 days) and the longest duration in Olsztyn (106 days). In most of the analyzed cities, maximum pollen concentrations were detected in the second half of August, and the highest values were recorded in Zielona Gora and Sosnowiec. Compared to 2019 and 2018, relatively low sums of the annual concentrations of Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae pollen grains, i.e. in the range of 35–231, were recorded in Poland in 2020. The highest values of this parameter were reported in Olsztyn (231) and Lublin (230), whereas the lowest value was noted in Bialystok (35). The relatively low maximum concentrations of Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae pollen recorded during the study year indicate a low risk of development of allergy symptoms induced by the presence of pollen of this taxon in the air

The analysis of goosefoot pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2009

W pracy przedstawiono przebieg sezonu pylenia komosy w 2009 roku. Badania prowadzono w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Krakowie, Lublinie, Łodzi, Olsztynie, Sosnowcu, Szczecinie, Warszawie i we Wrocławiu, z zastosowaniem metody wolumetrycznej, przy użyciu aparatów typu Burkard i Lanzoni. Najwyższe stężenia pyłku komosy zanotowano w Łodzi 27 sierpnia (68 z/m3) oraz w Olsztynie w dniu 9 sierpnia (16 ziaren/m3).This paper presents the course of goosefoot pollen season in selected cites of Poland in 2009. The measurements were performed in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Olsztyn, Sosnowiec, Szczecin, Warszawa and Wrocław, use of volumetric method with Burkard and Lanzoni Spore Trap. The highest daily pollen count, that reached the level of 68 goosefoot pollen grains/m3, was recorded in Łódź on the 27 of August and the level of 16 goosefoot pollen grains/m3, was recorded in Olsztyn on the 09 of August

The analysis of mugwort pollen count in selected Polish cities in 2009

W pracy przedstawiono przebieg sezonu pylenia bylicy w 2009 roku. Badania prowadzono w Białymstoku, Bydgoszczy, Krakowie, Lublinie, Łodzi, Olsztynie, Sosnowcu, Warszawie, we Wrocławiu i w Szczecinie, z zastosowaniem metody wolumetrycznej przy użyciu aparatów typu Burkard i Lanzoni. Najwyższe stężenia pyłku bylicy, wynoszące 364 z/m3, zanotowano w Łodzi 4 sierpnia oraz 172 ziarna/m3 w Lublinie w dniu 8 sierpnia.This paper presents the course of mugwort pollen season in selected cites of Poland in 2009. The measurements were performed in Białystok, Bydgoszcz, Kraków, Lublin, Łódź, Olsztyn, Sosnowiec, Warszawa, Wrocław and in Szczecin, use of volumetric method with Burkard and Lanzoni Spore Trap. The highest daily pollen count, that reached the level of 364 mugwort pollen grains/m3, was recorded in Łódź on the 04 of August and the level of 172 mugwort pollen grains/m3 , was recorded in Lublin on the 08 of August