Po PolskuInstitute of Botany, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland
Published in: R. Spiewak (Editor): "Pollens and Pollinosis: Current Problems". Institute of Agricultural Medicine, Lublin (Poland) 1995, pages 16-17.
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Recently doctors point to the increase of sensitivity to allergenic factors, including pollen and fungal spores. This phenomenon occurs especially in industrial areas. Since 1940s large scale research into occurrence of pollen and fungal spores in the air has been performed in many countries and measurement stations net has been developed. In Poland though, such research has been performed only occasionally and during short periods limited to several months a year and what is more in accidental places. Since 1980s, first in Kraków and then also in Rabka and other places, the research with the use of gravimetric method has been performed consequently during the whole year and recently also with the use of volumetric method. Due to different physical-geographical, climatical and geobotanical conditions in Poland in 1995 the research with the use of both methods has been started thanks to the donation of KBN (Scientific Research Committee), in order to design the net of aerobiological measurements. The net is to provide information concerning allergenic threat caused by aeroplankton of plant origin in different areas in Poland. Because of high cost of devices for volumetric sampling and palynological analyses, the whole year's measurements have been made in five places along north-south curve (transect) i.e. in Poznan, Warsaw, Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Krakow and Zakopane. Such research has been also performed in Gdansk and Rabka as separate study. Piotr Rapiejko from Warsaw has also designed a separate net for weekly forecasting the pollen threat in vegetation season.
Basing on hitherto obtained results of aerobiological research in countries in which observations have been performed for many years and on the authors' own research we come into conclusion that the occurrence of pollen in the air measured in the same place changes every year. This concerns mainly quantitative relationships and also duration of occurrence and reaching maximal values by pollen of particular taxa in yearly climatic cycles. Vegetation in the nearest and further vicinity and the weather are especially important factors influencing the composition of aeroplankton in places of measurement. The weather conditions infuence the flowering of plants and distribution of pollen in the atmosphere to a great extent. The qualitative and quantitative composition of aeroplankton depends on the vegetation. However, these relations are not simple, that is why results of the measurements of aeroplankton made in one place, especially if they are performed during a short period of time, can not be a reliable basis for generalisations and conclusions. Long-term, comparable observations are necessary to find characteristic features and possible regional differentiations in the area of our country. That is why the research should be integrated and aeroplankton measurement net should be made reliable. This does not exclude the possibility of performing the research outside the national net according to available funds.
Analyses of the results of measurement of aeroplankton from the beginning of current year in Zakopane, Krakow, Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski and Poznan show that pollen of most of taxa found in the samples occur in all places of measurement. Pollen of given taxon reaches its maximal value almost simultaneously in all the measurement places, and deviations are less than 10 days, whereas in quantitative relations significant differences can be observed. Alnus, Betula, Pinus, Poaceae and Urtica reach very high values in all measurement points except for Zakopane, and Picea and Fagus in Zakopane. Less taxa and less pollen of most taxa have been found in this measurement place.
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