Abstract
Alnus × spaethii is a hybrid alder with the parent species A. japonica and A. subcordata. It is known for both its tolerance for urban climate conditions and enhanced air pollution concentrations and hence often figures on recommended tree guidance lists in towns. At the MeteoSwiss pollen station of Buchs (Switzerland), unusual early peaks of alder pollen already in December or January have been observed in the last 8 years. These peaks occurred several days to weeks earlier than at any other Swiss pollen station. As pollen source, an alley of Alnus × spaethii trees, planted in 1995–2000, 800 m south of the pollen trap could be identified. Phenological observations during this period in Buchs confirmed these pollen observations and showed that the trees were fully flowering on December 30, 2009, December 28, 2010 and 2011 and December 24, 2012. Due to the presence of Alnus × spaethii a very early, longer and more intense alder pollen season was observed in Buchs. As recently shown, these alder pollen can be also of clinical relevance. Thus, newly introduced plant species seem to be able to become a relevant allergen within a short time.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Berger, U., Karatzas, K., Jaeger, S., Voukantsis, D., Sofie, M., Brandt, O., et al. (2013). Personalized pollen-related symptom-forecast information services for allergenic rhinitis patients in Europe. Allergy, 68, 963–965.
Callier, A. S. (1908). Neue Gehölze: Alnus spaethii. Mitteil. Deutsch. Dendrol. Ges., 17, 215–216.
Cecchi, L. (2013). Introduction. In M. Sofiev & K. C. Bergmann (Eds.), Allergenic pollen: A review of the production, release, distribution and health impacts (pp. 1–7). Dordrecht: Springer.
D’Amato, G., Cecchi, L., Bonini, S., Nunes, C., Annesi-Maesano, I., Behrendt, H., et al. (2007). Allergenic pollen and pollen allergy in Europe. Allergy, 62(9), 976–990.
de Weger, L. A., Beerthuizen, T., Gast-Strookman, J. M., van der Plas, D. T., Terreehorst, I., Hiemstra, P. S., & Sont J. K. (2011). Difference in symptom severity between early and late grass pollen season in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis. Clinical and Translational Allergy, 1(18). http://www.ctajournal.com/content/pdf/2045-7022-1-18.pdf
de Weger, L. A., Bergmann, K. C., Rantio-Lehtimäki, A., Dahl, A., Buters, J., Déchamp, C., et al. (2013). Impact of pollen. In M. Sofiev & K. C. Bergmann (Eds.), Allergenic pollen: A review of the production, release, distribution and health impacts (pp. 161–215). Dordrecht: Springer.
GALK. (2012). Straßenbaumliste 2012. www.galk.de
Gassner, M., Gehrig, R., & Schmid-Grendelmeier, P. (2013). Hay fever as a Christmas gift. New England Journal of Medicine, 368, 393–394.
Gehrig, R. (2012). Die Repräsentativität der Pollenmessstationen des Schweizer Pollenmessnetzes. Arbeitsberichte der MeteoSchweiz, 237 , 76.
Gehrig, R., Pietragalla-Köhler, B., Clot, B., Herren, T., Graber, M.-J., Hauser, M., et al. (2013). Luftpollengehalt in der Schweiz 2012, No. 20. MeteoSchweiz. http://www.meteoschweiz.admin.ch/medialib/documents/de/gesundheit.Par.0005.File.dat/Luftpollengehalt_in_der_Schweiz_2012.pdf
Hauser, M., Asam, C., Himly, M., Palazzo, P., Voltolini, S., Montanari, C., et al. (2011). Bet v 1-like pollen allergens of multiple Fagales species can sensitize atopic individuals. Clinical and Experimental Allergy, 41(12), 1804–1814.
Heinzerling, L. M., Burbach, G. J., Edenharter, G., Bachert, C., Bindslev-Jensen, C., Bonini, S., et al. (2009). GA2LEN skin test study I: GA2LEN harmonization of skin prick testing: Novel sensitization patterns for inhalant allergens in Europe. Allergy, 64(10), 1498–1506.
Hirst, J. M. (1952). An automatic volumetric spore trap. The Annals of Applied Biology, 39(2), 257–265.
Jantunen, J., Saarinen, K., & Rantio-Lehtimäki, A. (2012). Allergy symptoms in relation to alder and birch pollen concentrations in Finland. Aerobiologia, 28(2), 169–176.
Jato, V., Frenguelli, G., Rodríguez, F. J., & Aira, M. J. (2000). Temperature requirements of Alnus pollen in Spain and Italy (1994–1998). Grana, 39(5), 240–245.
Jato, V., Rodríguez-Rajo, F. J., Alcázar, P., De Nuntiis, P., Galán, C., & Mandrioli, P. (2006). May the definition of pollen season influence aerobiological results? Aerobiologia, 22, 13–25.
Mandrioli, P., Comtois, P., & Levizzani, V. (Eds.). (1998). Methods in aerobiology. Bologna: Pitagora Editrice.
Matthiessen, F., Ipsen, H., & Lowenstein, H. (1991). Pollen allergens. In G. Amato, F. T. M. Spieksma, & S. Bonini (Eds.), Allergenic pollen and pollinosis in Europe (pp. 36–45). Oxford: Wiley-Blackwell.
Meier, U. (Ed.). (2001). Entwicklungsstadien Mono- und Dikotyler Pflanzen. Berlin, Braunschweig: BBCH-Monograph. Biologische Bundesanstalt für Land und Forstwirtschaft.
Pauling, A., Gehrig, R., & Clot, B. (2014). Toward optimized temperature sum parameterizations for forecasting the start of the pollen season. Aerobiologia, 30, 45–57. doi:10.1007/s10453-013-9308-0.
Piotrowska, K. (2008). Ecological features of flowers and the amount of pollen released in Corylus avellana (L.) and Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn. Acta Agrobotanica, 61(1), 33–39.
Pohl, F. (1937). Die Pollenerzeugung der Windblütler. Beihefte zum botanischen Centralblatt, Abteilung A, Morphologie und Physiologie der Pflanzen, 56, 365–470.
Rodríguez-Rajo, F. J., Dopazo, A., & Jato, V. (2004). Environmental factors affecting the start of the pollen season and concentrations of airborne Alnus pollen in two localities of Galicia (NW Spain). Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 11(1), 35–44.
Rodríguez-Rajo, F. J., Grewling, L., Stach, A., & Smith, M. (2009). Factors involved in the phenological mechanism of Alnus flowering in Central Europe. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 16, 277–284.
Smith, M., Emberlin, J., Stach, A., Czarnecka-Operacz, M., Jenerowicz, D., & Silny, W. (2007). Regional importance of Alnus pollen as an aeroallergen: A comparative study of Alnus pollen counts from Worcester (UK) and Poznan (Poland). Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 14, 123–128.
Acknowledgments
The data of the presence of Alnus × spaethii trees in Zurich were provided by Grün Stadt Zürich. We like to thank Dr. Mischa Croci-Maspoli from MeteoSwiss for very valuable discussions and comments and best thanks to Mrs. Irene Cuhat Stark and Mrs. Susanne Marty-Wyss, Allergiestation, University Hospital Zurich and Mrs. Marlies Gassner-Bachmann, Grabs for their support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Gehrig, R., Gassner, M. & Schmid-Grendelmeier, P. Alnus × spaethii pollen can cause allergies already at Christmas. Aerobiologia 31, 239–247 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-014-9360-4
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-014-9360-4