Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Aerobiological and ecological study of the potentially allergenic ornamental plants in south Spain

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Aerobiologia Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A number of ornamental plant species produce pollen grains with allergenic properties, thus posing a potential risk to human health. A comparative study of the ecological and aerobiological characteristics of ornamental urban flora in four Andalusian cities revealed the presence of over 100 potentially allergenic ornamental plant species. Most of these were phanerophytes, and species of Asiatic origin predominated, followed by Mediterranean and American species. However, not all potentially allergenic ornamental plants were of aerobiological significance, since some produce only small amounts of pollen, while others were infrequent or were located at a considerable distance from the sampler. Even so, when designing new urban parks and gardens, every effort should be made to ensure maximum species variability avoiding the excessive use of any single species.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Aira, M. J., Rodríguez-Rajo, F. J., Fernández-González, M., & Jato, V. (2011). Airborne pollen of ornamental tree species in the NW of Spain. Environmental Monitoring Assessment, 173, 765–775.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alcázar, P., García-Mozo, H., Trigo, M. M., Ruiz, L., González-Minero, F. J., Hidalgo, P., et al. (2011). Platanus pollen season in Andalusia (southern Spain): trends and modeling. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 13, 2502–2510.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Allergome (2004–2009). A database of allergenic molecules. Latina: Institution for Allergome Project, Italy. http://www.allergome.org.

  • Ayora, A., Bueno, M., Fernández, A., Fernández, E., Sarasola, L., Valeto, J. A. (1988). Flora ornamental de Málaga: Guía de árboles y arbustos de las calles, plazas, parques y jardines de la ciudad e itinirarios. Arguval.

  • Candau, P. & Pérez, A. (2000). La flora mayor del centro de Sevilla. Universidad de Sevilla. Secretariado de publicaciones.

  • Cariñanos, P., Alcázar, P., Galán, C., & Domínguez-Vilches, E. (2002a). Privet pollen (Ligustrum sp.) as potential cause of pollinosis in the city of Cordoba, southwest Spain. Allergy, 57, 1–7.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cariñanos, P., & Casares-Porcel, M. (2011). Urban green zones and related pollen allergy: A review. Some guidelines for designing spaces with low allergy impact. Landscape and Urban Planning, 101, 205–214.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cariñanos, P., Galán, C., Alcázar, P., & Domínguez-Vilches, E. (2007). Analysis of the solid particulate matter suspended in air of Córdoba, southwester Spain. Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine, 14, 159.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cariñanos, P., Sánchez-Mesa, J. A., Prieto, J. C., López, A., Guerra, F., Moreno, C., et al. (2002b). Pollen allergy related to the area of residences in the city of Córdoba, southwest Spain. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 4, 734–738.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carracedo, E., Sanchez, C., Taracido, M., Saez, M., Jato, V., & Figueiras, A. (2008). Effect of short-term exposure to air pollution and pollen on medical emergency calls: A case-crossover study in Spain. Allergy, 63(3), 347–353.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cecchi, L., D’Amato, G., Ayres, J. G., Galán, C., Forastiere, F., Forsberg, B., et al. (2010). Projections of the effects of climate change on allergic asthma: the contribution of aerobiology. Allergy, 65, 1073–1081.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Çeter, T., Pinar, N. M., Güney, K., Yildiz, A., Aşcı, B., & Smith, M. (2012). A 2-year aeropalynological survey of allergenic pollen in the atmosphere of Kastamonu. Turkey Aerobiologia, 28(3), 355–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charpin, D., Calleja, M., Lahoz, C., Pichot, C., & Waisel, Y. (2005). Allergy to cypress pollen. Allergy, 60, 293–301.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chiesura, A. (2004). The role of urban parks for the sustainable city. Landscape and Urban Planning, 68, 129–138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • D’Amato, G., Cecchi, L., et al. (2007). Allergenic pollen and pollen allergy in Europe. Allergy, 62, 976–990.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Linares, C., Díaz, J., García, R., & Tobías, A. (2005). Enfermedades respiratorias en población infantil y su relación con los factores ambientales. Revista de Salud Ambiental, 5(1), 42.

    Google Scholar 

  • Díaz de la Guardia, C. & Blanca, G. (1994). Flora ornamental de Granada: Polen e incidencia en las alergias. Monográficas Tierras del Sur. Universidad de Granada.

  • Dopazo, A., Aira, M. J., Armisén, M., & Vidal, C. (2002). Relationship of clinical and aerobiological pollen data in the north-west of Spain. Allergologie et Immunopathologie, 30(2), 74–78.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ellenberg, H., Weber, H. E., Düll, R., Wirth, R., Werner, W., & Paulissen, D. (1992). Zeigerwerte von Pflanzen in Mitteleuropa (2nd ed.). Scripta Geobotanica, 18, 1–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Elvira, B., Moreno, S., Moreno, J. M., Vergara, N., García, J. J., & Jiménez, A. (2005). Aerobiología y diseño del paisaje urbano: Una herramienta de salud. Revista de Salud Ambiental, 5(1), 7–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Juricic, E., & Jokimäki, J. (2001). A habitat island approach to conserving birds in urban landscapes: Case studies from southern and northern Europe. Biodiversity Conservation, 10, 2023–2043.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fernández-Rivas, M., Benito, C., González-Mancebo, E., & Durana, D. A. (2008). Allergies to fruits and vegetables. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 19(8), 675–681.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Galán, C., Cariñanos, P., Alcázar, P., & Domínguez-Vilches, E. (2007). Spanish aerobiology network (REA): Management and quality manual. Madrid: Servicio de Publicaciones, Universidad de Córdoba.

    Google Scholar 

  • García, J. J., Trigo, M. M., Cabezudo, B., Redo, M., Vega, J. M., Barber, D., et al. (1997). Pollinosis due to Australian pine (Casuarina): an aerobiologic and clinical study in southern Spain. Allergy, 52, 11–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Guerra, F., Daza, J. C., Miguel, M., Moreno, C., Galán, C., Domínguez-Vilches, E., et al. (1996). Sensitivity to Cupressus, allergenic significance in Córdoba (Spain). Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, 6(2), 117–120.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harris, M. C., & German, D. F. (1985). The incidence of pine pollen reactivity in an allergic atopic population. Allergy, 55, 678–679.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hernández-Bermejo, J. E., Jiménez-López, C., Jiménez-Ramírez, A., Martín-Consuegra, E. M., & Porras-Castillo, I. (2000). Los jardines de la provincia de Córdoba. Estudios de Medio Ambiente Provincial (3). Diputación de Córdoba.

  • Hirst, J. M. (1952). An automatic volumetric spore-trap. Annals of Applied Biology, 36, 257–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jim, C. Y., & Chen, W. Y. (2008). Assessing the ecosystem service of air pollutant removal by urban trees in Guangzhou (China). Journal of Environmental Management, 88, 665–676.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kornutá, A., & Ostrolucká, M. G. (1992). Serological properties of the pollen proteins in some Quercus species. Biologia (Bratislava), 47(4), 281–285.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lavaud, F., Jonvel, A. C., Fontaine, F. J., Sabouraud, D., & Lebargy, F. (2006). Les pollinoses de proximite ne sont-elles que des cas cliniques? Revue de la litterature a` propos de cinq observations. Revue franc¸aise d’allergologie et d’immunologie Clinique, 47, 51–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lorenzoni-Chiesura, F., Giorato, M., & Marcer, G. (2000). Allergy to pollen of urban cultivated plants. Aerobiologia, 16, 313–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Martín-Consuegra, E., & Ubera, J. L. (1996). Palynology of the Historical Period at the Madinat al-Zahra Archaeological Site. Spain Journal of Archaeological Science, 23, 249–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mas-Candela, J., & Salmerón de Diego, J. (1991). Setos y cerramientos ornamentales. Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación: Hojas divulgativas.

    Google Scholar 

  • Matsouka, R. H., & Kaplan, R. (2008). People needs in the urban landscape: Analysis of landscape and urban planning contributions. Landscape and Urban Planning, 84, 7–19.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • National Meteorology Institute. (2001). Guía resumida del clima de España 1971–2000. Secretaría General Técnica Ministerio de Medio Ambiente, Madrid: Centro de publicaciones.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pignatti, S. (2005). Valori di bioindicazione delle piante vascolari della flora d’Italia. Braun-Blanquetia.

  • Prieto, M. T., Rodríguez-Sevilla, P., Tesón-Martín, C., & Moreno-Durán, M. D. (1992). Imago Arborum: Árboles y arbustos de Sevilla a través de la imagen. Diputación de Sevilla.

  • Ramón-Laca, L. (2003). The introduction of cultivated citrus to Europe via Northern Africa and the Iberian Peninsula. Economic Botanic, 57, 502–514.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Raunkiær, C. (1934). The life forms of plants and statistical plant geography. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ribeiro, H., Oliveira, M., Ribeiro, N., Cruz, A., Ferreira, A., Machado, H., et al. (2009). Pollen allergenic potential nature of some trees species: A multidisciplinary approach using aerobiological, immunochemical and hospital admissions data. Environmental Research, 109, 328–333.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rivas-Martínez, S. (1987). Memoria del mapa de series de vegetación de España 1:400.000. Madrid. ICONA.

  • Ruggles, F. (2008). Islamic gardens and landscapes. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sabariego, S., Gutiérrez, M., Cervigón, P., & Díez, A. (2005). Importancia ambiental del polen de Platanus en la Comunidad de Madrid. Revista de Salud Ambiental., 5(1), 41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sánchez-Mesa, J. A., Serrano, P., Cariñanos, P., Prieto-Baena, J. C., Moreno, C., Guerra, F., et al. (2005). Pollen allergy in Cordoba city: Frequency of sensitization and relation with antihistamine sales. Journal of Investigational Allergology and Clinical Immunology, 15(1), 50–56.

    Google Scholar 

  • Staffolani, L., & Hruska, K. (2008). Urban allergophytes of central Italy. Aerobiologia, 24, 77–87.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Staffolani, L., Velasco-Jiménez, M. J., Galán, C., & Hruska, K. (2011). Allergenicity of the ornamental urban flora: ecological and aerobiological analyses in Córdoba (Spain) and Ascoli Piceno (Italy). Aerobiologia, 27, 239–246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Torrecillas, M., García-González, J. J., Palomeque, M. T., Muñoz, C., Barcelo, J. M., Fuente, J. L., et al. (1998). Prevalencia de sensibilizaciones en pacientes con polinosis de la provincia de Málaga. Revista Española de Alergología e Inmunología Clínica, 13(2), 122–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Trigo, M. M., Blázquez, J., Fernández, A., & Almeda, L. F. (1996). Los Jardines de Málaga. Junta de Andalucía, Consejería de Educación y Ciencia. Delegación Provincial de Málaga, Málaga.

  • Trigo, M. M., Jato, V., Fernández, D., & Galán, C. (2008). Atlas aeropalinológico de España. Leon: Secretariado de Publicaciones, Universidad de León.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tutin, T. G., Burges, N. A., Chater, A. Q., Edmondson, J. R., Heywood, W. H., & Moore, D. M. (1993). Flora europaea (1ª and 2ª ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

  • Velasco-Jiménez, M. J., Alcázar, P., Domínguez-Vilches, E., & Galán, C. (2013). Comparative study of airborne pollen counts located in different areas of the city of Córdoba (south-western Spain). Aerobiologia, 29, 113–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wania, A., Bruse, M., Blond, N., & Weber, C. (2012). Analysing the influence of different street vegetation on traffic-induced particle dispersion using microscale simulations. Journal of Environmental Management, 94, 91–101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to the following projects for funding this work: P10-RNM-5958: Análisis de la dinámica del polen atmosférico en Andalucía. Research Project of Excellence, Andalusia Regional Government; Impacto del Cambio Climático en la fenología de especies vegetales del centro y sur de la Península Ibérica (FENOCLIM). Cgl 2011-24146. Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation; and Aplicación y optimización del análisis polínico en el desarrollo de modelos de previsión de cosecha en olivo en Túnez, 11-CAP2-0932, Spanish Cooperation and Development Agency (AECID). They would also like to thank Cordoba and Granada City Councils for providing lists of ornamental flora and the aerobiological units from Seville, Granada and Malaga for providing aerobiological data.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain

    M. J. Velasco-Jiménez, P. Alcázar, E. Domínguez-Vilches & C. Galán

  2. Universidad de Granada, Granada, España

    A. Valle

  3. Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, España

    M. M. Trigo

  4. Universidad de Sevile, Sevilla, España

    F. Minero

Authors
  1. M. J. Velasco-Jiménez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. Alcázar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Valle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. M. Trigo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. Minero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. E. Domínguez-Vilches
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. C. Galán
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. J. Velasco-Jiménez.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Velasco-Jiménez, M.J., Alcázar, P., Valle, A. et al. Aerobiological and ecological study of the potentially allergenic ornamental plants in south Spain. Aerobiologia 30, 91–101 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-013-9311-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-013-9311-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation