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Tree pollen viability in areas subject to high pollutant deposition

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Summary

The wet deposition process, including fog, is a major pathway of acidic pollutants from the atmosphere to the biosphere. Pollen grains are known to be sensitive biological indicators of pollution at this interface. In southern Québec, pollen viability of three hardwood species (sugar maple, white and yellow birch), was significantly reduced above the mean cloud base height (≈600 m) for two successive years (1987–1988) at two mountain sites (Roundtop and Tremblant). Ozone concentrations, fog water and precipitation pH values over the sampling periods are discussed.

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Comtois, P., Schemenauer, R.S. Tree pollen viability in areas subject to high pollutant deposition. Aerobiologia 7, 144–151 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02270683

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