Original scientific paper

Atmospheric Pollen Studies in Some Croatian Districts

Iva Volarić-Mršić ; Hrvatska

Abstract

The study of the aeroplankton with a special emphasis on the pollen spread in the air in Croatia was started in 1957. These studies have so far been carried out in three different climatic areas (plate 1). The results obtained so far have partly been published.
In the study we applied the standard method of exposing the test slides to the free air in a special apparatus during 24 hours. In microscopic examination the counts of the pollen grains were done on the slide surface of 324 sq. mm. The results shown in this paper refer to the pollen content in the atmosphere in some of the studied areas and were obtained from daily pollen counts.
Figures 1—3 show the total number of pollen in the air in single months on the territory of Zagreb, Hvar and Dubrovnik. In the studied period of twelve months in the air of Zagreb the highest number of caught pollen grains was in April, the same in Hvar, but in the air of Dubrovnik this number was the highest in March. Least pollen was caught in the air of Zagreb in November and December, in Hvar in October and in Dubrovnik in December and January. A sudden increase in the number of pollen grains appears in Hvar a month earlier than in Zagreb.
As for the quantity of pollen in the area of Zagreb winter break of vegetation is distinctly visible, and from the figure of total pollen count in the air of Hvar per month summer delay in the plant flowering is visible.
The highest percentage in the three recorded areas (fig. 4) belongs to the pollen of different trees (Dubrovnik 93,8%, Hvar 81%, Zagreb 55%), while grasses (Dubrovnik 1,2%, Hvar 7%, Zagreb 22,5%) and the group of other herbs or weeds (Dubrovnik 5%, Hvar 12%, Zagreb 22,2%) appear in considerably smaller percentage.
Botanical composition of pollen in the atmosphere of the studied areas is the direct reflexion of the vegetation of the near surroundings, but air currents which bring pollen even from more distant areas are also of some importance. From the botanical composition shown in pollen spectra (fig. 5a-c) it can be seen that as regards pollen content in the air — Hvar is the reflexion of a real mediterranean vegetation of the middle eumediterranean region, while Dubrovnik is situated in the south eumediterranean region and pollen content in the air is somewhat different due to the phytogeographical position and in some degree affected by air currents from the neighbouring submediterranean and mountain regions. Pollen content in the air of Zagreb is the reflexion of continental vegetation cover of the eurosiberian-northamerican vegetation region which this area is a part of.
These studies are of great importance in medicine in diagnosing and treating allergic diseases of the respiratory organs. In connection with this practical application of the aeroplankton research it is necessary to pay special attention to the spreading of some kinds of pollen in the atmosphere of studied areas, which are known for their allergenic properties, as for instance Parietaria, Plantago, Ambrosia or numerous species from the family Gramineae and others.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

156343

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/156343

Publication date:

31.12.1970.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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