1
|
Esterhuizen N, Berman DM, Neumann FH, Ajikah L, Quick LJ, Hilmer E, Van Aardt A, John J, Garland R, Hill T, Finch J, Hoek W, Bamford M, Seedat RY, Manjra AI, Peter J. The South African Pollen Monitoring Network: Insights from 2 years of national aerospora sampling (2019-2021). Clin Transl Allergy 2023; 13:e12304. [PMID: 38006379 PMCID: PMC10620116 DOI: 10.1002/clt2.12304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pollen monitoring has been discontinuously undertaken in South Africa, a country with high biodiversity, a seasonal rainfall gradient, and nine biomes from arid to subtropical. The South African Pollen Monitoring Network was set up in 2019 to conduct the first long-term national aerospora monitoring across multiple biomes, providing weekly reports to allergy sufferers and healthcare providers. METHODS Daily airborne pollen concentrations were measured from August 2019 to August 2021 in seven cities across South Africa. Updated pollen calendars were created for the major pollen types (>3%), the average Annual Pollen Index over 12 months was calculated, and the results were compared to available historical data. RESULTS The main pollen types were from exotic vegetation. The most abundant taxa were Poaceae, Cupressaceae, Moraceae and Buddleja. The pollen season start, peak and end varied widely according to the biome and suite of pollen taxa. The main tree season started in the last week of August, peaked in September and ended in early December. Grass seasons followed rainfall patterns: September-January and January-April for summer and winter rainfall areas, respectively. Major urban centres, for example, Johannesburg and Pretoria in the same biome with similar rainfall, showed substantive differences in pollen taxa and abundance. Some major differences in pollen spectra were detected compared with historical data. However, we are cognisant that we are describing only 2 years of data that may be skewed by short-term weather patterns. CONCLUSIONS Differences in pollen spectra and concentrations were noted across biomes and between geographically close urban centres. Comparison with historical data suggests pollen spectra and seasons may be changing due to anthropogenic climate change and landscaping. These data stress the importance of regional and continuous pollen monitoring for informed care of pollinosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nanike Esterhuizen
- Division of Allergology and Clinical ImmunologyDepartment of MedicineUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Dilys M. Berman
- Division of Allergology and Clinical ImmunologyDepartment of MedicineUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Frank H. Neumann
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of GeosciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
- Unit for Environmental Sciences and ManagementFaculty of Natural and Agricultural ScienceNorth West UniversityPotchefstroomSouth Africa
| | - Linus Ajikah
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of GeosciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Lynne J. Quick
- African Centre for Coastal PaleoscienceNelson Mandela UniversityGqeberhaSouth Africa
| | - Erin Hilmer
- African Centre for Coastal PaleoscienceNelson Mandela UniversityGqeberhaSouth Africa
| | - Andri Van Aardt
- Department of Plant SciencesFaculty of Natural and Agricultural SciencesUniversity of the Free StateBloemfonteinSouth Africa
| | | | - Rebecca Garland
- Smart PlaceCSIRPretoriaSouth Africa
- Laboratory of Atmospheric Science, Department of GeographyUniversity of PretoriaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Trevor Hill
- Discipline of GeographyUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalPietermaritzburgSouth Africa
| | - Jemma Finch
- Discipline of GeographyUniversity of KwaZulu‐NatalPietermaritzburgSouth Africa
| | - Werner Hoek
- Department of OtorhinolaryngologyGariep MediclinicKimberleySouth Africa
| | - Marion Bamford
- Evolutionary Studies Institute and School of GeosciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Riaz Y. Seedat
- Department of OtorhinolaryngologyFaculty of Health SciencesUniversity of the Free StateBloemfonteinSouth Africa
| | | | - Jonny Peter
- Division of Allergology and Clinical ImmunologyDepartment of MedicineUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
- Allergy and Immunology UnitUniversity of Cape Town Lung InstituteCape TownSouth Africa
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Campbell BC, Van Haeften S, Massel K, Milic A, Al Kouba J, Addison-Smith B, Gilding EK, Beggs PJ, Davies JM. Metabarcoding airborne pollen from subtropical and temperate eastern Australia over multiple years reveals pollen aerobiome diversity and complexity. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 862:160585. [PMID: 36502990 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 11/13/2022] [Accepted: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
eDNA metabarcoding is an emergent tool to inform aerobiome complexity, but few studies have applied this technology with real-world environmental pollen monitoring samples. Here we apply eDNA metabarcoding to assess seasonal and regional differences in the composition of airborne pollen from routine samples collected across successive years. Airborne pollen concentrations over two sampling periods were determined using a continuous flow volumetric impaction air sampler in sub-tropical (Mutdapilly and Rocklea) and temperate (Macquarie Park and Richmond), sites of Australia. eDNA metabarcoding was applied to daily pollen samples collected once per week using the rbcL amplicon. Composition and redundancy analysis of the sequence read counts were examined. The dominant pollen families were mostly consistent between consecutive years but there was some heterogeneity between sites and years for month of peak pollen release. Many more families were detected by eDNA than counted by light microscopy with 211 to 399 operational taxonomic units assigned to family per site from October to May. There were 216 unique and 119 taxa shared between subtropics (27°S) and temperate (33°S) latitudes, with, for example, Poaceae, Myrtaceae and Causurinaceae being shared, and Manihot, Vigna and Aristida being in subtropical, and Ceratodon and Cerastium being in temperate sites. Certain genera were observed within the same location and season over the two years; Chloris at Rocklea in autumn of 2017-18 (0.625, p ≤ 0.004) and 2018-19 (0.55, p ≤ 0.001), and Pinus and Plantago at Macquarie Park in summer of 2017-18 (0.58, p ≤ 0.001 and 0.53, p ≤ 0.003, respectively), and 2018-19 (0.8, p ≤ 0.003 and 0.8, p ≤ 0.003, respectively). eDNA metabarcoding is a powerful tool to survey the complexity of pollen aerobiology and distinguish spatial and temporal profiles of local pollen to a far deeper level than traditional counting methods. However, further research is required to optimise the metabarcode target to enable reliable detection of pollen to genus and species level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B C Campbell
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunology and Infection Control and Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - S Van Haeften
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunology and Infection Control and Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - K Massel
- Queensland Alliance of Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - A Milic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunology and Infection Control and Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - J Al Kouba
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - B Addison-Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunology and Infection Control and Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia
| | - E K Gilding
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Australia
| | - P J Beggs
- School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Australia
| | - J M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunology and Infection Control and Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Nitschke M, Dear KBG, Venugopal K, Lyne KMR, Jersmann HPA, Simon DL, Spurrier N. Association between grass, tree and weed pollen and asthma health outcomes in Adelaide, South Australia: a time series regression analysis. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e066851. [PMID: 36414301 PMCID: PMC9723903 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-066851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We aim to establish daily risk estimates of the relationships between grass, tree and weed pollen and asthma health outcomes. DESIGN Time series regression analysis of exposure and health outcomes using interaction by month to determine risk estimates all year round. SETTING Metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia. PARTICIPANTS Health outcomes for asthma are based on 15 years of hospital admissions, 13 years emergency presentations and ambulance callouts. In adults (≥18 years), there were 10 381 hospitalisations, 26 098 emergency department (ED) presentations and 11 799 ambulance callouts and in children (0-17 years), 22 114, 39 813 and 3774, respectively. OUTCOME MEASURES The cumulative effect of 7 day lags was calculated as the sum of the coefficients and reported as incidence rate ratio (IRR) related to an increase in 10 grains of pollen/m3. RESULTS In relation to grass pollen, children and adults were disparate in their timing of health effects. Asthma outcomes in children were positively related to grass pollen in May, and for adults in October. Positive associations with weed pollen in children was seen from February to May across all health outcomes. For adults, weed pollen-related health outcomes were restricted to February. Adults were not affected by tree pollen, while children's asthma morbidity was associated with tree pollen in August and September. In children, IRRs ranged from 1.14 (95% CI 1.06 to 1.21) for ED presentations for tree pollen in August to 1.98 (95% CI 1.06 to 3.72) for weed pollen in February. In adults, IRRs ranged from 1.28 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.62) for weed pollen in February to 1.31 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.57) for grass pollen in October. CONCLUSION Monthly risk assessment indicated that most pollen-related asthma health outcomes in children occur in the colder part of the year, while adults are affected in the warm season. The findings indicate a need for year-round pollen monitoring and related health campaigns to provide effective public health prevention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Monika Nitschke
- School of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- SA Health Department for Health and Wellbeing, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | | | - Kamalesh Venugopal
- Prevention and Population Health, Wellbeing SA, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Katrina Margaret Rose Lyne
- Health Protection and Licensing Services, SA Health Department for Health and Wellbeing, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Hubertus Paul Anton Jersmann
- Thoracic Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - David Leslie Simon
- Health Protection and Licensing Services, SA Health Department for Health and Wellbeing, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| | - Nicola Spurrier
- SA Health Department for Health and Wellbeing, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Batra M, Dharmage SC, Newbigin E, Tang M, Abramson MJ, Erbas B, Vicendese D. Grass pollen exposure is associated with higher readmission rates for pediatric asthma. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2022; 33:e13880. [PMID: 36433858 DOI: 10.1111/pai.13880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pediatric asthma hospital readmission is a burden on the individual and costly for Australian hospitals. Grass pollen's role, a known trigger for asthma admissions, is unexamined in readmissions. We examined the association between grass pollen and pediatric asthma readmission. METHODS The Victorian Admitted Episodes Dataset was used to identify all primary admissions with a principal diagnosis of asthma in children aged 2-18 years between 1997 and 2009. Readmissions were defined as subsequent admissions within 28 days of index admission discharge. Generalized additive models were used to assess associations between readmission, grass pollen season, and daily grass pollen counts, lagged and cumulative. Models were further stratified by sex and age group. RESULTS Mean daily readmission was higher during grass pollen season than other times of the year, incidence rate ratio (IRR) 1.44 (95% CI, 1.03, 2.02) and for children aged 2-5 years, IRR 1.99 (1.26, 3.14). Same day grass pollen was nonlinearly associated with daily readmission for the 13-18 age group between 110 and 256 grains/m3 , p < .01. Lag 2 grass pollen was nonlinearly associated with daily readmissions overall (p = .03), boys (p = .01), and younger age groups 2-5 (p = .02) and 6-12 (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS Grass pollen exposure was associated with higher readmission rates for pediatric asthma. Treatment plans prior to discharge could be implemented to reduce the likelihood of readmission by younger children during the pollen season.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehak Batra
- Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Shyamali C Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edward Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mimi Tang
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's Hospital Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- School of Public Health & Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe University, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia
| | - Don Vicendese
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,School of Engineering & Mathematical Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Davies JM, Smith BA, Milic A, Campbell B, Van Haeften S, Burton P, Keaney B, Lampugnani ER, Vicendese D, Medek D, Huete A, Erbas B, Newbigin E, Katelaris CH, Haberle SG, Beggs PJ. The AusPollen partnership project: Allergenic airborne grass pollen seasonality and magnitude across temperate and subtropical eastern Australia, 2016-2020. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 214:113762. [PMID: 35779617 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113762] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Allergic rhinitis affects half a billion people globally, including a fifth of the Australian population. As the foremost outdoor allergen source, ambient grass pollen exposure is likely to be altered by climate change. The AusPollen Partnership aimed to standardize pollen monitoring and examine broad-scale biogeographical and meteorological factors influencing interannual variation in seasonality of grass pollen aerobiology in Australia. METHODS Daily airborne grass and other pollen concentrations in four eastern Australian cities separated by over 1700 km, were simultaneously monitored using Hirst-style samplers following the Australian Interim Pollen and Spore Monitoring Standard and Protocols over four seasons from 2016 to 2020. The grass seasonal pollen integral was determined. Gridded rainfall, temperature, and satellite-derived grassland sources up to 100 km from the monitoring site were analysed. RESULTS The complexity of grass pollen seasons was related to latitude with multiple major summer-autumn peaks in Brisbane, major spring and minor summer peaks in Sydney and Canberra, and single major spring peaks occurring in Melbourne. The subtropical site of Brisbane showed a higher proportion of grass out of total pollen than more temperate sites. The magnitude of the grass seasonal pollen integral was correlated with pasture greenness, rainfall and number of days over 30 °C, preceding and within the season, up to 100 km radii from monitoring sites. CONCLUSIONS Interannual fluctuations in Australian grass pollen season magnitude are strongly influenced by regional biogeography and both pre- and in-season weather. This first continental scale, Southern Hemisphere standardized aerobiology dataset forms the basis to track shifts in pollen seasonality, biodiversity and impacts on allergic respiratory diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia; Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Office of Research, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia.
| | - Beth Addison Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia
| | - Andelija Milic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia
| | - Bradley Campbell
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia
| | - Shanice Van Haeften
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre Immunity and Infection Control, Centre for Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, 4006, Queensland, Australia
| | - Pamela Burton
- Department of Immunology, Campbelltown Hospital, Campbelltown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Benedict Keaney
- The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Edwin R Lampugnani
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Don Vicendese
- The Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; The Department of Mathematics and Statistics, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Danielle Medek
- Gold Coast University Hospital, Southport, Queensland, 4215, Australia
| | - Alfredo Huete
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, New South Wales, 2007, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health, LaTrobe University, Bundoora, Victoria, 3086, Australia
| | - Edward Newbigin
- School of Biosciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Constance H Katelaris
- Department of Immunology, Campbelltown Hospital, Campbelltown, Sydney, New South Wales, 2751, Australia; School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2751, Australia
| | - Simon G Haberle
- The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, 2601, Australia
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, 2109, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Pollen Exposure and Cardiopulmonary Health Impacts in Adelaide, South Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19159093. [PMID: 35897462 PMCID: PMC9331296 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19159093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
(1) Background: Limited research has suggested that cardiopulmonary health outcomes should be considered in relation to pollen exposure. This study sets out to test the relationship between pollen types (grasses, trees, weeds) and cardiovascular, lower respiratory and COPD health outcomes using 15 years (2003–2017) of data gathered in Adelaide, South Australia; (2) Methods: A time-series analysis by months was conducted using cardiopulmonary data from hospital admissions, emergency presentations and ambulance callouts in relation to daily pollen concentrations in children (0–17) for lower respiratory outcomes and for adults (18+). Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were calculated over lags from 0 to 7 days; (3) Results: IRR increases in cardiovascular outcomes in March, May, and October were related to grass pollen, while increases in July, November, and December were related to tree pollen. IRRs ranged from IRR 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.00–1.10) to 1.25 (95% CI 1.12–1.40). COPD increases related to grass pollen occurred only in May. Pollen-related increases were observed for lower respiratory outcomes in adults and in children; (4) Conclusion: Notable increases in pollen-related associations with cardiopulmonary outcomes were not restricted to any one season. Prevention measures for pollen-related health effects should be widened to consider cardiopulmonary outcomes.
Collapse
|
7
|
Batra M, Vicendese D, Newbigin E, Lambert KA, Tang M, Abramson MJ, Dharmage SC, Erbas B. The association between outdoor allergens - pollen, fungal spore season and high asthma admission days in children and adolescents. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:1393-1402. [PMID: 33615917 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2021.1885633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Periods when asthma admissions peaks have serious implications for asthma sufferers and hospitals. We assessed the association between aeroallergen exposure and childhood asthma peak periods during two grass pollen seasons using the Melbourne Air Pollen Children and Adolescent Health (MAPCAH) study conducted in Melbourne, Australia. Two peak periods were identified. Effect modifications by atopy and sex were considered. All pollen 2 days prior was associated with increased odds of these peak periods. Same day fungal spores, but not pollen, were important. Grass at lag 2 was associated with increased odds 1.03 (95%CI 1.01, 1.05) as was the same day Alternaria 1.02 (1.00, 1.04) per spore/m3 for boys. In addition to pollen, fungal spores particularly Alternaria may result in days of high exacerbations during pollen seasons. Further guidance is needed to better prepare families/carers with information about the increased risk of asthma attacks in children prior to pollen seasons.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mehak Batra
- Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Don Vicendese
- Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Edward Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Katrina A Lambert
- Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mimi Tang
- Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
- Murdoch Children's Research Institute, The Royal Children's HospitalVictoria, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Michael J Abramson
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Shyamali C Dharmage
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- Department of Public Health, School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
- Faculty of Public Health, Universitas AirLangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Addison-Smith B, Milic A, Dwarakanath D, Simunovic M, Van Haeften S, Timbrell V, Davies JM. Medium-Term Increases in Ambient Grass Pollen Between 1994-1999 and 2016-2020 in a Subtropical Climate Zone. FRONTIERS IN ALLERGY 2022; 2:705313. [PMID: 35387005 PMCID: PMC8974679 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2021.705313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Grass pollen is the major outdoor trigger of allergic respiratory diseases. Climate change is influencing pollen seasonality in Northern Hemisphere temperate regions, but many aspects of the effects on grass pollen remain unclear. Carbon dioxide and temperature rises could increase the distribution of subtropical grasses, however, medium term shifts in grass pollen in subtropical climates have not yet been analysed. This study investigates changes in grass pollen aerobiology in a subtropical city of Brisbane, Australia, between the two available monitoring periods, 1994-1999 and 2016-2020. Potential drivers of pollen change were examined including weather and satellite-derived vegetation indicators. The magnitude of the seasonal pollen index for grass showed almost a three-fold increase for 2016-2020 over 1994-1999. The number and proportion of high and extreme grass pollen days in the recent period increased compared to earlier monitoring. Statistically significant changes were also identified for distributions of CO2, satellite-derived seasonal vegetation health indices, and daily maximum temperatures, but not for minimum temperatures, daily rainfall, or seasonal fraction of green groundcover. Quarterly grass pollen levels were correlated with corresponding vegetation health indices, and with green groundcover fraction, suggesting that seasonal-scale plant health was higher in the latter period. The magnitude of grass pollen exposure in the subtropical region of Brisbane has increased markedly in the recent past, posing an increased environmental health threat. This study suggests the need for continuous pollen monitoring to track and respond to the possible effects of climate change on grass pollen loads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beth Addison-Smith
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Andelija Milic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Divya Dwarakanath
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Marko Simunovic
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Shanice Van Haeften
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Victoria Timbrell
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Centre for Immunology and Infection Control, Centre for the Environment, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Impact of Local Grasslands on Wild Grass Pollen Emission in Bavaria, Germany. LAND 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/land11020306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Meteorological conditions and the distribution of pollen sources are the two most decisive factors influencing the concentration of airborne grass pollen. However, knowledge about land-use types, their potential pollen emission, and the importance of local sources remains limited. In this study, wild grass pollen concentrations from 27 stations in Bavaria, Germany, were linked to potential pollen within a 30 km radius. Agricultural grass pollen sources were derived from the InVeKos database, which contains detailed information on agricultural land-use types and their spatial distribution. Non-agricultural grassland was identified by OpenStreetMap. Further source classification was conducted using a cultivation intensity indicator and wind direction. We show that the grassland percentage and pollen concentrations, specified as annual pollen integral and pollen peak vary strongly between pollen stations. Correlation analyses indicated that the impact of the grassland on pollen concentration was greater within 10 km of the pollen traps. At greater distances, the correlation coefficient between the grassland percentage and pollen indicators steadily declined.
Collapse
|
10
|
Jones PJ, Koolhof IS, Wheeler AJ, Williamson GJ, Lucani C, Campbell SL, Bowman DJMS, Cooling N, Gasparrini A, Johnston FH. Characterising non-linear associations between airborne pollen counts and respiratory symptoms from the AirRater smartphone app in Tasmania, Australia: A case time series approach. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 200:111484. [PMID: 34116012 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2021.111484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Pollen is a well-established trigger of asthma and allergic rhinitis, yet concentration-response relationships, lagged effects, and interactions with other environmental factors remain poorly understood. Smartphone technology offers an opportunity to address these challenges using large, multi-year datasets that capture individual symptoms and exposures in real time. We aimed to characterise associations between six pollen types and respiratory symptoms logged by users of the AirRater smartphone app in Tasmania, Australia. We analyzed 44,820 symptom reports logged by 2272 AirRater app users in Tasmania over four years (2015-2019). With these data we evaluated associations between daily respiratory symptoms and atmospheric pollen concentrations. We implemented Poisson regression models, using the case time series approach designed for app-sourced data. We assessed potentially non-linear and lagged associations with (a) total pollen and (b) six individual pollen taxa. We adjusted for seasonality and meteorology and tested for interactions with particulate air pollution (PM2.5). We found evidence of non-linear associations between total pollen and respiratory symptoms for up to three days following exposure. For total pollen, the same-day relative risk (RR) increased to 1.31 (95% CI: 1.26-1.37) at a concentration of 50 grains/m3 before plateauing. Associations with individual pollen taxa were also non-linear with some diversity in shapes. For all pollen taxa the same-day RR was highest. The interaction between total pollen and PM2.5 was positive, with risks associated with pollen significantly higher in the presence of high concentrations of PM2.5. Our results support a non-linear response between airborne pollen and respiratory symptoms. The association was strongest on the day of exposure and synergistic with particulate air pollution. The associations found with Dodonaea and Myrtaceae highlight the need to further investigate the role of Australian native pollen types in allergic respiratory disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Penelope J Jones
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Iain S Koolhof
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Amanda J Wheeler
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; Mary McKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Grant J Williamson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Christopher Lucani
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Sharon L Campbell
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; Public Health Services, Department of Health, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - David J M S Bowman
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Nick Cooling
- School of Medicine, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Antonio Gasparrini
- Department of Public Health Environments and Society, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, WC1H 9SH, London, UK; Centre for Statistical Methodology, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, WC1H 9SH, London, UK; Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, WC1H 9SH, London, UK.
| | - Fay H Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; Public Health Services, Department of Health, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Newnham RM. Monitoring airborne pollen in New Zealand. J R Soc N Z 2021. [DOI: 10.1080/03036758.2021.1967414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Rewi M. Newnham
- Schhol of Geography, Environment & Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
AlQuran A, Batra M, Harry Susanto N, Holland AE, Davies JM, Erbas B, Lampugnani ER. Community Response to the Impact of Thunderstorm Asthma Using Smart Technology. ALLERGY & RHINOLOGY 2021; 12:21526567211010728. [PMID: 33996193 PMCID: PMC8083005 DOI: 10.1177/21526567211010728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Background The most severe thunderstorm asthma (TA) event occurred in Melbourne on the 21st November 2016 and during this period, daily pollen information was available and accessible on smart devices via an App. An integrated survey within the App allows users to self-report symptoms. Objective To explore patterns of symptom survey results during the period when the TA event occurred. Methods Symptom data from the Melbourne Pollen Count and Forecast App related to asthma history, hay fever symptoms, and medication use was explored. A one-week control period before and after the event was considered. Chi-square tests and logistic regression were used to assess associations between sex, age, symptoms, and medication use. Results Of the 28,655 responses, during the 2016 pollen season, younger (18 to 40 years) males, with no hay fever and no asthma were the most single and regular responders. During the TA event for new users, sex was only significantly associated with hay fever (p = 0.008) of which 60.2% of females’ responses reported having hay fever, while 43% of males’ responses did not. Those with mild symptoms peaked during the TA event. Conclusions Many individuals completed the survey on the app for the first time during the TA event indicating the potential of digital technologies to be used as indicators of health risk among populations at risk of TA events.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ala AlQuran
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Mehak Batra
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Nugroho Harry Susanto
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.,Indonesia Research Partnership on Infectious Diseases, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Anne E Holland
- Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.,Department of Physiotherapy, Alfred Health, Melbourne, Australia.,Institute for Breathing and Sleep, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Science, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, and Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Brisbane Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.,Faculty of Public Health, Universitas AirLangga, Surabaya, Indonesia
| | | |
Collapse
|
13
|
Relationship between Land Use/Land-Use Change and Human Health in Australia: A Scoping Study. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2020; 17:ijerph17238992. [PMID: 33276662 PMCID: PMC7730177 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17238992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
We undertook a scoping study to map the relevant evidence, summarise the findings, and to help identify gaps in the knowledge base on the relationship between land use/land-use change and human health in Australia. Our systematic search of the scientific literature for relevant articles up to August 2020 identified 37 articles. All 37 articles meeting our inclusion criteria were published after 2003. Zoonotic or vector-borne disease constituted the most common health outcome type studied. Agriculture/grazing was the land use/land-use change type most frequently represented in the literature, followed by coal seam gas extraction and open cut coal mining. The relationship between land use/land use change and human health in Australia, is not conclusive from the existing evidence. This is because of (1) a lack of comprehensive coverage of the topic, (2) a lack of coverage of the geography, (3) a lack of coverage of study types, and (4) conflicting results in the research already undertaken. If we are to protect human health and the ecosystems which support life, more high-quality, specific, end-user driven research is needed to support land management decisions in Australia. Until the health effects of further land use change are better known and understood, caution ought to be practiced in land management and land conversion.
Collapse
|
14
|
Davies JM, Berman D, Beggs PJ, Ramón GD, Peter J, Katelaris CH, Ziska LH. Global Climate Change and Pollen Aeroallergens: A Southern Hemisphere Perspective. Immunol Allergy Clin North Am 2020; 41:1-16. [PMID: 33228867 DOI: 10.1016/j.iac.2020.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Climatic change will have an impact on production and release of pollen, with consequences for the duration and magnitude of aeroallergen seasonal exposure and allergic diseases. Evaluations of pollen aerobiology in the southern hemisphere have been limited by resourcing and the density of monitoring sites. This review emphasizes inconsistencies in pollen monitoring methods and metrics used globally. Research should consider unique southern hemisphere biodiversity, climate, plant distributions, standardization of pollen aerobiology, automation, and environmental integration. For both hemispheres, there is a clear need for better understanding of likely influences of climate change and comprehending their impact on pollen-related health outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Science, Queensland University of Technology, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia; Office of Research, Metro North Hospital and Health Service, Herston, Queensland 4006, Australia.
| | - Dilys Berman
- Allergy and Immunology Unit, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales 2109, Australia
| | - Germán Darío Ramón
- Hospital Italiano Regional DelSur, Bahía Blanca, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jonny Peter
- Division of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, 7700
- PO Box 34560, 7937, South Africa; Allergy and Immunology Unit, University of Cape Town Lung Institute, George Street, Cape Town, South Africa
| | | | - Lewis H Ziska
- Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Relationship between airborne pollen assemblages and major meteorological parameters in Zhanjiang, South China. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0240160. [PMID: 33027306 PMCID: PMC7540864 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pollen is an important component of bioaerosol and the distribution of pollen and its relationship with meteorological parameters can be analyzed to better prevent hay fever. Pollen assemblages can also provide basic data for analyzing the relationship between bioaerosol and PM. We collected 82 samples of airborne pollen using a TSP large flow pollen collector from June 1, 2015 to June 1, 2016, from central Zhanjiang city in South China. We also conducted a survey of the nearby vegetation at the same time, in order to characterize the major plant types and their flowering times. We then used data on daily temperature, relative humidity, precipitation, vapor pressure and wind speed from a meteorological station in the center of Zhanjiang City to assess the relationship between the distribution of airborne pollen and meteorological parameters. Our main findings and conclusions are as follows: (1) We identified 15 major pollen types, including Pinus, Castanopsis, Myrica, Euphorbiaceae, Compositae, Gramineae, Microlepia and Polypodiaceae. From the vegetation survey, we found that the pollen from these taxa represented more than 75% of local pollen, while the pollen of Podocarpus, Dacrydium and other regional pollen types represented less than 25%. (2) The pollen concentrations varied significantly in different seasons. The pollen concentrations were at a maximum in spring, consisting mainly of tree pollen; the pollen concentrations were at an intermediate level in autumn and winter, consisting mainly of herb pollen and fern spores; and the pollen concentrations in summer were the lowest, consisting mainly of fern spores. (3) Analysis of the relationship between airborne pollen concentrations and meteorological parameters showed that variations in the pollen concentrations were mainly affected by temperature and relative humidity. In addition, there were substantial differences in these relationships in different seasons. In spring, pollen concentrations were mainly affected by temperature; in summer, they were mainly affected by the direction of the maximum wind speed; in autumn, they were mainly affected by relative humidity and temperature; and in winter, they were mainly affected by relative humidity and wind speed. Temperature and relative humidity promote plant growth and flowering. Notably, the variable wind direction in summer and the increased wind speed in winter and spring are conductive to pollen transmission. (4) Of the 15 major pollen types, Moraceae, Artemisia and Gramineae are the main allergenic pollen types, with peaks in concentration during April-May, August-September, and October-December, respectively. (5) Atypical weather conditions have substantial effects on pollen dispersal. In South China, the pollen concentrations in the sunny day were usually significantly higher than that of the rainy day. The pollen concentrations increased in short rainy days, which usually came from the Herb and Fern pollen. The pollen concentrations decreased in continuous rainy days especially for the Tree and Shrub pollen. the pollen concentrations in the sunny days were usually significantly higher than that in the rainy days. The pollen concentrations increased in short and strong rainfall.
Collapse
|
16
|
Rahman A, Luo C, Chen B, Haberle S, Khan MHR, Jiang W, Xiang R, Liu J, Wang L, Lin G, Yang M, Thilakanayaka V. Regional and seasonal variation of airborne pollen and spores among the cities of South China. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chnaes.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
|
17
|
Jones PJ, Koolhof IS, Wheeler AJ, Williamson GJ, Lucani C, Campbell SL, Bowman DMJS, Johnston FH. Can smartphone data identify the local environmental drivers of respiratory disease? ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 182:109118. [PMID: 32069747 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.109118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Asthma and allergic rhinitis (or hay fever) are ubiquitous, chronic health conditions that seasonally affect a sizeable proportion of the population. Both are commonly triggered or exacerbated by environmental conditions including aeroallergens, air quality and weather. Smartphone technology offers new opportunities to identify environmental drivers by allowing large-scale, real-time collection of day-to-day symptoms. As yet, however, few studies have explored the potential of this technology to provide useful epidemiological data on environment-symptom relationships. Here, we use data from the smartphone app 'AirRater' to examine relationships between asthma and allergic rhinitis symptoms and weather, air quality and pollen loads in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. We draw on symptom data logged by app users over a three-year period and use time-series analysis to assess the relationship between symptoms and environmental co-variates. Symptoms are associated with particulate matter (IRR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.04-1.08), maximum temperature (IRR 1.28, 95% CI: 1.13-1.44) and pollen taxa including Betula (IRR 1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.07), Cupressaceae (IRR 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.04), Myrtaceae (IRR 1.06, 95% CI: 1.02-1.10) and Poaceae (IRR 1.05, 95% CI: 1.01-1.09). The importance of these pollen taxa varies seasonally and more taxa are associated with allergic rhinitis (eye/nose) than asthma (lung) symptoms. Our results are congruent with established epidemiological evidence, while providing important local insights including the association between symptoms and Myrtaceae pollen. We conclude that smartphone-sourced data can be a useful tool in environmental epidemiology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Penelope J Jones
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - Iain S Koolhof
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Amanda J Wheeler
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; Mary McKillop Institute for Health Research, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia.
| | - Grant J Williamson
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Christopher Lucani
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Sharon L Campbell
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; Public Health Services, Department of Health, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| | - David M J S Bowman
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7001, Australia.
| | - Fay H Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia; Public Health Services, Department of Health, Hobart, TAS, 7000, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Silver JD, Spriggs K, Haberle S, Katelaris CH, Newbigin EJ, Lampugnani ER. Crowd-sourced allergic rhinitis symptom data: The influence of environmental and demographic factors. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 705:135147. [PMID: 31841904 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Revised: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Allergic Rhinitis (AR) affects over half a billion people worldwide with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 5 individuals in developed countries. Although ambient pollen exposure is a causal factor in AR, the symptom-exposure relationship is typically not studied in the broader community but in small, well-characterised cohorts drawn from clinical populations. To identify relationships between AR symptoms in the community and a range of environmental factors, we used a database containing over 96,000 symptom score reports collected over a 3-year period (2014-2016) through freely available smartphone apps released in two Australian cities, Melbourne and Canberra. Ambient pollen levels and symptom scores were strongly related, with grass pollen explaining most of the symptom variation. Other factors correlated with higher symptom scores included temperature (R > 0.73) and wind speed (R > 0.75). In general, worse symptom scores were reported by younger participants, women, and those who had taken medication for AR in the preceding 24 h. The strength of this relationship varied between the two cities. Smartphone-based symptom surveys offer a cost-effective means of studying real-world risk factors for AR in a broader 'extra-clinical' population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D Silver
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kymble Spriggs
- Melbourne Medical School, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Department of Allergy and Immunology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Simon Haberle
- School of Culture, History and Language, College of Asia and the Pacific, Australian National University Canberra, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | | | - Edward J Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Edwin R Lampugnani
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Oteros J, Sofiev M, Smith M, Clot B, Damialis A, Prank M, Werchan M, Wachter R, Weber A, Kutzora S, Heinze S, Herr CEW, Menzel A, Bergmann KC, Traidl-Hoffmann C, Schmidt-Weber CB, Buters JTM. Building an automatic pollen monitoring network (ePIN): Selection of optimal sites by clustering pollen stations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 688:1263-1274. [PMID: 31726556 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.131] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Airborne pollen is a recognized biological indicator and its monitoring has multiple uses such as providing a tool for allergy diagnosis and prevention. There is a knowledge gap related to the distribution of pollen traps needed to achieve representative biomonitoring in a region. The aim of this manuscript is to suggest a method for setting up a pollen network (monitoring method, monitoring conditions, number and location of samplers etc.). As a case study, we describe the distribution of pollen across Bavaria and the design of the Bavarian pollen monitoring network (ePIN), the first operational automatic pollen network worldwide. We established and ran a dense pollen monitoring network of 27 manual Hirst-type pollen traps across Bavaria, Germany, during 2015. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the data was then performed to select the locations for the sites of the final pollen monitoring network. According to our method, Bavaria can be clustered into three large pollen regions with eight zones. Within each zone, pollen diversity and distribution among different locations does not vary significantly. Based on the pollen zones, we opted to place one automatic monitoring station per zone resulting in the ePIN network, serving 13 million inhabitants. The described method defines stations representative for a homogeneous aeropalynologically region, which reduces redundancy within the network and subsequent costs (in the study case from 27 to 8 locations). Following this method, resources in pollen monitoring networks can be optimized and allergic citizens can then be informed in a timely and effective way, even in larger geographical areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose Oteros
- Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Mikhail Sofiev
- Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matt Smith
- School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, UK
| | - Bernard Clot
- Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology MeteoSwiss, Payerne, Switzerland
| | - Athanasios Damialis
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, UNIKA-T, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum M., Augsburg, Germany
| | - Marje Prank
- Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Matthias Werchan
- Foundation German Pollen Information Service (PID), Berlin, Germany
| | - Reinhard Wachter
- Foundation German Pollen Information Service (PID), Berlin, Germany
| | - Alisa Weber
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL), Munich, Germany
| | - Susanne Kutzora
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL), Munich, Germany
| | - Stefanie Heinze
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL), Munich, Germany
| | - Caroline E W Herr
- Bayerisches Landesamt für Gesundheit und Lebensmittelsicherheit (LGL), Munich, Germany
| | - Annette Menzel
- Technische Universität München, Ecoclimatology, Department of Ecology and Ecosystem Management, Freising, Germany; Technische Universität München, Institute for Advanced Study, Garching, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Traidl-Hoffmann
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, UNIKA-T, Technical University of Munich and Helmholtz Zentrum M., Augsburg, Germany; Christine Kühne Center for Allergy Research and Education (CK Care), Davos, Switzerland
| | - Carsten B Schmidt-Weber
- Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Center, Munich, Germany
| | - Jeroen T M Buters
- Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM), Member of the German Center for Lung Research (DZL), Technische Universität München/Helmholtz Center, Munich, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Cariñanos P, Grilo F, Pinho P, Casares-Porcel M, Branquinho C, Acil N, Andreucci MB, Anjos A, Bianco PM, Brini S, Calaza-Martínez P, Calvo E, Carrari E, Castro J, Chiesura A, Correia O, Gonçalves A, Gonçalves P, Mexia T, Mirabile M, Paoletti E, Santos-Reis M, Semenzato P, Vilhar U. Estimation of the Allergenic Potential of Urban Trees and Urban Parks: Towards the Healthy Design of Urban Green Spaces of the Future. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E1357. [PMID: 30991765 PMCID: PMC6517926 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16081357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2019] [Revised: 04/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The impact of allergens emitted by urban green spaces on health is one of the main disservices of ecosystems. The objective of this work is to establish the potential allergenic value of some tree species in urban environments, so that the allergenicity of green spaces can be estimated through application of the Index of Urban Green Zones Allergenicity (IUGZA). Multiple types of green spaces in Mediterranean cities were selected for the estimation of IUGZ. The results show that some of the ornamental species native to the Mediterranean are among the main causative agents of allergy in the population; in particular, Oleaceae, Cupressaceae, Fagaceae, and Platanus hispanica. Variables of the strongest impact on IUGZA were the bioclimatic characteristics of the territory and design aspects, such as the density of trees and the number of species. We concluded that the methodology to assess the allergenicity associated with urban trees and urban areas presented in this work opens new perspectives in the design and planning of urban green spaces, pointing out the need to consider the potential allergenicity of a species when selecting plant material to be used in cities. Only then can urban green areas be inclusive spaces, in terms of public health.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paloma Cariñanos
- Department of Botany, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
- Andalusian Institute for Earth System Research (IISTA-CEAMA), University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain.
| | - Filipa Grilo
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Pedro Pinho
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | | | - Cristina Branquinho
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Nezha Acil
- School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Science and Birmingham Institute of Forest Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
| | | | - Andreia Anjos
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | | | - Silvia Brini
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy.
| | - Pedro Calaza-Martínez
- Spanish Association for Public Parks and Gardens, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Enrico Calvo
- Regional Agency for the Service of Agricultural and Forest (ERSAF), 2014 Milano, Italy.
| | | | - José Castro
- Centro de Investigação da Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.
| | - Anna Chiesura
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy.
| | - Otilia Correia
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Artur Gonçalves
- Centro de Investigação da Montanha (CIMO), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, 5300-253 Bragança, Portugal.
| | - Paula Gonçalves
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Teresa Mexia
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Marzia Mirabile
- Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA), 00144 Rome, Italy.
| | | | - Margarida Santos-Reis
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes (cE3c), Faculdade de Ciencias da Universidade de Lisboa, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Paolo Semenzato
- Department of Land and Agro-Forestry Systems, University of Padova, 35020 Legnano, Italy.
| | - Ursa Vilhar
- Slovenian Forestry Institute, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Campbell SL, Fox-Hughes PD, Jones PJ, Remenyi TA, Chappell K, White CJ, Johnston FH. Evaluating the Risk of Epidemic Thunderstorm Asthma: Lessons from Australia. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2019; 16:E837. [PMID: 30866559 PMCID: PMC6427665 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16050837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Epidemic thunderstorm asthma (ETA) is an emerging public health threat in Australia, highlighted by the 2016 event in Melbourne, Victoria, that overwhelmed health services and caused loss of life. However, there is limited understanding of the regional variations in risk. We evaluated the public health risk of ETA in the nearby state of Tasmania by quantifying the frequency of potential ETA episodes and applying a standardized natural disaster risk assessment framework. Using a case⁻control approach, we analyzed emergency presentations in Tasmania's public hospitals from 2002 to 2017. Cases were defined as days when asthma presentations exceeded four standard deviations from the mean, and controls as days when asthma presentations were less than one standard deviation from the mean. Four controls were randomly selected for each case. Independently, a meteorologist identified the dates of potential high-risk thunderstorm events. No case days coincided with thunderstorms during the study period. ETA was assessed as a very low risk to the Tasmanian population, with these findings informing risk prioritization and resource allocation. This approach may be scaled and applied in other settings to determine local ETA risk. Furthermore, the identification of hazards using this method allows for critical analysis of existing public health systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sharon L Campbell
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
- Public Health Services, Department of Health (Tasmania), 25 Argyle St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
| | - Paul D Fox-Hughes
- Bureau of Meteorology, GPO Box 727, Hobart, Tasmania 7001, Australia.
| | - Penelope J Jones
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
| | - Tomas A Remenyi
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
| | - Kate Chappell
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
| | - Christopher J White
- Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre, University of Tasmania, 20 Castray Esplanade, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
- School of Engineering, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 65, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia.
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, 75 Montrose Street, Glasgow G1 1XJ, UK.
| | - Fay H Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, 1 Liverpool St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
- Public Health Services, Department of Health (Tasmania), 25 Argyle St, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Pritchard J, Stevenson J, Zawadski A. Increasingly allergenic airborne pollen revealed in sediment of Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juy029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jenifer Pritchard
- Australian National University College of Arts and Social Sciences, Beryl Rawson Building, 13 Ellery Crescent, Acton, ACT, 2601 Australia
| | - Janelle Stevenson
- Australian National University College of Asia and the Pacific, Coombs Building, Acton, ACT, 2601 Australia
| | - Atun Zawadski
- Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation ANSTO, Chadwick Avenue, Lucas Heights, New South Wales, 2234 Australia
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Specht A, Bolton MP, Kingsford B, Specht RL, Belbin L. A story of data won, data lost and data re-found: the realities of ecological data preservation. Biodivers Data J 2018:e28073. [PMID: 30473618 PMCID: PMC6235994 DOI: 10.3897/bdj.6.e28073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper discusses the process of retrieval and updating legacy data to allow on-line discovery and delivery. There are many pitfalls of institutional and non-institutional ecological data conservation over the long term. Interruptions to custodianship, old media, lost knowledge and the continuous evolution of species names makes resurrection of old data challenging. We caution against technological arrogance and emphasise the importance of international standards. We use a case study of a compiled set of continent-wide vegetation survey data for which, although the analyses had been published, the raw data had not. In the original study, publications containing plot data collected from the 1880s onwards had been collected, interpreted, digitised and integrated for the classification of vegetation and analysis of its conservation status across Australia. These compiled data are an extremely valuable national collection that demanded publishing in open, readily accessible online repositories, such as the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (http://www.tern.org.au) and the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA: http://www.ala.org.au), the Australian node of the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF: http://www.gbif.org). It is hoped that the lessons learnt from this project may trigger a sober review of the value of endangered data, the cost of retrieval and the importance of suitable and timely archiving through the vicissitudes of technological change, so the initial unique collection investment enables multiple re-use in perpetuity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alison Specht
- University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia University of Queensland Brisbane Australia
| | - Matthew P Bolton
- Corymbia Ecospatial Consultants, Canberra, Australia Corymbia Ecospatial Consultants Canberra Australia
| | - Bryn Kingsford
- Structured Data, Canberra, Australia Structured Data Canberra Australia
| | - Raymond L Specht
- Emeritus Professor, Brisbane, Australia Emeritus Professor Brisbane Australia
| | - Lee Belbin
- Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO, Canberra, Australia Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO Canberra Australia
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Devadas R, Huete AR, Vicendese D, Erbas B, Beggs PJ, Medek D, Haberle SG, Newnham RM, Johnston FH, Jaggard AK, Campbell B, Burton PK, Katelaris CH, Newbigin E, Thibaudon M, Davies JM. Dynamic ecological observations from satellites inform aerobiology of allergenic grass pollen. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 633:441-451. [PMID: 29579655 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.03.191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2017] [Revised: 03/16/2018] [Accepted: 03/17/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Allergic diseases, including respiratory conditions of allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and asthma, affect up to 500 million people worldwide. Grass pollen are one major source of aeroallergens globally. Pollen forecast methods are generally site-based and rely on empirical meteorological relationships and/or the use of labour-intensive pollen collection traps that are restricted to sparse sampling locations. The spatial and temporal dynamics of the grass pollen sources themselves, however, have received less attention. Here we utilised a consistent set of MODIS satellite measures of grass cover and seasonal greenness (EVI) over five contrasting urban environments, located in Northern (France) and Southern Hemispheres (Australia), to evaluate their utility for predicting airborne grass pollen concentrations. Strongly seasonal and pronounced pollinating periods, synchronous with satellite measures of grass cover greenness, were found at the higher latitude temperate sites in France (46-50° N. Lat.), with peak pollen activity lagging peak greenness, on average by 2-3weeks. In contrast, the Australian sites (34-38° S. Lat.) displayed pollinating periods that were less synchronous with satellite greenness measures as peak pollen concentrations lagged peak greenness by as much as 4 to 7weeks. The Australian sites exhibited much higher spatial and inter-annual variations compared to the French sites and at the Sydney site, broader and multiple peaks in both pollen concentrations and greenness data coincided with flowering of more diverse grasses including subtropical species. Utilising generalised additive models (GAMs) we found the satellite greenness data of grass cover areas explained 80-90% of airborne grass pollen concentrations across the three French sites (p<0.001) and accounted for 34 to 76% of grass pollen variations over the two sites in Australia (p<0.05). Our results demonstrate the potential of satellite sensing to augment forecast models of grass pollen aerobiology as a tool to reduce the health and socioeconomic burden of pollen-sensitive allergic diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rakhesh Devadas
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Alfredo R Huete
- Climate Change Cluster, University of Technology Sydney, 15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia.
| | - Don Vicendese
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | | | - Simon G Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Acton, ACT 2601, Australia.
| | - Rewi M Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Fay H Johnston
- The Menzies Institute for Medical Research at the University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia.
| | - Alison K Jaggard
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Bradley Campbell
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, University of Queensland, QLD, Australia.
| | - Pamela K Burton
- Department of Medicine, Campbelltown, Hospital, NSW, Australia.
| | - Constance H Katelaris
- Campbelltown Hospital and the School of Medicine, Western Sydney University, Macarthur, NSW, Australia.
| | - Ed Newbigin
- School of Botany, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Michel Thibaudon
- European Aerobiology Society, Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique, 11 chemin de la Creuzille, 69690 Brussieu, France.
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Centre for Children's Health Research, Queensland University of Technology, South Brisbane, QLD 4101, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Erbas B, Shrestha SK, Dharmage SC, Katelaris C, Davies J, Abramson MJ. The effects of Air Pollution on asthma Hospital admissions in Adelaide, South Australia, 2003-2013: time series and case-crossover analysis. Clin Exp Allergy 2018; 46:1623-1624. [PMID: 27797423 DOI: 10.1111/cea.12847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- B Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - S K Shrestha
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - S C Dharmage
- Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| | - C Katelaris
- School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - J Davies
- Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, South Brisbane, Qld, Australia
| | - M J Abramson
- School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Vic., Australia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Schumacher MJ. Thunderstorm asthma. Intern Med J 2018; 47:605-607. [PMID: 28503885 DOI: 10.1111/imj.13411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Revised: 02/01/2017] [Accepted: 02/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Schumacher
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Davidson M, Reed S, Oosthuizen J, O’Donnell G, Gaur P, Cross M, Dennis G. Occupational health and safety in cannabis production: an Australian perspective. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2018; 24:75-85. [PMID: 30281413 PMCID: PMC6237171 DOI: 10.1080/10773525.2018.1517234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2018] [Revised: 08/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/25/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
The legal Australian cannabis industry has been rapidly expanding due to increased awareness of the plant's therapeutic potential, as well its diverse range of applications including biofuel, textiles, building materials, food, nutritional supplement, and animal feed. The objective of this paper is to describe the current landscape of the commercial Australian cannabis industry, summarise occupational health and safety (OHS) hazards in cannabis-related working environments, and provide suggestions for safeguarding worker health and well-being in this emerging industry. A comprehensive search of peer-reviewed and grey literature published between 1900 and 2017 was undertaken to identify case studies and original epidemiological research on OHS hazards associated with the cannabis cultivation and the manufacture of cannabis-based products. The review found that the majority of OHS studies were undertaken in the hemp textile industry during the late twentieth century, with a small number of articles published from a variety of occupational environments including forensic laboratories and recreational marijuana farms. Cannabis harvesting and initial processing is labour intensive, and presents a physical hazard Depending on the operation, workers may also be exposed to a variety of biological, chemical, and physical hazards including: organic dusts, bioaerosols, pollen/allergens, volatile organic compounds, psychoactive substances (tetrahydrocannabinol [THC])), noise, and ultraviolet radiation. Little research has been undertaken on the exposure to inhalable organic dust and other bioaerosols during the commercial cultivation and manufacture of cannabis-based products. Furthermore, there is an absence of Australian-based research and OHS guidance materials to help professionals develop risk management strategies in this evolving industry. It is recommended that: Investigation into the toxicological properties of cannabis dusts, specifically in relation to potential occupational exposures during cultivation and manufacture, should be a priority. The interim adoption of the respirable cotton dust exposure standard of 0.2 mg/m3 for workplace exposure in hemp facilities until a cannabis workplace exposure standard is developed, and that exposure to medicinal cannabis containing THC are kept as low as reasonably practicable. An industry partnership be established for the development of an Australian health and safety guideline for the production of medicinal cannabis and hemp. A classification to meet the requirements of the Global Harmonization Scheme should be undertaken to ensure consistency in the use of safety and risk phrases in cannabis-related industries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maggie Davidson
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
- School of Medical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Sue Reed
- School of Medical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Jacques Oosthuizen
- School of Medical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Greg O’Donnell
- Test Safe Analytical Services, Safe Work NSW, Sydney, Australia
| | - Pragna Gaur
- Illicit Drugs Analysis Unit, Forensics Analytical Science Services, Sydney, Australia
| | - Martyn Cross
- School of Medical & Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia
| | - Gary Dennis
- School of Science and Health, Western Sydney University, Sydney, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Silver JD, Sutherland MF, Johnston FH, Lampugnani ER, McCarthy MA, Jacobs SJ, Pezza AB, Newbigin EJ. Seasonal asthma in Melbourne, Australia, and some observations on the occurrence of thunderstorm asthma and its predictability. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0194929. [PMID: 29649224 PMCID: PMC5896915 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0194929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We examine the seasonality of asthma-related hospital admissions in Melbourne, Australia, in particular the contribution and predictability of episodic thunderstorm asthma. Using a time-series ecological approach based on asthma admissions to Melbourne metropolitan hospitals, we identified seasonal peaks in asthma admissions that were centred in late February, June and mid-November. These peaks were most likely due to the return to school, winter viral infections and seasonal allergies, respectively. We performed non-linear statistical regression to predict daily admission rates as functions of the seasonal cycle, weather conditions, reported thunderstorms, pollen counts and air quality. Important predictor variables were the seasonal cycle and mean relative humidity in the preceding two weeks, with higher humidity associated with higher asthma admissions. Although various attempts were made to model asthma admissions, none of the models explained substantially more variation above that associated with the annual cycle. We also identified a list of high asthma admissions days (HAADs). Most HAADs fell in the late-February return-to-school peak and the November allergy peak, with the latter containing the greatest number of daily admissions. Many HAADs in the spring allergy peak may represent episodes of thunderstorm asthma, as they were associated with rainfall, thunderstorms, high ambient grass pollen levels and high humidity, a finding that suggests thunderstorm asthma is a recurrent phenomenon in Melbourne that occurs roughly once per five years. The rarity of thunderstorm asthma events makes prediction challenging, underscoring the importance of maintaining high standards of asthma management, both for patients and health professionals, especially during late spring and early summer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy D. Silver
- School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Michael F. Sutherland
- Institute of Breathing and Sleep, Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
- Austin Health, Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
| | - Fay H. Johnston
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Edwin R. Lampugnani
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Michael A. McCarthy
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephanie J. Jacobs
- School of Earth, Atmosphere & Environment, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alexandre B. Pezza
- Greater Wellington Regional Council, Pipitea, Wellington, New Zealand
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Edward J. Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
García-Mozo H. Poaceae pollen as the leading aeroallergen worldwide: A review. Allergy 2017; 72:1849-1858. [PMID: 28543717 DOI: 10.1111/all.13210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/18/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
The Poaceae family comprises over 12 000 wind-pollinated species, which release large amounts of pollen into the atmosphere. Poaceae pollen is currently regarded as the leading airborne biological pollutant and the chief cause of pollen allergy worldwide. Sensitization rates vary by country, and those variations are reviewed here. Grass pollen allergens are grouped according to their protein structure and function. In Poaceae, although species belonging to different subfamilies are characterized by distinct allergen subsets, there is a considerable degree of cross-reactivity between many species. Cross-reactivity between grass pollen protein and fresh fruit pan-allergens is associated with the appearance of food allergies. The additional influence of urban pollution may prompt a more severe immunological response. The timing and the intensity of the pollen season are governed by species genetics, but plant phenology is also influenced by climate; as a result, climate changes may affect airborne pollen concentrations. This article reviews the findings of worldwide research which has highlighted the major impact of climate change on plant phenology and also on the prevalence and severity of allergic disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- H. García-Mozo
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology; University of Córdoba; Córdoba Spain
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Oteros J, Valencia RM, Del Río S, Vega AM, García-Mozo H, Galán C, Gutiérrez P, Mandrioli P, Fernández-González D. Concentric Ring Method for generating pollen maps. Quercus as case study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 576:637-645. [PMID: 27810751 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2016] [Revised: 10/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Mapping pollen concentrations is of great interest to study the health impact and ecological implications or for forestry or agronomical purposes. A deep knowledge about factors affecting airborne pollen is essential for predicting and understanding its dynamics. The present work sought to predict annual Quercus pollen over the Castilla and León region (Central and Northern Spain). Also to understand the relationship between airborne pollen and landscape. Records of Quercus and Quercus pyrenaica pollen types were collected at 13 monitoring sites over a period of 8years. They were analyzed together with land use data applying the Concentric Ring Method (CRM), a technique that we developed to study the relationship between airborne particle concentrations and emission sources in the region. The maximum correlation between the Quercus pollen and forms of vegetation was determined by shrubland and "dehesa" areas. For the specific Qi pyrenaica model (Q. pyrenaica pollen and Q. pyrenaica forest distribution), the maximum influence of emission sources on airborne pollen was observed at 14km from the pollen trap location with some positive correlations up to a distance of 43km. Apart from meteorological behavior, the local features of the region can explain pollen dispersion patterns. The method that we develop here proved to be a powerful tool for multi-source pollen mapping based on land use.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose Oteros
- Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technische Universitat München, Germany.
| | - Rosa Mª Valencia
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), University of León, Spain
| | - Sara Del Río
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), University of León, Spain
| | - Ana Mª Vega
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), University of León, Spain
| | - Herminia García-Mozo
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Spain
| | - Carmen Galán
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Spain
| | - Pablo Gutiérrez
- Department of Management and Business Economics, University of León, Spain
| | - Paolo Mandrioli
- Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, Bologna, Italy
| | - Delia Fernández-González
- Department of Biodiversity and Environmental Management (Botany), University of León, Spain; Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate, National Research Council, Bologna, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Beggs PJ, Katelaris CH, Medek D, Johnston FH, Burton PK, Campbell B, Jaggard AK, Vicendese D, Bowman DMJS, Godwin I, Huete AR, Erbas B, Green BJ, Newnham RM, Newbigin E, Haberle SG, Davies JM. Differences in grass pollen allergen exposure across Australia. Aust N Z J Public Health 2016; 39:51-5. [PMID: 25648730 PMCID: PMC4704082 DOI: 10.1111/1753-6405.12325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 10/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective: Allergic rhinitis and allergic asthma are important chronic diseases posing serious public health issues in Australia with associated medical, economic, and societal burdens. Pollen are significant sources of clinically relevant outdoor aeroallergens, recognised as both a major trigger for, and cause of, allergic respiratory diseases. This study aimed to provide a national, and indeed international, perspective on the state of Australian pollen data using a large representative sample. Methods: Atmospheric grass pollen concentration is examined over a number of years within the period 1995 to 2013 for Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, and Sydney, including determination of the ‘clinical’ grass pollen season and grass pollen peak. Results: The results of this study describe, for the first time, a striking spatial and temporal variability in grass pollen seasons in Australia, with important implications for clinicians and public health professionals, and the Australian grass pollen‐allergic community. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that static pollen calendars are of limited utility and in some cases misleading. This study also highlights significant deficiencies and limitations in the existing Australian pollen monitoring and data. Implications: Establishment of an Australian national pollen monitoring network would help facilitate advances in the clinical and public health management of the millions of Australians with asthma and allergic rhinitis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Beggs
- Department of Environment and Geography, Macquarie University, New South Wales
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
32
|
Medek DE, Beggs PJ, Erbas B, Jaggard AK, Campbell BC, Vicendese D, Johnston FH, Godwin I, Huete AR, Green BJ, Burton PK, Bowman DMJS, Newnham RM, Katelaris CH, Haberle SG, Newbigin E, Davies JM. Regional and seasonal variation in airborne grass pollen levels between cities of Australia and New Zealand. AEROBIOLOGIA 2016; 32:289-302. [PMID: 27069303 PMCID: PMC4826055 DOI: 10.1007/s10453-015-9399-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Although grass pollen is widely regarded as the major outdoor aeroallergen source in Australia and New Zealand (NZ), no assemblage of airborne pollen data for the region has been previously compiled. Grass pollen count data collected at 14 urban sites in Australia and NZ over periods ranging from 1 to 17 years were acquired, assembled and compared, revealing considerable spatiotemporal variability. Although direct comparison between these data is problematic due to methodological differences between monitoring sites, the following patterns are apparent. Grass pollen seasons tended to have more than one peak from tropics to latitudes of 37°S and single peaks at sites south of this latitude. A longer grass pollen season was therefore found at sites below 37°S, driven by later seasonal end dates for grass growth and flowering. Daily pollen counts increased with latitude; subtropical regions had seasons of both high intensity and long duration. At higher latitude sites, the single springtime grass pollen peak is potentially due to a cooler growing season and a predominance of pollen from C3 grasses. The multiple peaks at lower latitude sites may be due to a warmer season and the predominance of pollen from C4 grasses. Prevalence and duration of seasonal allergies may reflect the differing pollen seasons across Australia and NZ. It must be emphasized that these findings are tentative due to limitations in the available data, reinforcing the need to implement standardized pollen-monitoring methods across Australasia. Furthermore, spatiotemporal differences in grass pollen counts indicate that local, current, standardized pollen monitoring would assist with the management of pollen allergen exposure for patients at risk of allergic rhinitis and asthma.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Alison K Jaggard
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Bradley C Campbell
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Don Vicendese
- School of Psychology and Public Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Fay H Johnston
- Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Ian Godwin
- School of Agriculture and Food Science, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Alfredo R Huete
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change, University of Technology, Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Brett J Green
- National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Pamela K Burton
- Campbelltown Hospital and the School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW, Australia
| | - David M J S Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - Rewi M Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Constance H Katelaris
- Campbelltown Hospital and the School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW, Australia
| | - Simon G Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Ed Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Janet M Davies
- School of Medicine, Translational Research Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Hjort J, Hugg TT, Antikainen H, Rusanen J, Sofiev M, Kukkonen J, Jaakkola MS, Jaakkola JJ. Fine-Scale Exposure to Allergenic Pollen in the Urban Environment: Evaluation of Land Use Regression Approach. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2016; 124:619-26. [PMID: 26452296 PMCID: PMC4858385 DOI: 10.1289/ehp.1509761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite the recent developments in physically and chemically based analysis of atmospheric particles, no models exist for resolving the spatial variability of pollen concentration at urban scale. OBJECTIVES We developed a land use regression (LUR) approach for predicting spatial fine-scale allergenic pollen concentrations in the Helsinki metropolitan area, Finland, and evaluated the performance of the models against available empirical data. METHODS We used grass pollen data monitored at 16 sites in an urban area during the peak pollen season and geospatial environmental data. The main statistical method was generalized linear model (GLM). RESULTS GLM-based LURs explained 79% of the spatial variation in the grass pollen data based on all samples, and 47% of the variation when samples from two sites with very high concentrations were excluded. In model evaluation, prediction errors ranged from 6% to 26% of the observed range of grass pollen concentrations. Our findings support the use of geospatial data-based statistical models to predict the spatial variation of allergenic grass pollen concentrations at intra-urban scales. A remote sensing-based vegetation index was the strongest predictor of pollen concentrations for exposure assessments at local scales. CONCLUSIONS The LUR approach provides new opportunities to estimate the relations between environmental determinants and allergenic pollen concentration in human-modified environments at fine spatial scales. This approach could potentially be applied to estimate retrospectively pollen concentrations to be used for long-term exposure assessments. CITATION Hjort J, Hugg TT, Antikainen H, Rusanen J, Sofiev M, Kukkonen J, Jaakkola MS, Jaakkola JJ. 2016. Fine-scale exposure to allergenic pollen in the urban environment: evaluation of land use regression approach. Environ Health Perspect 124:619-626; http://dx.doi.org/10.1289/ehp.1509761.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Timo T. Hugg
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | | | | | | | | | - Maritta S. Jaakkola
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Jouni J.K. Jaakkola
- Center for Environmental and Respiratory Health Research, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
García-Mozo H, Oteros JA, Galán C. Impact of land cover changes and climate on the main airborne pollen types in Southern Spain. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2016; 548-549:221-228. [PMID: 26802350 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 01/04/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Airborne pollen concentrations strongly correlate with flowering intensity of wind-pollinated species growing at and around monitoring sites. The pollen spectrum, and the variations in its composition and concentrations, is influenced by climatic features and by available nutritional resources but it is also determined by land use and its changes. The first factor influence is well known on aerobiological researches but the impact of land cover changes has been scarcely studied until now. This paper reports on a study carried out in Southern Spain (Córdoba city) examining airborne pollen trends over a 15-year period and it explores the possible links both to changes in land use and to climate variations. The Seasonal-Trend Decomposition procedure based on Loess (STL) which decomposes long-term data series into smaller seasonal component patterns was applied. Trends were compared with recorded changes in land use at varying distances from the city in order to determine their possible influence on pollen-count variations. The influence of climate-related factors was determined by means of non-parametric correlation analysis. The STL method proved highly effective for extracting trend components from pollen time series, because their features vary widely and can change quickly in a short term. Results revealed mixed trends depending on the taxa and reflecting fluctuations in land cover and/or climate. A significant rising trend in Olea pollen counts was observed, attributable both to the increasing olive-growing area but also to changes in temperature and rainfall. Poaceae pollen concentrations also increased, due largely to an expansion of heterogeneous agricultural areas and to an increase in pollen season length positively influenced by rainfall and temperature. By contrast, the significant declining trend observed for pollen from ruderal taxa, such as Amaranthaceae, Rumex, Plantago and Urticaceae, may be linked to changes in urban planning strategies with a higher building pressure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Herminia García-Mozo
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Spain.
| | - Jose Antonio Oteros
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Spain; Center of Allergy & Environment (ZAUM), Helmholtz Zentrum München, Technische Universität München, Germany
| | - Carmen Galán
- Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology, University of Córdoba, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Davies JM, Beggs PJ, Medek DE, Newnham RM, Erbas B, Thibaudon M, Katelaris CH, Haberle SG, Newbigin EJ, Huete AR. Trans-disciplinary research in synthesis of grass pollen aerobiology and its importance for respiratory health in Australasia. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2015; 534:85-96. [PMID: 25891684 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2014] [Revised: 03/31/2015] [Accepted: 04/01/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Grass pollen is a major trigger for allergic rhinitis and asthma, yet little is known about the timing and levels of human exposure to airborne grass pollen across Australasian urban environments. The relationships between environmental aeroallergen exposure and allergic respiratory disease bridge the fields of ecology, aerobiology, geospatial science and public health. The Australian Aerobiology Working Group comprised of experts in botany, palynology, biogeography, climate change science, plant genetics, biostatistics, ecology, pollen allergy, public and environmental health, and medicine, was established to systematically source, collate and analyse atmospheric pollen concentration data from 11 Australian and six New Zealand sites. Following two week-long workshops, post-workshop evaluations were conducted to reflect upon the utility of this analysis and synthesis approach to address complex multidisciplinary questions. This Working Group described i) a biogeographically dependent variation in airborne pollen diversity, ii) a latitudinal gradient in the timing, duration and number of peaks of the grass pollen season, and iii) the emergence of new methodologies based on trans-disciplinary synthesis of aerobiology and remote sensing data. Challenges included resolving methodological variations between pollen monitoring sites and temporal variations in pollen datasets. Other challenges included "marrying" ecosystem and health sciences and reconciling divergent expert opinion. The Australian Aerobiology Working Group facilitated knowledge transfer between diverse scientific disciplines, mentored students and early career scientists, and provided an uninterrupted collaborative opportunity to focus on a unifying problem globally. The Working Group provided a platform to optimise the value of large existing ecological datasets that have importance for human respiratory health and ecosystems research. Compilation of current knowledge of Australasian pollen aerobiology is a critical first step towards the management of exposure to pollen in patients with allergic disease and provides a basis from which the future impacts of climate change on pollen distribution can be assessed and monitored.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janet M Davies
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia.
| | - Paul J Beggs
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, NSW 2109, Australia.
| | - Danielle E Medek
- Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Rewi M Newnham
- School of Geography, Environment and Earth Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand.
| | - Bircan Erbas
- School of Public Health and Human Biosciences, La Trobe University, VIC 3086, Australia.
| | - Michel Thibaudon
- European Aerobiology Society, Réseau National de Surveillance Aérobiologique, 11 chemin de la Creuzille, 69690 Brussieu, France.
| | - Connstance H Katelaris
- Campbelltown Hospital, The School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Macarthur, NSW, Australia.
| | - Simon G Haberle
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, College of Asia and the Pacific, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia.
| | - Edward J Newbigin
- School of BioSciences, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia.
| | - Alfredo R Huete
- Plant Functional Biology and Climate Change, University of Technology Sydney, NSW 2007, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
|
37
|
Wood SW, Prior LD, Stephens HC, Bowman DMJS. Macroecology of Australian Tall Eucalypt Forests: Baseline Data from a Continental-Scale Permanent Plot Network. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137811. [PMID: 26368919 PMCID: PMC4569531 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tracking the response of forest ecosystems to climate change demands large (≥1 ha) monitoring plots that are repeatedly measured over long time frames and arranged across macro-ecological gradients. Continental scale networks of permanent forest plots have identified links between climate and carbon fluxes by monitoring trends in tree growth, mortality and recruitment. The relationship between tree growth and climate in Australia has been recently articulated through analysis of data from smaller forest plots, but conclusions were limited by (a) absence of data on recruitment and mortality, (b) exclusion of non-eucalypt species, and (c) lack of knowledge of stand age or disturbance histories. To remedy these gaps we established the Ausplots Forest Monitoring Network: a continental scale network of 48 1 ha permanent plots in highly productive tall eucalypt forests in the mature growth stage. These plots are distributed across cool temperate, Mediterranean, subtropical and tropical climates (mean annual precipitation 850 to 1900 mm per year; mean annual temperature 6 to 21°C). Aboveground carbon stocks (AGC) in these forests are dominated by eucalypts (90% of AGC) whilst non-eucalypts in the understorey dominated species diversity and tree abundance (84% of species; 60% of stems). Aboveground carbon stocks were negatively related to mean annual temperature, with forests at the warm end of the temperature range storing approximately half the amount of carbon as forests at the cool end of the temperature range. This may reflect thermal constraints on tree growth detected through other plot networks and physiological studies. Through common protocols and careful sampling design, the Ausplots Forest Monitoring Network will facilitate the integration of tall eucalypt forests into established global forest monitoring initiatives. In the context of projections of rapidly warming and drying climates in Australia, this plot network will enable detection of links between climate and growth, mortality and carbon dynamics of eucalypt forests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sam W. Wood
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Lynda D. Prior
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Helen C. Stephens
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David M. J. S. Bowman
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Toro A. R, Córdova J. A, Canales M, Morales S. RGE, Mardones P. P, Leiva G. MA. Trends and threshold exceedances analysis of airborne pollen concentrations in Metropolitan Santiago Chile. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0123077. [PMID: 25946339 PMCID: PMC4422675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0123077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Pollen is one of the primary causes of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis in urban centers. In the present study, the concentrations of 39 different pollens in the Santiago de Chile metropolitan area over the period 2009–2013 are characterized. The pollen was monitored daily using Burkard volumetric equipment. The contribution of each type of pollen and the corresponding time trends are evaluated. The concentrations of the pollens are compared with the established threshold levels for the protection of human health. The results show that the total amount of pollen grains originating from trees, grasses, weeds and indeterminate sources throughout the period of the study was 258,496 grains m-3, with an annual average of 51,699 ± 3,906 grains m-3 year-1. The primary source of pollen is Platanus orientalis, which produces 61.8% of the analyzed pollen. Grass pollen is the third primary component of the analyzed pollen, with a contribution of 5.82%. Among the weeds, the presence of Urticacea (3.74%) is remarkable. The pollination pattern of the trees is monophasic, and the grasses have a biphasic pattern. The trends indicate that the total pollen and tree pollen do not present a time trend that is statistically significant throughout the period of the study, whereas the grass pollen and weed pollen concentrations in the environment present a statistically significant decreasing trend. The cause of this decrease is unclear. The pollen load has doubled over the past decade. When the observed concentrations of the pollens were compared with the corresponding threshold levels, the results indicated that over the period of the study, the pollen concentrations were at moderate, high and very high levels for an average of 293 days per year. Systematic counts of the pollen grains are an essential method for diagnosing and treating patients with pollinosis and for developing forestation and urban planning strategies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Richard Toro A.
- Centro de Ciencias Ambientales and Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alicia Córdova J.
- Clínica de Enfermedades Respiratorias y Alérgicas Miguel Servet, Almirante Pastene N° 150–118, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
- Fundación de Aerobiología Medio Ambiente y Salud, Pérez Valenzuela 1572, Of 404, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mauricio Canales
- Centro de Ciencias Ambientales and Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Raul G. E. Morales S.
- Centro de Ciencias Ambientales and Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Pedro Mardones P.
- Clínica de Enfermedades Respiratorias y Alérgicas Miguel Servet, Almirante Pastene N° 150–118, Providencia, Santiago, Chile
- Fundación de Aerobiología Medio Ambiente y Salud, Pérez Valenzuela 1572, Of 404, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail: (MALG); (PMP)
| | - Manuel A. Leiva G.
- Centro de Ciencias Ambientales and Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla 653, Santiago, Chile
- * E-mail: (MALG); (PMP)
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Zhang Y, Bielory L, Mi Z, Cai T, Robock A, Georgopoulos P. Allergenic pollen season variations in the past two decades under changing climate in the United States. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2015; 21:1581-9. [PMID: 25266307 PMCID: PMC4356643 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.12755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 09/16/2014] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Many diseases are linked with climate trends and variations. In particular, climate change is expected to alter the spatiotemporal dynamics of allergenic airborne pollen and potentially increase occurrence of allergic airway disease. Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of changes in pollen season timing and levels is thus important in assessing climate impacts on aerobiology and allergy caused by allergenic airborne pollen. Here, we describe the spatiotemporal patterns of changes in the seasonal timing and levels of allergenic airborne pollen for multiple taxa in different climate regions at a continental scale. The allergenic pollen seasons of representative trees, weeds and grass during the past decade (2001-2010) across the contiguous United States have been observed to start 3.0 [95% Confidence Interval (CI), 1.1-4.9] days earlier on average than in the 1990s (1994-2000). The average peak value and annual total of daily counted airborne pollen have increased by 42.4% (95% CI, 21.9-62.9%) and 46.0% (95% CI, 21.5-70.5%), respectively. Changes of pollen season timing and airborne levels depend on latitude, and are associated with changes of growing degree days, frost free days, and precipitation. These changes are likely due to recent climate change and particularly the enhanced warming and precipitation at higher latitudes in the contiguous United States.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong Zhang
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Leonard Bielory
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Zhongyuan Mi
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ting Cai
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Alan Robock
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
| | - Panos Georgopoulos
- Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI), Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine, Rutgers University – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| |
Collapse
|