Direct effects of climate change on plants in Hungary

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Direct effects of climate change on plants in
Hungary

• Eszter Erdei, J. Bobvos, T. Hardy, E. Jozsa,
  A. Paldy
• Natl. Institute of Environmental Health, Natl.
  Centre for Public Health, Budapest, Hungary
  Metropolitan Institute of State Public Health
  Service, Budapest

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Aim of the study

• To assess the impact of climate variability on
  the production of pollen grains and mould spores
  in Budapest, Hungary
• To examine changes in aeroallergen abundance
  related to climatic conditions
• To give descriptions of the characteristics of
  pollen and spore seasons during longer time
  period

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The yearly Taverage in the last 100 years of
Hungary (C)
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Methods

• Pollen and spore database 32 different
  allergenic pollen grains and 2 mould spores and
  other spores are recorded continuously with
  standardized method (Burkard 7-day volumetric
  trap) on daily basis by Hungarian Aerobiological
  Network
• 2 traps in Budapest (average pg/m3 was used),
  N4018 observations!
• Weather database collected by online air
  pollution monitoring stations of the Metropolitan
  Institute of State Public Health Service,
  Budapest

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• Consolidated daily aeroallergen counts into 3
  groups
• spring trees (Alnus, Corylus, Betula, Fraxinus,
  Populus, Carpinus etc.)
• grasses and summer-autumn weeds (Poaceae,
  Ambrosia, Artemisia, Chenopodiacea, ect.)
• mold spores (Alternaria, Cladosporium, other
  spores, sum)

• Meteorological factors
• temperature (daily min, max, range, 24-hour
  average)
• humidity (RH )
• sunshine intensity (kW/hour)
• barometric pressure (hPa)
• windspeed (km/hour)

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• Agrometeorological parameter total heatsums
  (growing degree days) were used including
  negative T values calculated from 1st January of
  every study year till the date of the 1 of the
  total yearly catch of the certain allergen
  species
• -relative percentages of the yearly sums
  (separately for the studied years) were compared
  to the starting dates of the pollen seasons
  (retrospective method, 1 of the total yearly
  catch) for 8 allergenic pollen produced plant
  species and the total mould spores

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Variations of aeroallergen concentrations in
Budapest 1992-2002
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Linear trends of aeroallergen concentrations
during the 11-years-long study period
ß CI min CI max
PTREE 13,84 11,86 15,82
PGRASS 11,28 9,81 12,75
ALT -1,24 -2,13 -0,346
CLADO 12,30 -1,95 26,55
OS 257,44 212,94 301,94
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Average pollen concentrations by years and trends
in Budapest
Spring blooming trees (birch, ash)
Grasses and ragweed
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Variability of T24 and starting dates of birch
pollen seasons
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Variability of Tmin and starting dates of ragweed
pollen seasons
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Percentages of total heatsum values (SD) at the
starting dates of pollination seasons of 8
allergenic plant species and mould
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Variabilities of heatsum values related to birch
pollination periods starting dates in Budapest
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Variabilities of heatsum values related to
ragweed pollination periods starting dates
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Morbidity data of rhinitis allergica patients in
Hungary
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Number of hospitalized asthmatic patients in
Hungary
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Conclusions

• Increased production of aeroallergens during
  study period in Budapest - direct health impact
  of climate variability.
• Starts of pollen seasons varied remarkably
  associations with T24 and Tmin.
• The abundance of the most allergenic pollen types
  is enhanced moderately during the study period.
• Prediction can be made using relative heatsum
  values for starting dates of pollen seasons and
  fungi spore production.

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Acknowledgement

• Special thank goes to
• Tamás Bodorics for agrometeorological advices
• This work was supported by the Hungarian National
  Environmental Health Action Programme (NEHAP)