AIRBORNE ALLERGENIC POLLEN IN A NATURAL AREAS – HORNACHUELOS NATURAL PARk , CORDOBA , SOUTHERN SPAIN

The present study shows the results of monitoring the atmospheric pollen in the atmosphere of an area of natural vegetation, the Hornachuelos Natural Park, Cordoba, southern Spain, during a six years (1998-2003). Special attention was paid in the seasonal and intra-diurnal characteristics of airborne allergenic pollen. During this period, 31 pollen types were described, some of them rare in aerobiological analysis. High concentrations of allergenic pollen from entomophilous species and from areas at a long distance were found. Significant differences between pollen spectrum and pollen concentration of the natural study area and the surrounding cities were detected. Intra-diurnal pattern from trees surrounding the trap presented a clear peak at midday/afternoon. Pollen from taxa comprising many species and from species at far locations showed a smoother intra-diurnal pattern. The correlation with meteorological parameters was positive with maximum and mean temperatures, and negative with humidity and rainfall. . Address for correspondence: Dr. Herminia Garcia-Mozo, Department of Plant Biology, Campus Universitario de Rabanales, Universidad de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain. E-mail: [email protected] key words: aerobiology, pollen, allergy, natural areas, rural areas, intra-diurnal pattern, meteorology. Ann Agric Environ Med 2007, 14, 109-000 110 Garcia-Mozo H, Dominguez E, Galan C management of the traps. Therefore, there is an important lack of information about the aerobiological dynamic of airborne pollen in natural and semi-natural low-populated areas. Several studies have reported lower rates of allergic sensitization and allergies in children living in rural as compared to urban communities [3, 4]. This has been attributed to the lower levels of air pollution in rural areas [9]. Nevertheless, biological and geographical differences, such vegetal species spectrum, landscape composition, urbanization, human impact, etc., between natural and urban areas, lead us to hypothesize that allergenic pollen composition, timing and dynamics may be different, even from areas located in a given bioclimatic region and may lead to specific pollen allergy problems differing from the nearest urban areas. The objective of this study was to determine the airborne pollen spectrum, pollen concentration and the time (season, daily and hourly details) when the most allergenic airborne pollen types are present in the atmosphere of the Hornachuelos Natural Park in the Province of Cordoba, southern Spain. Information on the aerobiological behaviour of pollen grains in a natural vegetation area was recorded during 6 years in order to detect possible differences with surrounding urban areas in the same bioclimatic region. The presented results will improve prevention and managing of allergy problems in natural vegetation areas of southern Spain. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was carried out in “El Cabril”, a 1,200-ha reserve located in the northern part of the Hornachuelos Natural Park in the Province of Córdoba (southern Spain), 38o4’N, 5o24’W. The average elevation of the area ranges from 450-600 m a.s.l. This area has a sub-humid Mediterranean climate with virtually no rainfall in summer (JuneAugust). The mean 50-year data indicate annual rainfall of 700 mm and a mean temperature of 16.8oC [31]. Meteorological data were taken by using a meteorological station located 10 m from the pollen trap. A pollen sampler (Burkard® Hirst type) was placed 2 m above ground on a hill 450 m above a valley, 1 km from a centre for Residual Storage (200 workers) and 15 km from the nearest village. Nevertheless, in a 50 km radius, 18 villages are placed, 15 of them in the Province of Cordoba. The population living and working in this area is estimated at 40,000 inhabitants (Diputacion of Cordoba, http://www. dipucordoba.es ). The trap was placed in an area of native vegetation, where the holm-oak (Quercus ilex subsp. ballota (Desf.) Samp.) is the dominant tree species. Shrub formations are composed by Erica arborea L., Quercus coccifera L., Olea europea var. sylvestris L., Pistacea lentiscus L. Genista hirsuta Vahl., Cistus monspeliensis L., Cistus albidus L., Cistus ladanifer L. and Lavandula stoechas L. Herbaceous species correspond to the genus Trifolium spp., Plantago spp., Briza spp. Avena spp., Bromus spp., and Poa spp. The area has a high degree of natural conservation: 60% of the Natural Park is occupied by autochthonous vegetation, 32% is occupied by “dehesas”, a semi-natural Quercus meadow formation devoted to sheep and pig breeding. The rest of the landscape is composed of Pinus reforested areas (4.5%) and Olea crop areas (3%) [31]. Table 1. Percentage total pollen concentration by taxon.