Comparison of Alnus, Corylus and Betula pollen counts in Lublin [Poland] and Skien [Norway]

Symptoms of pollen allergy in springtime in Middle and Northern Europe are mainly caused by pollen grains of birch, hazel and alder. The aim of the present study was the pollen fall comparison of the mentioned taxa in Lublin (Poland) and Skien (Norway). These sites are located approximately 1,200 km away apart by air. The pollen monitoring was carried out by gravimetric method in 1999-2000. The start and end of pollen seasons were defined by the 90% method. The beginning of pollen seasons for Corylus and Betula were observed 1-3 weeks earlier in Lublin than in Skien, but pollen grains of Alnus appeared simultaneously in both towns. In 1999, annual totals of Alnus, Corylus and Betula pollen grains were considerably less numerous in Skien than in Lublin. No important differences were observed among the pollen fall amounts of the mentioned taxa in 2000. The maximum values of pollen grains were defined in different terms. The results of investigations differed as regards the years compared as well as the sites.