Pollen Events

Location: What is the general location. Example Alaska

Description: The project includes observations about unusual pollen events.

Background: Climate change is resulting is changes in the seasonality, range or vegetation, as well as in the intensity of pollen events. Extreme events have occurred in recent years related to birch and spruce pollen, and the expansion of grasses and shrubs north is bringing pollen and related allergy and respiratory events to new areas of Alaska. This project seeks to document pollen events to help raise awareness about pollen impacts on community health.

Funding: Open search.

Partners: Alaska Allergy and Asthma Center, ANTHC, One Health Group

Observing Guidance: Photographs of pollen events. Descriptions of the events and related effects.

Source Data: LEO Network posts.

Outputs: Map additions or location and time. Graphs related to seasonality and number of events.

Project Updates: pending

Resources:

State of Alaska Epidemiology Bulletin – Pollen and Outdoor Mold Season Update, "Allergies from pollen and mold affect approximately 10% to 30% of the population, causing a wide range of symptoms, including red and itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing, coughing, and asthma exacerbations. In 2015, birch, alder, cottonwood, spruce, and willow pollen counts were highest in late April–June; grass pollen counts were highest from late May–July; weed pollen counts were highest during June–August; and outdoor mold spore counts were highest during late July–September." Source: DHSS & AK Division of Public Health Epi - Bulletin No. 10 April 18, 2017

Media:

Alaska Public Media – (April 27, 2017) Pollen and mold season upon Alaskans, "...the pollen and mold season is upon us. There are only two spore collection sites in the state, Fairbanks and Anchorage, and the instruments were activated this week. The University of Alaska and the Allergy, Asthma and Immunology Center run the monitoring program. Stacy Cooper is a health assessor at the environmental health program for the state health department. She told Alaska Public Media’s Lori Townsend, spore traps capture pollen and mold for 24 hours and deposit it on a slide." By Lori Townsend, APM