Influence of synoptic meteorology on airborne allergenic pollen and spores in an urban environment in Northeastern Iberian Peninsula

The influence of the most frequent patterns of synoptic circulation on the dynamics of airborne pollen/spores recorded at the Barcelona Aerobiological Station (BCN) was analysed. Six pollen types (Platanus, Cupressaceae, Olea, Poaceae, Urticaceae and Amaranthaceae), and one fungal spore (Alternaria)...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor: 4. M. Alarcón, R. Rodríguez-Solà, M. C. Casas-Castillo, F. Molero, P. Salvador, C. Periago, J. Belmonte
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT)
Repositorio:Docu-menta. Repositorio Institucional del CIEMAT
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:documenta___::26ffc8745ffe18a590a2649a5cdd1621
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14855/5662
Access Level:acceso abierto
Descripción
Sumario:The influence of the most frequent patterns of synoptic circulation on the dynamics of airborne pollen/spores recorded at the Barcelona Aerobiological Station (BCN) was analysed. Six pollen types (Platanus, Cupressaceae, Olea, Poaceae, Urticaceae and Amaranthaceae), and one fungal spore (Alternaria) were selected for their high allergenic effect in sensitive people. Six synoptic meteorological patterns were identified through cluster analysis of sea level pressure fields as the main responsible of the weather conditions in the Iberian Peninsula. The local meteorological conditions in Barcelona associated with each one of the synoptic types were also stablished. Different statistical methods were applied to analyse possible relationships between concentrations and timing of the recorded aerobiological particles and specific synoptic types. The study, focused in the 19-year period 2001–2019, shows that one of the scenarios, frequent in winter and linked to high stability and air-mass blockage, registered the highest mean and median values for Platanus and Cupressaceae, but it was not very relevant for the other taxa. It was also this scenario that turned out to be the most influent on the pollination timing showing a significant influence on the start occurrence of Urticaceae flowering and on the peak date of Platanus. On the other hand, the most frequent synoptic type in the period, relevant in spring and summer, was linked to sporadic episodes of levels considered to be of high risk of allergy to Platanus, Poaceae, and Urticaceae pollen, and Alternaria fungal spore. This synoptic pattern, characterized by the presence of the Azores anticyclone and the Atlantic low located in the north of the United Kingdom, was associated with high temperatures