Seasonal distribution of pollen in the atmosphere of Melbourne: an airborne pollen calendar

Abstract

Environmental monitoring of pollen grains in the atmosphere of Melbourne has been achieved using Burkard volumetric traps. Twenty-two families of flowering plants and conifers were identified in the pollen counts. About 62% of these pollen grains belonged to trees, 20% to grasses and 9% to herbs and weedy plants. During spring and summer, the atmosphere contained about 70% of the total annual pollen count. Tree pollen, predominantly elm and cypress, occurred abundantly in late winter and spring, with grass pollen predominantly in spring and early summer. These three types of pollen grains occurred in significant amounts, together accounting for more than 60% of the total annual catch. A seas..