Climate change influences allergy season: study shows by how many days the hay fever period is extended

The nose is running, the eyes are burning: with the start of spring, many suffer from pollen allergies again.

Researchers have now found out what impact climate change has.

The earlier in the year the temperatures rise, the sooner pollen begins to fly.

The first are early bloomers such as hazel and alder, followed by birch, elm and beech.

The grasses bloom in summer and ragweed is one of the late bloomers.

Anyone who thinks that one is only safe from pollen in winter is wrong.

As early as December, the hazelnut and the alder begin to scatter their pollen in the wind.

Climate change plays an important role in terms of pollen count, as US researchers have found

.

In a study, they examined how exactly global warming affects the spread of allergies - with terrifying results.

Global climate change means that the pollen count begins earlier and lasts longer, according to researchers working with William RL Anderegg from the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

In their study, the researchers write: “We find widespread shifts in advance and lengthening of the pollen season (+20 days) and increases in pollen concentrations (+21 percent) throughout North America, which are strongly linked to the observed warming”.

For their analyzes, the scientists used pollen data from 60 North American stations from 1990 to 2018 and climate models to reconstruct the role of man-made climate change.

Another result of the study, as reported by the specialist portal

Spektrum

:

Compared to 1990, the allergy season starts not only 20 days earlier, but also lasts ten days longer

.

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+

If poplar seeds line the sidewalks, many people react with allergic symptoms such as sneezing attacks and burning eyes.

A new study suggests that climate change is prolonging the pollen season.

© Hauke-Christian Dittrich / dpa

Global increase in allergic complaints due to global warming: "further increase expected"

The study also showed that

global warming is at least 50 percent responsible for the prolonged pollen season

.

If the researchers only considered the years 2003 to 2018, in which more measuring stations provided data, the effects of climate change are even more pronounced, as

Spektrum

reported.

The allergy information service of the Helmholtz Center Munich also sees a connection between global warming and allergic complaints.

A number of studies would suggest that climate change is fueling an increase in allergic respiratory diseases worldwide, according to the Allergy Information Service.

"A further increase and an increasing severity of the diseases is to be expected", it continues.

Not only air temperature and CO2 concentration seem to play a role

, but also an increase in air pollutants such as ozone and fine dust associated with climate change.

However, according to the Allergy Information Service, many questions in this area are still open and there is a need for further research.

(jg)

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List of rubric lists: © Hauke-Christian Dittrich