Dossier
Hay fever and pollen
Hay fever is an allergic reaction that is caused by pollen from trees, grasses and herbaceous plants. When this pollen is dispersed by the wind, people with hay fever suffer from sneezing, red and itchy eyes and a stuffy nose.
Weather conditions determine when 'hay fever plants' flower and how much pollen they release into the atmosphere. Every year, the progression of hay fever symptoms can differ. The daily pollen concentration in the atmosphere in the Netherlands is measured by the Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC) and Elkerliek Hospital in Helmond.
As part of the Nature’s Calendar observation programme, secondary school students and volunteers keep track of when various hay fever plants begin flowering. The students who conduct observations are also involved with the GLOBE Programme, an international education programme on the environmental sciences established in 1995 by Al Gore.
Knowledge about hay fever is limited
Ambrosia
One plant species that is known world-wide for causing hay fever symptoms is Ambrosia. This species, which is an exotic in the Netherlands, produces large amounts of strongly allergenic pollen. Moreover, the plant flowers late in the year, so the hay fever season for people who are sensitive to Ambrosia can be up to two months longer. Ambrosia originated from North America and has become widespread in the Netherlands because its seeds are unintentionally present in birdseed and wildflower mixtures. By removing plants before they begin flowering, nuisance from the pollen can be prevented, and the species is less likely to spread.
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Publications on hay fever and pollen
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Minder gras door droge zomer en dus meer stikstof in de natuur
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Genomic insights into effector diversity in plant-parasitic nematodes
Wageningen University. Promotor(en): G. Smant, J. Helder, co-promotor(en): M.G. Sterken - Wageningen: Wageningen University - ISBN: 9789464479867 -
The proposition: ‘Climate-smart agriculture as a scientific field is a typical example of neocolonial science’
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Farewell to an optimist
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Recycling in 2024: What does the new legislation entail?
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Natuurinclusieve landbouw in de praktijk
Bunnik: Louis Bolk Instituut - ISBN: 9789004695542 -
Sarcopenia augments the risk of excess weight on COVID-19 hospitalization: a prospective study using Lifelines COVID-19 Cohort
Nutrition (2024), Volume: 121 - ISSN 0899-9007 -
Wratziekte-resistente rassen vanaf 2025 in de pijplijn
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Sociaaleconomische effecten van stikstofbronmaatregelen en natuurmaatregelen : Monitoring en evaluatie van het Programma Stikstofreductie en Natuurverbetering
Den Haag: PBL Planbureau voor de Leefomgeving -
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