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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Ziekmakende aaltjes rukken op: WUR start grootschalig onderzoek
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Wat is de juiste techniek?
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Groot onderzoek naar opmars wortelknobbelaaltjes en cystenaaltjes
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Kennis over bestuivers in Nederland : Wordt de bestaande kennis over bestuivende insecten gevonden door de mensen die het nodig hebben?
Wageningen: Wageningen Environmental Research (Rapport / Wageningen Environmental Research 3322) -
Sociaal-economische effecten van het Programma Stikstofreductie en Natuurverbetering op de landbouw en agroketen : Gevolgen voor materiële welvaart en werkgelegenheid
Wageningen: Wageningen Economic Research (Rapport / Wageningen Economic Research 2024-019) -
Plant-Parasitic Nematodes on The Rise: Wageningen University & Research Launches Research Project
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The long-term agroforestry research facility for Dutch arable farming: the experimental design and monitoring choices
Wageningen: Wageningen University & Research (Factsheet Agroforestry 8A) -
Disenchantment with Political Information: Attitudes, Processes, and Effects
In: Communication Research into the Digital Society - Amsterdam University Press - ISBN: 9789048560592 -
Sociaal aspect verdient bij innovaties meer aandacht
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Soil biodiversity ecosystem functioning: Using protists as a model