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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How do foodservice companies organize for inbound open innovation? Empirical evidence from a Dutch organization
British Food Journal (2024), Volume: 126, Issue: 5 - ISSN 0007-070X - p. 1809-1829. -
Een handreiking voor het uitvoeren van een TCA voor korte voedselketens
Wageningen: Wageningen Economic Research (Rapport / Wageningen Economic Research 2024-009) - ISBN: 9789464470086 -
Self-Determination and National Liberation in Kurdistan in the Twentieth and Twenty-First Centuries
In: Frustrated Nationalism - New York: State University of New York (SUNY) - ISBN: 9781438496184 - p. 207-230. -
Governance of circular economy actions in seven European cities and suggestions for upscaling. CityLoops
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Fermentation
In: Encyclopedia of Food Safety - Elsevier - ISBN: 9780128225202 - p. 499-509. -
'Boeren en wij leren van elkaar'
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'Zeewaterstof' levert waterstof, drinkwater, stroom, tafelzout en mineralen op
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Improvement options for archive boxes in tropical climates
Wageningen: Wageningen Food & Biobased Research (Report / Wageningen Food & Biobased Research 2534) -
Agile by accident: how to apply Agile principles in academic research projects
SN Social Sciences (2024), Volume: 4 - ISSN 2662-9283 -
De Minister gaat het verbieden, maar Arnhem bouwt nog wél in de uiterwaarden