全 文 ：Received 20 Dec. 2003 Accepted 21 Jun. 2004
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Acta Botanica Sinica
植 物 学 报 2004, 46 (10): 1149-1154
Analysis of Airborne Pollen Fall in Edirne, Turkey
Adem BICAKCI1, Goksel OLGUN2, Mehmet AYBEKE2, Perihan ERKAN2,
Hulusi MALYER1
(1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Uludag, Bursa, Turkey;
2. Department of Biology , Faculty of Science, University of Trakya, Edirne, Turkey)
Abstract: In the atmosphere of Edirne 12 691 pollen grains belonging to 42 taxa were identified by using
of Durham sampler in 2000 and 2001. A total of 6 189 pollen grains per cm² were recorded in 2000 and a
total of 6 502 pollen grains per cm² in 2001. Total pollen grains consisted of 71.81% grains from arboreal
plants, 25.88% grains from non-arboreal plants and 2.31% unidentified pollen grains. Pollen from the follow-
ing taxa were also found to be prevalent in the atmosphere of Edirne: Gramineae, Pinus sp., Quercus sp.,
Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Platanus sp., Salix sp., Morus sp., Populus sp., Carpinus sp., Juglans sp.,
Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae, Fraxinus sp., Fagus sp., Ulmus sp., Ailanthus sp., Alnus sp., Ostrya sp.,
Helianthus sp. The season of maximum pollen fall was from April to June, with a prevalence of arboreal
pollen in the first month, and of pollen from non-arboreal plants in the last months of the year.
Key words: Turkey; Edirne; pollen calendar; pollen fall
It is well known fact now that several plant taxa have
allergic effects on humans. Determination of the pollen types
and their concentration in the atmosphere of highly
populated cities very important. This data are helpful in the
treatment of patients suffering from such diseases. For this
reason, studies of the pollen content in the atmosphere of
different areas have been carried out by many researchers
all over the world (Nilsson and Palmberg-Gothard, 1982;
Spieksma et al., 1989; D’Amato and Spieksma, 1990; Bicakci
and Akyalcin, 2000; Bicakci et al., 2002; Bicakci et al., 2003).
The aim of this study was to determine pollen grains
and changes in pollen fall per cm² weekly, monthly and
annually. The pollen calendar for the region presented in
this paper may be useful for allergologists to establish an
exact diagnosis.
1 Materials and Methods
Edirne, situated at 40º 30 -42º 00 N and 26º 00 -27º 00
E in the northwest of Turkey at an altitude of 41 m above
the sea level. Edirne has an antropogen steppe vegetation,
both Mediterranean and Middle European climate generally.
Twenty-five percent of the Edirne area is covered by
forest and shrubbery, 57% by planted fields, and 10% by
meadow and pasture. Some species appear in the study
area as follows: Abies bornmüelleriana Mattf., Acer
negundo L., Aesculus hippocastanum L., Ailanthus
altissima (Miller) Swingle., Alnus glutinosa (L.) Gaertn.,
Betula pendula Roth., Carpinus betulus L., C. orientalis
Miller, Cornus mas L., Corylus avellana L., Cupressus
sempervirens L., Fagus orientalis L., Forsythia intermedia
Zap., Fraxinus ornus L. subsp. ornus, Juglans regia L.,
Morus alba L., Pinus nigra L. subsp. pallasiana (Lamb.)
Holmboe, P. brutia Ten., Picea abies (L.) Karst., Platanus
orientalis L., Populus alba L., Quercus cerris L. var. cerris,
Q. frainetto Ten, Q. pubescens Willd., Q. robur L. subsp.
robur, Robinia pseudoacacia L., Salix babylonica L.,
Sambucus nigra L., Tamarix parviflora DC., Taxus baccata
L, Tilia argenta Desf. Ex DC., Ulmus glabra Huds.,
Viburnum opulus L.
In this study, the gravimetric method and a Durham
sampler were used. The Durham sampler was placed on the
office roof at the height of 2 m above the ground level.
Slides placed on the Durham sampler were changed weekly.
Before exposure, the slides were covered with glycerine
jelly mixed with basic fuchsin (Charpin and Surinyach, 1974).
The slides were examined under the light microscope weekly.
The grains were identified and counted at genus level in
most cases, and at family level in the least. The grains which
could not be identified were considered as unidentified
types. The number of pollen grains was expressed as grains
per square centimetre of microscope cover glass (22 mm×
22 mm).
2 Results and Discussion
A total of 12 691 pollen grains from 42 taxa, 6 189 in 2000
and 6 502 in 2001, have been identified in the atmosphere of
Edirne during these two years. Out of 42 taxa, 25 were
arboreal while the others were non-arboreal plants. Of the
total pollen grains, 71.81% was arboreal, 25.88% non-
arboreal and 2.31% unidentified (Table 1). The season of
Acta Botanica Sinica 植物学报 Vol.46 No.10 20041150
maximum pollen fall was from April to June (Fig.1), with a
prevalence of arboreal pollen in the first month, and of
pollen from non-arboreal plants in the last months of the
year (Fig.2).
In the atmosphere of Edirne, arboreal pollen types were
dominant. The frequency of arboreal pollen grains generally
depends on the distribution and density of the local
vegetation and rate of pollen production. According to the
other studies carried out in Europe, arboreal pollen types
are also dominant in Finland (82%) (Koivikko et al., 1986),
Bursa, Turkey (78.61%) (Bicakci et al., 2003), Burdur, Turkey
(76.1%) (Bicakci et al., 2000), Ostrawiec Swietokrzyski,
Poland (73%) (Kasprzyk, 1996), Perugia (71 %) and Ascoli
Piceno (55%) (Romano et al., 1988), Balzkesir (70.92%)
(Bicakci and Akyalcin, 2000) and Afyon, Turkey (69.67%)
(Bicakci et al., 2002).
The main pollen procuders in the atmosphere of Edirne
were the following arboreal plants: Pinus sp., Quercus sp.,
Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Platanus sp., Salix sp., Morus sp.,
Populus sp., Carpinus sp., Juglans sp., Fraxinus sp., Fagus
sp., Ulmus sp., Ailanthus sp., Alnus sp., Ostrya sp. They
form 67.96% of the total pollen fall (Table1).
From herbaceous plants, Gramineae, Chenopodiaceae /
Amaranthaceae and Helianthus sp. were found frequently
in the atmosphere of Edirne making up 20.56% of the total
(Table 1).
The types of pollens present in the atmosphere of Edirne
are shown in the form of a pollen calender (Fig.3) based on
the counts made in 2000-2001. The following taxa (18 taxa)
produced the greatest amounts of pollens in the atmosphere
of Edirne .
Gramineae Pollen season started in the fourth week of
March, maximum between the 16th week and the 25th week
of the year, in the first week of July (27th week), in the last
week of July (30th week), and continued to occur in the
second week of October (40th week). The total number in
2000 was 931 (15.04%) and 1 217 (18.72%) in 2001 (Table 1;
Fig.3).
Pinus sp. Pollen season started in the third week of
March (11th week), maximum in the fourth week of March
(12th week), in the first week of April (14th week), between
the 16th week and the 20th week and continued to occur in
the last week of June (26th week). The total number in 2000
was 545 (8.81%) and 873 (13.43%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Quercus sp. Pollen production was continued from the
fourth week of March (12th week) to the last week of the
May (21st week). The highest values were noted between
12th week and the 20th week. The total number in 2000 was
850 (13.73%) and 525 (8.03%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Cupressaceae/Taxaceae Pollen production was
continued from the first week of January to the first week of
June (22nd week). The highest count was recorded in the
second and last weeks of February (6th and 8th weeks),
between the 10th week and the 15th week and in the last
week of March (17th week). The total number in 2000 was
591 (9.55%) and 520 (8.0%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Platanus sp. Pollen season started in the fourth week
of March (12th week) and ended in the last week of May
(21st week). The highest count was recorded between the
12th week and the 17th week. The total number in 2000 was
290 (4.69%) and 535 (8.23%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Salix sp. Pollen production was continued from the
fourth week of March to the second week of May (22nd
week). The highest count was recorded between the 12th
week and the 16th week. The total number in 2000 was 434
(7.01%) and 286 (4.40%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Morus sp. Pollen season started in the third week of
Fig.1. Total monthly variation in the amount of atmospheric
polen, Edirne, 2000-2001.
Fig.2. Monthly variation of arboreal (AP) and non-arboreal
(NAP) pollen grains, Edirne, 2000-2001.
Adem BICAKCI et al.: Analysis of Airborne Pollen Fall in Edirne, Turkey 1151
Table 1 Annual totals of weekly pollen counts and percentages
2000 2001 2000-2001
Total % Total % Total %
A rboreal pollen g rains (AP)
Pinus 54 5 8 .81 87 3 13. 43 1 418 11. 17
Quercus 85 0 13. 73 52 2 8 .03 1 372 10. 81
Cupressaceae/Taxaceae 59 1 9 .55 52 0 8 .00 1 111 8 .75
Platanus 29 0 4 .69 53 5 8 .23 82 5 6 .50
Sal ix 43 4 7 .01 28 6 4 .40 72 0 5 .67
Morus 39 7 6 .41 25 3 3 .89 65 0 5 .12
Populus 29 1 4 .70 29 5 4 .54 58 6 4 .62
Carpinus 12 0 1 .94 29 2 4 .49 41 2 3 .25
Juglans 11 1 1 .79 26 1 4 .01 37 2 2 .93
Fraxinus 15 3 2 .47 11 8 1 .81 27 1 2 .14
Fagus 5 3 0 .86 17 6 2 .71 22 9 1 .80
Ulmus 17 4 2 .81 5 2 0 .80 22 6 1 .78
Ailanthus 10 5 1 .70 4 8 0 .74 15 3 1 .21
Alnus 10 3 1 .66 3 8 0 .58 14 1 1 .11
Ostrya 9 5 1 .53 4 5 0 .69 14 0 1 .10
Rosaceae 9 8 1 .58 1 0 0 .15 10 8 0 .85
Aesculus 2 0 0 .32 6 7 1 .03 8 7 0 .69
Robin ia 3 7 0 .60 3 1 0 .48 6 8 0 .54
Corylus 3 4 0 .55 3 0 0 .46 6 4 0 .50
Tilia 1 6 0 .26 4 7 0 .72 6 3 0 .50
Ericaceae 3 6 0 .58 1 5 0 .23 5 1 0 .40
Betu la 1 8 0 .29 0 0 .00 1 8 0 .14
Oleaceae 0 0 .00 1 6 0 .25 1 6 0 .13
Acer 8 0 .13 2 0 .03 1 0 0 .08
Cedrus 0 0 .00 3 0 .05 3 0 .02
Total AP 4 579 73. 99 4 535 69. 75 9 114 71. 81
Non-arboreal po llen grains (NAP)
Gramineae 93 1 15. 04 1 217 18. 72 2 148 16. 93
Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae 15 7 2 .54 17 4 2 .68 33 1 2 .61
Helianthus 7 2 1 .16 5 7 0 .88 12 9 1 .02
Xanth ium 6 7 1 .08 5 3 0 .82 12 0 0 .95
Compos itae 4 2 0 .68 5 4 0 .83 9 6 0 .76
Urt icaceae 4 5 0 .73 4 7 0 .72 9 2 0 .72
Artemisia 3 2 0 .52 5 0 0 .77 8 2 0 .65
Plan tago 3 7 0 .60 4 5 0 .69 8 2 0 .65
Rumex 4 2 0 .68 3 1 0 .48 7 3 0 .58
Umbellifereae 2 6 0 .42 2 4 0 .37 5 0 0 .39
Typha 8 0 .13 2 7 0 .42 3 5 0 .28
Carex 7 0 .11 9 0 .14 1 6 0 .13
Taraxacum 4 0 .06 8 0 .12 1 2 0 .09
Cruciferae 0 0 .00 7 0 .11 7 0 .06
Centaurea 5 0 .08 1 0 .02 6 0 .05
Luzu la 1 0 .02 2 0 .03 3 0 .02
Rubiaceae 0 0 .00 2 0 .03 2 0 .02
Total NAP 1 476 23. 85 1 808 27. 81 3 284 25. 88
Uniden tified 13 4 2 .17 15 9 2 .45 29 3 2 .31
Total 6 189 100 .00 6 502 100 .00 12 691 100 .00
Acta Botanica Sinica 植物学报 Vol.46 No.10 20041152
March (11th week) and ended in the third week of May
(20st week). The highest counts were recorded between in
the first week of April (14th week) and in the 17th week. The
total number in 2000 was 397 (6.41%) and 253 (3.89%) in
2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Populus sp. Pollen production was continued from
the third week of February (7th week) to the first week of
April (14th week). The highest count was recorded between
10th week and the 13th week. The total number in 2000 was
291 (4.70%) and 295 (4.54%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Carpinus sp. Pollen season started in the third week
of March (11th week) and ended in the first week of May
Fig.3. Pollen calendar of Edirne, 2000-2001. Cheno./Amaranth., Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae; Cupres./Taxa., Cupressaceae/
Taxaceae.
Adem BICAKCI et al.: Analysis of Airborne Pollen Fall in Edirne, Turkey 1153
(18th week). The highest counts were recorded between in
the fourth week of March (11th week) and in the third week
of April (16th week). The total number in 2000 was 120 (1.
94%) and 292 (4.49%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Juglans sp. Pollen season started in the fourth week
of March and ended in the second week of May (19th week).
The highest counts were recorded in the third and last week
of April. The total number in 2000 was 111 (1.79%) and 261
(4.01%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Fraxinus sp. Pollen production was continued from
the second week of January to the last week of March (13th
week). The highest count were recorded in the fourth week
of March. The total number in 2000 was 153 (2.47%) and
118 (1.81%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Fagus sp. Pollen season started in the fourth week of
March and ended in the last week of May (21st week). The
highest counts were recorded in the last week of April. The
total number in 2000 was 53 (0.86%) and 176 (2.71%) in 2001
(Table 1; Fig.3).
Ulmus sp. Pollen production was continued from the
second week of February to the first week of April (14th
week). The highest count were recorded between in the
second week of March and in the fourth week of March.
The total number in 2000 was 174 (2.81%) and 52 (0.80%) in
2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Ailanthus sp. Pollen season started in the second
week of May and ended in the fourth week of June (25th
week). The highest counts were recorded between the 19th
week and the 24th week. The total number in 2000 was 105
(1.70%) and 48 (0.74%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Alnus sp. Pollen production was continued from the
second week of February to the last week of March. The
highest count were recorded between the 7th week and the
13th week. The total number in 2000 was 103 (1.66%) and 38
(0.58%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Ostrya sp. Pollen production was continued from the
fourth week of March to the last week of May. The highest
count were recorded in the first week of May. The total
number in 2000 was 95 (1.53%) and 45 (0.69%) in 2001 (Table
1; Fig.3).
Chenopodiaceae/Amaranthaceae Pollen season started
in the first week of May and ended in the second week of
October (40th week). The highest counts were recorded in
the fourth week of June, in the first week of July and between
the 29th week and the 38th week, . The total number in 2000
was 157 (2.54%) and 174 (2.68%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Helianthus sp. Pollen production was continued from
the third week of June to the second week of September
(36th week). The highest count were recorded between in
the fourth week of June and in the first week of July, in the
third week of July (29th week). The total number in 2000
was 72 (1.16%) and 57 (0.88%) in 2001 (Table 1; Fig.3).
Finally, arboreal pollen grains Pinus sp., Quercus sp.,
Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Platanus sp., Salix sp., Morus
sp., Populus sp., Carpinus sp., Juglans sp., Fraxinus sp.,
Fagus sp., Ulmus sp., Ailanthus sp., Alnus sp., and non-
arboreal pollen grains Gramineae, Chenopodiaceae/
Amaranthaceae and Helianthus sp. were recorded so high
concentrations as the important allergenic pollen grains
(Newmark and Itkin, 1967; Levetin and Buck, 1980; Bousquet
et al., 1984; Eriksson et al., 1984; Chapman, 1986; Koivikko
et al., 1986; D’Amato and Spieksma, 1990; Gioulekas et al.,
1991) in Edirne. According to the other studies carried out
in Europe: Pinaceae, Alnus, Betula, Quercus, Gramineae,
Artemisia in Jyvaskylan, Finland (Koivikko et al., 1986);
Gramineae, Urticaceae, Oleaceae, Artemisia sp. in Ascoli
Piceno, Italy (Romano et al., 1988); Gramineae, Alnus sp.,
Artemisia sp., Urtica sp., Quercus sp., Betula sp. in Leiden,
The Netherlands (Spieksma, 1990); Betula, Quercus,
Gramineae, Urticaceae in Vienna, Austrilia (Spieksma, 1990);
Betula, Pinus, Alnus, Platanus, Plantago in Brussels,
Belgium (Spieksma, 1990; Spieksma et al., 1991);
Cupressaceae, Gramineae, Quercus , Plantago in
Montpellier, France (Spieksma et al., 1991); Alnus, Betula,
Gramineae, Corylus in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski (Kasprzyk,
1996); Pinus sp., Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Platanus sp.,
Quercus sp., Oleaceae, Moraceae, Juglans sp., Salix sp.,
Cedrus sp., Rosaceae, Gramineae, Chenopodiaceae/
Amaranthaceae, Compositae and Artemisia sp. in Afyon
(Bicakci et al., 2002); Pinus sp., Olea sp., Platanus sp.,
Gramineae, Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Quercus sp., Acer sp.,
Morus sp., Xanthium sp., Castanea sp., Chenopodiaceae /
Amaranthaceae, Corylus sp., Artemisia sp., Urtica sp. and
Fraxinus sp. in Bursa (Bicakci et al., 2003). The airborne
pollen types mentioned above are responsible for many
cases of pollinosis in Europe.
3 Conclusion
Pollen grains of 42 taxa were determined during the pollen
season in the atmosphere of Edirne, of which 18 formed
about 88.52% total spectrum. In the region investigated,
pollen grains were recorded all year round except for
November and December, and reached their maximum levels
from April to June (Figs.1-3). The pollen calendar for the
region presented in this paper may be useful for allergologist
to establish an exact diagnosis.
Acta Botanica Sinica 植物学报 Vol.46 No.10 20041154
(Managing editor: HAN Ya-Qin)
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