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Concentrations of airborne spores of fungi and actinomycetes were investigated from 20 samples collected during the handling of wood chips by using a six-stage fractionating impactor (Andersen sampler). Ten samples were taken on wood chip piles or beside the chip conveyor belts of cellulose factories, and ten samples were taken beside chip conveyor belts in central heating plants of saw mills. The spore exposure level varied from 103 to 106 cfu/m3 air. Wood chips used for cellulose production released large numbers of mesophilic and thermotolerant fungi, especially Aspergillus fumigatus, indicating that spontaneous heating had occurred during the storage. By contrast, heavy exposure to Penicillium species and other mesophilic fungi was characteristic of the handling of fuel chips, which are usually only stored for short periods in saw mills. The greatest spore concentration, 3×106 cfu/m3 air (mainly Penicillium), was measured during the handling of fuel chips stored for four months. Heavy exposur...

This is the second of two papers dealing with pollen morphology and evolution within the tribe Embothrieae. The present paper examines pollen of the subtribe Embothriinae, Embothrium (1 sp.), Oreocallis (6 spp.), Telopea (4 spp.)) in the light microscope and scanning and transmission electron microscopes. Pollen is large-sized, oblate to suboblate to oblate-spheroidal, foveolate to microreticulate to spinulate with a predominantly granular exine and simple aperture morphology. The Embothriinae are palynologically heterogeneous with both Oreocallis and Telopea each exhibiting two distinct pollen types. Pollen of New World Oreocallis (O. grandiflora, O. mucronala) and the Old World O. pinnata are closer to the Old World Telopea (excluding T. speciosissima) than to other Old World Oreocallis (O. sp. nov. O. brachycarpa, O. wickhamii). Within this complex, O. pinnata occupies an intermediate position between Oreocallis and Telopea. Despite the uniformly biporate condition in Embothrium, other pollen ...

The uppermost Eocene Florissant Formation, Rocky Mountains, Colorado, has yielded numerous insect, vertebrate and plant fossils. Three previous comprehensive palynological studies investigated sections of lacustrine deposits of the Florissant Formation and documented the response of plant communities to volcanic eruptive phases but overall found little change in plant composition throughout the investigated sections. These studies reported up to 150 pollen and spore phenotypes. In the present paper, we used a taxonomic approach to the investigation of dispersed pollen and spores of the Florissant Formation. Sediment samples from the shale units containing macrofossils were investigated using light microscopy (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The general picture of the palynoflora is in agreement with previous studies. However, the combined LM and SEM investigation provides important complementary information to previous LM studies. While a fairly large amount of previous pollen determin...

In an earlier paper, which includes pollen descriptions for 93 genera and approximately 430 species of the large, tropical family Annonaceae, the author laid the foundation for a generic reclassification and natural phylogeny of the family based largely on comparative palynology. The present paper includes generic pollen descriptions for an additional 18 genera and 21 species of Annonaceae

In this paper, we present advances in studies of Compositae pollen morphology made over the past two years, focusing on the presentation of novel pollen morphological data, the potential systematic implications for presently unplaced taxa, and a bibliography of the literature. The pollen of Allittia, Castroviejoa, Lorandersonia, Pembertonia and Rhetinocarpha was found to be typical of their taxonomic placements in Astereae and Gnaphalieae, showing a helianthoid pollen type. That of Berylsimpsonia is also congruent with its current taxonomic position in Mutisieae, corresponding to an anthemoid type with an infratectum comprising two layers of robust columellae, separated by a spongy internal tectum. The pollen of Cavea, at present incertae sedis, was found to be highly distinctive with prominent, peg-like spines. The palynological data suggest affinity to Mutisieae or Vernonieae, and indicate that palynology continues to play a useful role in the systematic study of unplaced taxa. The bibliography...

The paper deals with the impact of meteorological conditions on in vitro pollen germination and pollen tube growth during the initial phases of male flowers development of pedunculate oak. Phenological observations of male flowers and pollen sampling were performed on the field trial established with grafted pedunculate oak clones. During the investigation, weather conditions (absolute minimum and maximum daily air temperature, minimum absolute relative humidity of air and amount of precipitation) were recorded by an automatic meteorological station installed at the field trial. Influence of meteorological conditions on pollen germination and pollen tube growth was studied in the following stages of male flower: (i) during the last ten days of flower buds dormancy, (ii) during their swelling, (iii) during the bud burst and beginning of male catkins elongation, (iv) during the final stage of male catkins elongation. Pollen germination after incubation times of 2, 4, 6 and 24 hours ranged from 0, 0 to 8, 9 % ; from 0, 0 to 55, 6 % ; from 0, 0 to 59, 3 % and from 5, 9 to 90, 7 %, respectively. Pollen tube lengths after the same incubation times ranged from 15, 3 to 45, 0 μm, from 17, 0 to 88, 3 μm, from 20, 9 to 101, 9 μm and from 39, 9 to 241, 1 μm, respectively. High temperatures and low relative air humidity during the bud burst and beginning of male catkins elongation reduced pollen germination and pollen tube growth. Weather conditions did not significantly affected pollen germination and pollen tube growth during the swelling of flower buds, as well as in the final stage of male catkins elongation.

The palynoflora from the Lavanttal Basin is characterised by a diverse spectrum of conifers. Their pollen is mostly well preserved allowing for high taxonomic resolution. Most coniferous taxa belong to the Pinaceae (Abies, Cathaya, Cedrus, Keteleeria, Larix, Picea, Pinus and Tsuga) and the Cupressaceae (Cryptomeria, Glyptostrobus and Sequoia), but pollen of Sciadopityaceae (Sciadopitys) is also occuring. The presence of these conifer taxa supports previous suggestions based on sedimentological and palynological observations that the sediments of the Lavanttal Basin accumulated in a lowland/wetland environment. Many of the taxa described in this paper had a wide, mostly Northern Hemispheric distribution, occupying swamps, river plains, deltas, hummocks and also better drained habitats located near to the main areas of sedimentation during most of the Cenozoic. Modern relatives of most of the fossil taxa prefer ample precipitation, suggesting that during the Middle Miocene (Sarmatian), the Lavantta...

This paper reports the pollen sources selected by Apis mellifera in the area northwest of Santa Cruz (Argentina). It evaluates the relative biomass contribution and the protein content of the collected taxa. During the apicultural period (September 2008–March 2009) pollen loads from three colonies were collected every fortnight using pollen traps. Forty-two pollen types were found in the samples, from which 15 taxa had a biomass contribution over 1% of the total pollen crop. The main pollen sources were Brassicaceae, Taraxacum officinale, Convolvulus arvensis, Rosaceae, Salix spp. and Schinus marchandii (Anacardiaceae). Of the total pollen sources identified, 15 are new records for the bee pollen flora of Argentina and 13 are native plants of South America. The contribution of native flora occurred mainly in spring. Schinus marchandii, Mulguraea-Junellia type (Verbenaceae), Adesmia spp. (Fabaceae), Sysirinchium spp. (Iridaceae), Acaena spp. (Rosaceae), Astereae and Senecio spp. (Asteraceae) were ...

This paper discusses a subjectively defined system of air mass types, the 13 Peczely's large-scale weather situations over the Carpathian Basin in relation to the detected airborne pollen grain concentrations. Based on the ECMWF ( European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) sea-level pressure data set, daily sea-level pressure fields analyzed at 00: 00 UTC were prepared for each Peczely's weather types in order to relate the sea-level pressure patterns with the average pollen levels in Szeged. The data basis for this study comprises daily values of 12 meteorological parameters and daily average pollen concentrations for 24 species in a 5-year period (1997-2001). It was found that Peczely's anticyclonic ridge types 2 and 11 as well as cyclonic types 4 and 7 are favourable for pollen production and dispersal unlike the cyclonic types 3 and 13. Hence, the Peczely's large-scale weather situations cannot alone be considered as an overall system in predicting pollen concentrations. Grana

The Burseraceae are a medium‐sized family in which 18 genera are currently recognised. They are the subject of a long‐term project to describe the pollen morphology from light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. The pollen morphology of tribe Protieae has been published, as well as an account of the pollen of the African taxa in the family. Pollen data for the other two tribes, Bursereae and Canarieae, are more or less complete. The pollen of all the genera have been examined, with the exception of the recently described Pseudodacryodes Pierlot for which, currently, there is no pollen material available. This paper summarises the results. There is considerable variation in exine and aperture features between, and occasionally within, the genera and 14 major pollen types are defined, including two previously undescribed types: ‘Canarium oleiferum’ and ‘Canarium gracile’. The distribution of pollen characteristics throughout the family is compared with previously published tribal and su...

In the anthers of flowering plants, gymnosperms, and seed ferns, tiny (¡1 mm) granules might occur on the radial and innermost tangential wall of secretory tapetum cells. These sporopollenin granules develop simultaneously with the pollen exine and are called orbicules or Ubisch bodies. The present paper focuses on two quite different topics associated with orbicules. The morphological and ultrastructural diversity of orbicules in the order Gentianales is summarized, and it is demonstrated that orbicules are a plesiomorphic feature in the order. Furthermore, orbicule characters seemed to be correlated with evolutionary trends in pollen dispersal unit and tapetum type features. In the second part, we report on our investigation of Corylus avellana L. (Hazel) pollen, using immunogold electron microscopy to gain an insight into the possible role that orbicules may play as a vector of pollen allergens. During the pollen season orbicules are dispersed into the atmosphere along with Hazel pollen grains. The localisation of homologues of the new birch pollen allergen Bet v 7 was studied at the subcellular level in Hazel anthers. The results of this study indicate that orbicules and pollen of Hazel might act as very effective vector

The Podostemaceae, or river-weeds, comprise 46 genera and 270 species of dicots and are the largest family of strictly aquatic angiosperms. Despite the large size, specialized habitats, and enigmatic morphology of the family, relatively little is known about the palynology of Podostemaceae. In the current paper, pollen morphology and ultrastructure of Marathrum schiedeanum are described. Pollen grains are relatively small, spheroidal, and tricolpate to spiraperturate. The exine has a microechinate ornament, a tectate-granular sexine and a relatively thick nexine in non-apertural regions, and a semitectate sexine and thinner nexine in apertural regions. Although aperture variation occurs in the family, this is the first report of the spiral aperture type in Podostemaceae. The spiraperturate condition appears to be derived in river-weeds, as does the granular pollen wall, which represents a reduction of the typical columellae found in eudicots.

This paper describes the pollen morphology of Cathaya from well-dated Mio-Pliocene sediments in the Himi area of Toyama Prefecture in central Japan. The geological distribution of the genus shows that it was present around the study area and in northern Japan from at least the Middle Miocene to the Early Pleistocene. The genus flourished in the Early Pliocene when the climate was warm, and became extinct in Japan in or after the Early Pleistocene because of climatic deterioration.

This paper intends to elucidate the anther wall development, pollen wall development and exine substructure of Uraria crinita (L.) Desv. ex DC. (Fabaceae). The undifferentiated anther is ovoid-shaped and tetrasporangiated. The anther wall development is basic type, which is comprised of an epidermis, an endothecium layer, two middle layers and a tapetum. Anther-tapetum is glandular type and the cells are uniseriate and uninucleate. Pollen grains are tricolporate and 2-celled at the time of shedding. Before protectum development begins, a glycocalyx layer is inserted against the callose, and the plasma membrane is invaginated, exclusive of the future apertures. Subsequently, the probacula are elongate under the protectum and arise basally from the plasma membrane. The foot layer and endexine formation are concomitant with the callosic wall dissolution. The foot layer is thin and interrupted, but the endexine is thick and continuous. The intine is initially in the vacuoled stage. The substructure in the tec...

It is difficult to reliably distinguish Betula species solely on pollen morphological criteria. Size differences between the pollen of different Betula species have proved to provide a basis for their separation. Pollen grain size is affected by both sedimentary environment and laboratory treatment. Only grains from similar sediment lithologies that have had identical laboratory treatment can be considered comparable in size with each other. A simple size comparison between modern and fossil pollen is not advisable. In this paper previous methods for the separation of birch pollen types are reviewed and some new measurements of the Finnish birch species are presented and discussed.

Fungal spores and pollens can be dispersed in a number of ways: by animals and insects; by water; by wind or by rain. This paper concentrates on the effects of wind on the dispersal of spores and pollen grains and the effects of rain on spore dispersal. For dispersal to be successful particles must complete three phases: removal, dispersal through the air and deposition. The biology of the organism and its environment can affect all three phases, however, once released the fate of all airborne particles largely depends on the laws of physics which govern the motion of the air. Many types of spore are actively ejected into the air while others are simply blown from the host surface. Particle size and shape affects dispersal and deposition phases. Local environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and light, as well as wind or rain, can play a key role in the removal of spores. Wind speed and turbulence or rainfall, largely determine spore dispersal, but, the size and shape of the particle, ...

The principles of aerosol sampling involve both a) the scientific factors which govern the way in which particles are transported from the air outside the sampler to a filter or sensing region inside it, and b) recognition of particle size-selective criteria which relate the act of sampling to the reason it is being carried out (e.g., assessment of health risk associated with inhalation). This paper reviews the state-of-the-art in both these areas, and goes on to mention some recent technical developments concerning practical sampling instruments.

In Japan, the problems of Sugi (Cryptomeria japonica)-pollinosis have been much discussed in recent papers and journals. The author made an investigation on the airborne pollen grains from a scientific standpoint in connection with the incidence of pollinosis. By using the Cascade Impactor the author collected 600 liters of air sample a day, at the roof of the Pharmaceutical Science Building, Toho University, Funabashi, Chiba, Japan. Each air sampling for 2 hrs was repeated three times a week since 1969. The airborne pollen grains in each sample were counted under the microscope to identify the pollen types. The pollen grains were classified into six types according to the classification of pollen grains in Japan established by lkuse. The accumulated number of pollen of each species was analysed statistically by circular plot, Weibull plot, Edwards plot and semi-logarithmic plot. In this report mainly 3B type of pollen grains (Cryptomeria, Chamaecyparis), collected in the last three years are des...

This paper describes a pollen survey from Turin based on 25 taxa of interest. The survey took place between 1981 to 1988 recording pollen types and amounts. Pollen was collected using a Hirst spore trap. A pollen calendar was constructed using 10 day means: aerosporological data were then compared to the urban vegetation and flora. Pollen distribution was analysed in relation to temperature, calculated as the taxon's yearly specific temperature sum. The situation in Turin was then compared to other central European and Mediterranean stations: results were found to be more comparable with the former.

The possibility to apply diffusiophoresis and the Stefan flow effects in a new type of sampler was investigated. The advantages of the later are significant compared with other sampler desingns, since it gives representative samples that can subsequently analysed by the methods of optic and electron microscopy. The low particle deposition velocity keeps microorganisms intact, on the other hand, the small depence of the particles' deposition velocity upon their sizes makes the separation of the analyzed aerobiological objects impossible. As a result, the representativness of samples is secured. In this paper the sampler design is described and its working conditions (heat, hydrodynamic) are analyzed.

The 11th International Palynological Congress was held in July 2004 in Granada, Spain. The range of palynological subject matter presented at the Congress was vast. However, the eight papers in thi...

The present paper deals with the results of continuous aeropalynological survey of the atmosphere at Bangalore carried out for the past six years. The aeropalynological survey was conducted by trapping airborne bioparticles such as pollen and fungal spores by operating vertical cylinder pollen traps. The traps were installed at different ecogeographical sites in Bangalore City. The results of qualitative and quantitative analysis of the atmospheric biopollutants are correlated with the meteorological parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and cloud cover. It is seen that generally the higher temperature and lower relative humidity enhance the liberation and distribution of pollen in the atmosphere; whereas the higher humidity and lower temperatures trigger the liberation and distribution of fungal spores in the atmosphere. Atmospheric pollen count is drastically reduced during the rainfall.

This paper begins a systematic SEM and LM study of the pollen grains of the Rosaceae in Western Canada with genera Agrimonia, Alchemilla, Amelanchier, Aruncus, Chamaerhodos, and Crataegus. The above genera have tricolporate-tectate pollen grains in monads. Agrimonia gryposepala and A. striata have distinct striate sculpturing perpendicular to the colpus. Alchemilla occidentalis pollen is psilate except in the colpus area which is microechinate. The exine is thickened in the intercolpium. Aruncus Sylvester pollen is very small and exhibits a coarsely striate sculpture. Chamaerhodos erecta pollen has a characteristic protruding pore area with a fusiform operculum over the aperture. The sculpturing consists of patches of short ridges. Crataegus and Amelanchier pollen have pores with a characteristic equatorial bridge or flaps when open. Dimensions of the grains vary with degree of distension. Amelanchier alnifolia pollen exhibits geographic variability. Native North American Crataegus species: C. do...

A new method has been experimented in order to identify more easily allergenic spores and pollen grains from Northern Europe described in the Atlas of Nilsson et al. (1977). It is a knowledge base system named XPER. This system based upon an automatic elaboration of a data matrix, includes for this contribution, 74 individuals (or taxa, objects) 40 variables (or characters, features) and 199 modalities (or character states). It is an on-line program type of identification (monothetic and multi-access key) working on several types of microcomputers. Four main subunits are available in this program (1) an editor to create, consult and modify the data arrangement of either taxa or characters or states; (2) a determiner to identify an unknown taxon by a step-by-step identification with possible return and several options; (3) a reorganizer to modify drastically the data and to connect several bases and (4) a printer to give as options, either only on the video display unit or simultaneously on paper ...

Records of air-borne pollen and spores were made during a six month period in the Stockholm area in 1972. This paper presents phenological data and volumetric measurements obtained by means of a Burkard trap. Attention was paid to both arboreal pollen and non-arboreal pollen and spores, identified to family, genus or species level. Spores of certain common Pteridophytes were also included in the investigation, but not Bryophytes or fungal spores.

The paper reviews some widely used pollen morphological concepts which are slightly vague and ambiguous. To meet the needs of palynological descriptions, the terminology has to be precise and, as far as possible, numerically defined. The terms oncus, verruca, annulus, prolate and oblate are discussed and redefined. The words sculpture and structure are discusssed, delimited and defined, and it is proposed that they be accepted as terms. A new term, pseudo-annulus has been proposed.

The taxonomic basis of a paper by K. Mitra, M. Mondal & S. Saha on “The pollen morphology of Burseraceae” (Grana 16: 75–79, 1977) is criticized. Apparently, there has been no cooperation with a specialized taxonomist, no use has been made of the many recent revisions, especially of SE. Asian Burseraceae, and the voucher specimens have been cited in such a way that checking with these revisions is impossible. Among the specific names mentioned many are incorrect, and some are completely unknown in taxonomy. It is to be regretted that this in itself careful and detailed work has lost much of its value by having been done on such a shaky taxonomic basis.