An increase in the cultivation of olive trees was prompted in the Northwestern Spain during recent years favored by the agricultural politics in the region. The aim of this study is to know the phenological and aerobiological behavior of the olive trees at the northern limit of the Mediterranean bioclimatic area in order to determine their thermal requirements for the development of predictive agro-phenological models for two varieties (Arbequina and Frantoio) of the new olive cultivated areas. The BBCH scale was used for the phenological observations. Chill accumulation during dormancy and heat requirements to overcome the successive phenological stages were calculated following different methods. To complete the phenology predictive models, the Mitscherlich’s monomolecular equation was applied. The monitoring of the atmospheric pollen content was conducted by means a volumetric pollen Hirst trap placed in the middle of the plot. The period of chilling accumulation was completed during the first fortnight of January with an average of 654 chilling hours and a base temperature of 7.5 °C. Considering the duration of the vegetative olive cycle around 2390°GDD (growing degree days) was necessary to overcome the ripening of berries. The proposed model for the prediction of the successive ecological events showed a deviation between 1.5 and 3.5 days on the phenological scale. The presence of Olea pollen grains in the atmosphere of the olive grove was registered during stage 5 and stage 6 (flowering). The Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Models confirmed that pollen peaks during the previous days to the flowering stage came from the extensive olive groves of the Northern Portugal which flowers some days in advance.

The air in public facilities contains microorganisms which may cause a wide variety of clinical syndromes in humans. This is particularly important in primary healthcare units, where patients with reduced immunity and staff are directly exposed to microbial pathogens. Air samples were collected from dispensing areas (customer areas) of five pharmacies using MAS-100 air sampler. The concentration of particular groups of microorganisms was determined with the use of selective media. The taxonomic analysis of mannitol-positive bacteria was conducted using the BIOLOG® method, based on metabolic characteristics of analyzed strains. The isolated molds were identified based on their macroscopic and microscopic features according to available keys. The antimicrobial susceptibility of identified staphylococci was tested using the disk diffusion method in accordance with The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing recommendations. The highest average concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria and staphylococci were recorded in two hospital pharmacies. The highest average concentrations of molds were recorded in the pharmacies located in shopping centers. Taxonomic analysis indicated that Cladosporium and Penicillium spp. predominated among the isolated molds while Staphylococcus haemolyticus and Staphylococcus aureus, among mannitol-positive bacteria. Antibiograms showed that the majority of Staphylococcus strains (68.2%) were resistant to erythromycin. There was a statistically significant correlation between the concentration of investigated bacteria and the season of the year as well as the size and location of the pharmacies. The results demonstrate that there is a range of factors affecting air quality in public spaces and emphasize the fact that pharmacies can be a source of potentially pathogenic, drug-resistant bacteria.

Grasses are a taxonomic group of considerable environmental importance, playing a major ecological role as well as making a significant contribution to the world’s economy, since they include valuable crop and pasture species. Grass pollen allergens are also among the main causes of respiratory allergies worldwide. The interpretation of airborne grass pollen concentrations is a particularly complex task, given the marked diversity of pollen-emitting species and the influence of weather-related variables. This paper examines the influence of meteorological variables on flowering in the species contributing most to airborne grass pollen concentrations. This study was carried out in the surroundings of the city of Toledo (Spain), a Mediterranean city located in the center of the Iberian Peninsula. Temperature was the variable most influencing flowering onset, which was also affected by relative humidity, rainfall and hours of sunlight. The flowering period of grass species that flower at the start of spring (Bromus rubens and Hordeum leporinum) began earlier in years with higher mean winter temperatures, while the species that flower from mid to late spring (Trisetaria panicea and Dactylis glomerata subsp. hispanica), the flowering period began earlier in years with higher cumulative rainfall in winter and spring, which were also the years with the highest mean temperatures. Research into the influence of weather-related variables on grass phenology can shed important light on variations in airborne pollen concentrations, which determine the potential period of exposure for allergy sufferers.

The presence of fungal particulate matter in libraries air is a key issue due to its dual impact on the valuable artifacts and on humans. Indoor air fungal composition has been investigated with a volumetric culture-based method only once before in a National Library. The qualitative and quantitative spatiotemporal fluctuations of airborne fungi were evaluated in the National Library of Greece. A portable Burkard sampler was used for the collection of air samples onto Petri dishes with MA2%. Totally, 33 genera of fungi were recovered and identified, with Cladosporium, Penicillium and Aspergillus dominant in indoor air. The genus Aspergillus, in particular, was studied by morphological and molecular analysis, and the prevalent species were assigned to the sections Nidulantes, Nigri and Circumdati. The concentration range of fungal aerosol was 0–2368 CFU/m3 in the first study period and 0–3183 CFU/m3 in the second study period indoors and 51–1997 CFU/m3 outdoors. The mean concentration in indoor air, depending on the site, ranged from 180 to 410 CFU/m3 in the first period and 210–405 CFU/m3 in the second versus 678 CFU/m3 and 516 CFU/m3, respectively, outdoors. The indoor/outdoor concentration ratio (I/O) was 0.5 for total fungi, 0.3 for Cladosporium, 1.1 for Penicillium and 1.4 for Aspergillus. The higher spore concentration and diversity of the genera Penicillium and Aspergillus indoors and the occurrence of less common genera suggest the existence of internal emission sources. The characterization of the fungal community dynamic patterns is an important tool for implementing targeted preventive measures for human safety and conservation of the valuable documentary heritage.

Airborne bacteria and fungi in hospital environments are of great concern due to their potential role as a source of nosocomial infections. The aim of this study was to evaluate concentration and diversity of airborne bacteria and fungi in relation to particle mass concentration in sensitive wards of a pediatric hospital. The study was performed in the cardiac care unit (CCU), the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), the cancer blood ward (BW), the ENT (ear, nose, throat) operation room (OT1) and the eye operation room (OT2). The air samples were collected by impaction using the single-stage Andersen sampler. The flow rate and sampling time of the pump were adjusted to 28.3 l/min for 5 min. The mean concentration of indoor airborne fungi and bacteria ranged from 0–63 to 19–356 CFU/m3, respectively. OT2 and CCU wards were the most contaminated wards for airborne bacteria and fungi, respectively (243 ± 77 vs. 30 ± 7 CFU/m3). The airborne Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus and Micrococcus) were the most detected bacterial genera (75%) in all indoor air samples, and the most prevalent genera in indoor environment were Cladosporium spp. (19%) followed by Penicillium spp. (16%), Aspergillus spp. (16%) and Paecilomyces spp. (10%). Results showed that the outdoor airborne bacteria and PM concentration at different sizes were significantly higher than indoors, suggesting that the indoor airborne particle may have originated from the outdoor air. There were significant positive relationships between indoor airborne fungi concentrations with indoor PM2.5 and PM10.

Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., known as common ragweed, is an invasive and allergenic plant that has begun to expand its presence in Turkey. Although ragweed pollen has been monitored for a long time—especially in the atmosphere of cities in Northern Anatolia—the invasion of the plant is more limited compared to that of other European countries. Here, we present the highest ragweed pollen concentration recorded in Turkey, as well as changes in the Amb a 1 allergen level in the air during 2015 and 2016 in Zonguldak, measured using a BGI 900 cascade impactor. The Seasonal Pollen Integral (SPIn) was found to be 709 pollen day/m3 and 1542 pollen day/m3 in 2015–2016, respectively. The sum of Amb a 1 in both stages was 8.42 × 10−3 U/m3 and 13.1 × 10−3 U/m3 over the same period. The number of days in which the Ambrosia pollen concentration was higher than 50 pollen/m3 doubled in 2016 compared to 2015, despite the negative effect of rainfall on pollen and allergen concentration in 2016. The pollen and allergen sources were evaluated by using simulated air mass movement with a Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model. Our findings suggest that individuals in Zonguldak are exposed as much to pollen—and possibly allergens—transported from the Ukraine, Russia and to a limited extent from Moldova. Furthermore, the allergen content of pollen in Zonguldak was much higher than other cities where Amb a 1 is monitored. We also demonstrated that the date of the peak pollen day may be an indicator of the source of long distance transportation.

Cladosporium spp. and Alternaria spp. spores are dominating the airspora of Denmark. Currently, little is known about the influence of climate change on the fungal spore abundance in the air. The aim of this study was to examine temporal changes in airborne Alternaria and Cladosporium spores over 26 years. This is the first report of long-term airborne Cladosporium spore occurrence in Denmark. Air spore concentrations were obtained with a Burkard volumetric spore sampler placed in Copenhagen, Denmark, during June–September, 1990–2015. The highest monthly Spore integrals (SIn) for Alternaria were measured in August, whereas for Cladosporium July SIn was nearly as high as August SIn. Average Alternaria seasonal spore integral (SSIn) was 8615 Spores day m−3, while average 3-month (July–September) Cladosporium SIn was 375,533 Spores day m−3. Despite increasing annual temperature and decreasing relative humidity, we found a decreasing trend for Alternaria seasonal SIn (Slope = − 277, R2 = 0.38, p < 0.05), Alternaria (Slope = − 31, R2 = 0.27, p < 0.05) and Cladosporium (Slope = − 440, R2 = 0.23, p < 0.05) annual peak concentrations. We did not find any statistically significant trends for airborne Alternaria seasonal characteristics and duration, and likewise for Cladosporium 3-month SIn and peak concentration dates. Mean temperature was the main meteorological factor affecting daily spore concentrations. However, effect of meteorological parameters on daily spore concentrations was stronger for Cladosporium (R2 = 0.41) than for Alternaria (R2 = 0.21). Both genera had diurnal peaks during the day hours, earlier for Cladosporium (11:30–14:30) and later for Alternaria (15:00–19:00). Although Alternaria and Cladosporium daily concentrations were moderately correlated (Spearman’s correlation coefficient: rs = 0.55, p < 0.05), their overall annual indices were different, which indicates different sources and different factors determining spore release. We explain temporal decreasing trends in Alternaria SSIn by growing urbanisation around Copenhagen and by changes in agricultural practices.

Primary biological aerosols are transported over large distances, are traveling in various media such as dry air masses, clouds or fog, and eventually deposited with dry deposition, especially for larger particles, or precipitation like rain, hail or snow. To investigate relative abundance and diversity of airborne bacterial and fungal communities, samples have been collected with a liquid impinger (Coriolis µ) from the top of Mount Sonnblick (3106 m asl, Austrian Alps) from the respective sources under a temporal aspect over four seasons over the year to include all climatic conditions. Bacterial and fungal samples (16S rRNA and ITS) were sequenced using Illumina MiSeq paired-end sequencing, investigated for relative abundance by qPCR(16S rRNA and 18S rRNA) and ice nucleation activity. Results show that there is no stable free tropospheric air microbial community and air mass origin was different for the four sampling periods which exerted influence on the microbial composition of the atmosphere although a core microbiome could be identified consisting of 61 bacterial OTUs and eight fungal genera. Differentiation between seasons was stronger pronounced in air than in precipitation, with rain being most different and variable of precipitation types, indicating distinct forces driving microbial fate in the air. Microorganisms precipitated with snow, hail or rain or being transported by clouds differ in their species composition from free tropospheric air masses and do not mirror the air community structure. They were more diverse, distinct in composition, 16S:18S ratio and abundance from free-floating PBA. Hence, snow or cloud samples are not suitable proxies for free tropospheric air microbiome composition, since separation processes in aerosolization, transport and scavenging occur. The microbial composition of arriving precipitation or clouds represents only a part of the microbial air composition communities of the cumulative sources of origin. Relative abundance and composition of ice nucleation-active bacteria showed a higher share of relative % reads of known ice nucleation-active bacteria present in all wet phases compared to air. Results propose a separation of IN-active reads with higher shares occurring in precipitation. This study presents the first comparison of free tropospheric bacterial and fungal abundance and diversity in time series of air over several seasons in contrast to various precipitation forms in the free troposphere.

In the original publication of the article, the authors given and family names were swapped in the author group. The correct author group is given in this correction.

Pollen allergens are one of the most important causes of respiratory allergies in industrialized countries. Aerobiological studies, including pollen and spore concentrations, allow for the defining of different palynomorph concentrations throughout the year. Pollen calendars summarize the aerobiological information of a locality in a single figure. They report which types of pollen are present at each time of the year and highlight the relative importance of some with respect to others. In this paper, the pollen calendar of three cities in the Region of Murcia, Cartagena, Lorca, and Murcia, is presented for the period 2010–2017. Sixty-three pollen types were identified in the bioaerosol of the Region of Murcia. Fourteen pollen types make up the pollen calendar of Cartagena, while 15 form those of both Lorca and Murcia. The spore types Cladosporium cladosporioides, Cladosporium herbarum, and Alternaria, have been included in the same format. The results show important qualitative and quantitative differences among the three cities. Lorca presents an aerobiological profile related to agricultural activities, while Murcia shows higher influence from anemophilous species coming from gardens and parks, and finally, given its proximity to the sea, Cartagena registers lower levels in most pollen types. The intensity of some of the pollen taxon and fungal types requires a deeper study of their responsibility for allergies in the area.