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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Ons voedsel is te goedkoop, de echte prijs ligt veel hoger
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Weerdinger Couple: Mysterious Double Murder
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‘A reason to get out of bed in the morning’: The benefits of care farms
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Dietary composition of adult eosinophilic esophagitis patients is related to disease severity
Immunity, Inflammation and Disease (2024), Volume: 12, Issue: 3 - ISSN 2050-4527 -
Samenwerken met de natuur
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Met ‘vergeten groenten’ kan de wereld meebewegen met de klimaatverandering
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Data underlying the article 'How nutrient retention and TN:TP ratios depend on ecosystem state in thousands of Chinese lakes'.
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Measuring biodiversity without diving: Automatic sampling underwater
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Heidekoe is terug van weggeweest
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Groene gewasbeschermingsmiddelen,een inventarisatie
Wageningen: Wageningen Food Safety Research (Rapport / Wageningen Food Safety Research WFSR 2023.017)