Trends in the characteristics of allergenic pollen in Szeged, Hungary

The aim of the study is to analyse trends of the pollination season with its start and end dates, as well as trends of annual total pollen count and annual peak pollen concentration for Szeged, Hungary. The data set covers an 11-year period (1999-2007) and includes one of the largest spectra, with 19 taxa, as well as five meteorological variables. After performing Mann-Kendall tests, the annual cycles of slopes of daily pollen concentration trends and annual cycles of slopes of daily climate variable trends are calculated. Representing the strength of their relationship an association measure was introduced. Total annual pollen count calculated by linear trends and annual peak pollen concentrations indicate a small number of trends, while total annual pollen count calculated by daily linear trends show significant trends (71% of them positive) for almost all taxa. However, phenological characteristics are free of significant changes except for Urtica. We received that the association measure performs well when comparing it to the climate change related forces. Furthermore, significant changes in pollen characteristics are also in accordance with the risk and expansion potential due to the climate change