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Airborne Cladosporium and Alternaria spore concentrations through 26 years in Copenhagen, Denmark

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Abstract

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.

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Acknowledgements

We thank K. Mortensen, R. Keller and C. Nordstrøm for providing the meteorological data from the HCØ station.

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  1. Torben Sigsgaard and Ulrich Gosewinkel share the last authorship.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000, Aarhus, Denmark

    Yulia Olsen & Torben Sigsgaard

  2. School of Science and the Environment, University of Worcester, Henwick Grove, Worcester, WR2 6AJ, UK

    Carsten Ambelas Skjøth

  3. Department of Environmental Science – Atmospheric Environment, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Ole Hertel

  4. The Asthma and Allergy Association, Universitetsparken 4, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Karen Rasmussen

  5. Department of Environmental Science – Environmental Microbiology and Circular Resource Flow, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark

    Ulrich Gosewinkel

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Olsen, Y., Skjøth, C.A., Hertel, O. et al. Airborne Cladosporium and Alternaria spore concentrations through 26 years in Copenhagen, Denmark. Aerobiologia 36, 141–157 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10453-019-09618-7

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