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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'De boer wil reduceren, maar wacht op Den Haag'
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Boeren gedwongen om steeds groter te worden, maar lopen nu tegen grenzen aan
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Insane in the brain : How neuroparasites manipulate the insect’s brain function and behaviour
Wageningen University. Promotor(en): M.M. van Oers, co-promotor(en): V.I.D. Ros, A. Haverkamp - Wageningen: Wageningen University -
Accommodating diverse actors and practices in the climate-development nexus : The case of Kenya’s dairy sector
Wageningen University. Promotor(en): S.R. Vellema, co-promotor(en): T.A. Crane, G.C. Schoneveld - Wageningen: Wageningen University -
Herðubreið - Mountainous Geo-Power and Deep Time
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Habitat use, home-ranges and activity patterns of translocated European lobster Homarus Gammarus on artificial reefs as assessed by acoustic telemetry : On the functioning of the new artificial reefs of Ørsted in Borssele II : with reviews on habitat requirements for European lobsters and their mobility
IJmuiden: Wageningen Marine Research (Wageningen Marine Research report C073/23) -
'Er lijkt wel een taboe te rusten op duurmelken'
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De stikstofoplossing in de uiterwaarden
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4DHydro WP5 exp 1.0 dataset wflow_sbm - Rhine River
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Vergelijking carbon footprint modellen Nederlands varkensvlees