1.1
Aerobiology: no longer a hidden discipline
Paolo Mandrioli, CNR, Bologna, Italy
It cannot be denied that aerobiological measurements have never been as frequent as nowadays, nevertheless the discipline is undoubtedly in the doldrums. Globally, innovative scientific approaches and applications are scanty. One of the grounds of the momentary crisis experienced by aerobiology in recent years lies the underestimation of the importance of the institutions backing and actively promoting this discipline and to the excessive attention paid to a few renowned aerobiologists. This past attitude has certainly contributed to the impoverishment of this subject and has not come up to the expectations of the scientific community.
At the global level the attention of the sponsors that are to be considered as the major financing sources of the aerobiological activities should be drawn by means of international programs involving the institutions. It is worthwhile mentioning the last of such programs the IBP, International Biological Program, which dates back to the 70ies. Most unfortunately until now no one has ever followed suit. Instead, a newly devised international program worked out on specific issues and with a main focus on the goals and applications of this scientific field should be considered as a new launching platform. The scientific facets to be explored in-depth range from an in-depth investigation of the role of bioaerosol in the atmospheric mechanisms to the application of standard methodologies for sampling and analysis procedures. Still today a host of measurements are conducted by means of home-made apparatuses precluding comparisons and syntheses of findings. On the other hand the utilisers are still reluctant to change their methodologies for fear that the value of their archive data goes lost. And still today new proposals are made for amendments of measurement techniques revealing a total unawareness of the advances made in aerobiology. The evaluation of the state-of-the art of aerobiology becomes thus of vital importance. A careful survey of the achievements that have to be considered as milestones and of any operationally unserviceable information should be conducted. This analysis has to be carried out by the most active aerobiologists all over the world, who on the basis of the results achieved through his sort of census-taking have the task of outlining the future of aerobiology. Through this sort of census-taking of research in aerobiology hypotheses on the results could be easily drawn and constitute a new starting point for the future.
Session 1, Scientfic Challenges in Aerobiology for the 21st Century
Tuesday, 15 August 2000, 9:30 AM-12:30 PM
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