Meteorological pattern and airborne pollen concentration trends in the Mediterranean region

It is well known that timing of phenological events, especially flowering phase, are affected by meteorological factors and, to a large extent, by air temperature. Thus, climatic warming may cause changes in the onset of various phenophases and should be visible in long term phenological observation. As a consequence of this remarks, plant phenological observation series were often used, in an increasing number of works, to document climatic variability and change. In recent years, in fact, a large number of research articles reported that timing of life cycles events of many species is closely linked to climate and that temperature variation affected the onset of plant spring phenological phases, especially flowering, in Europe and in Northern America. Several studies suggested that series of airborne pollen data of certain pollen taxa could be used as possible indicators of climate change. Because airborne pollen concentration pattern is related to the release of pollen from anthers, it reflects flowering phases and it can represent an important source of information on flowering phenology at regional scale. The main aim of this research was to verify whether airborne pollen data of some Mediterranean families could be used as indicator of climate change in Mediterranean areas. Pollen data recorded in the last two decades in North Sardinia (Italy) were presented. The trends of beginning of pollen season, date of peak pollen concentration, duration of pollen season were also analysed. Finally relation between trend of air temperature and trends of these parameters were investigated.