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Fondazione Edmund Mach
Fondazione Edmund Mach
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Aerobiology

We monitor and study airborne pollen and the main allergenic and pathogenic spores in both field and laboratory conditions, and test the vitality and responses of plants related to human and ecosystem health and productivity in agriculture and forestry.

Image: CRI-FEM-Foto-Marco-Parisi-14

Instruments

Image: campionatore volumetrico tipo Hirst_Lanzoni VPPS 2000 (1)
Outdoor volumetric samplers

They suck known volumes of air impacting on an inert matrix: 4 Hirst-type, with weekly sampling; 1 portable, Hirst-type, with daily sampling; 1 solar panel 

Image: campionatore tipo Andersen a 6 stadi su piastra
Indoor volumetric samplers

They suck and impact particulate on a culture medium, selecting viable particulate forming colonies: 1 6-stage Andersen-type; 1 single-stage SAS 

Image: Tauber trap_campionatore passivo per deposizione
Passive samplers

Sigma 2, Tauber traps: sampling of biological and non-biological airborne particulate by gravimetric deposition; samplers for atmospheric pollutants: ozone, NOx 

Image: campionatore SAS a stadio singolo su piastra
Instruments for sample preparation and analysis

heating plate, cutter, flow meters, vibratome, sieves (various sizes), dryer, stereo microscope, optical microscope, centrifuge, refrigerator, stove 

Image: fluorimetro_Handy PEA
Instruments for the analysis of functional leaf traits

2 Handy PEA fluorimeters, 1 M-PEA fluorimeter, 1 chlorophyllometer 

Image: clorofillometro
Field equipment

GPS, camera, lichen sampling grids, T and RH data loggers, compass with clinometer, magnifying lenses, pruners 

Services

Education and training

We provide lessons and seminars on allergenic plants, aerobiological monitoring and its applications, on the assessment of ozone-induced foliar symptoms, on research methodologies and our results.

Aerobiological monitoring

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of air-borne pollen and spores in outdoor and indoor environments, using standard procedures and quality control criteria as well as innovative approaches, to provide a support service for human and plant health.

Pollen viability analysis

This Unit carries out tests to verify the viability and germinability of pollen in relation to plant productivity and environmental stress.

Analysis of functional leaf traits

We perform analysis on morphometric and physiological leaf traits to study plant responses to stress and their adaptation capability under Global Change.

Applications

Human health and allergies

Information on airborne pollen and spores is a useful support in the diagnosis of respiratory allergopathies, therapy set-up and prevention measures reducing the exposure to allergens.

Cultivated, forest and urban green management

Data on airborne spores are useful to optimize phytopathology management; data on pollen load and viability can estimate reproductive potential; qualitative and quantitative pollen data can support urban green space management.

Biodiversity and phenology

Pollen can be a proxy to estimate spatial and temporal variation of plant biodiversity, based on the anemophilous fraction of plants, and to study the flowering phenology and its temporal trends.

Plant health and vitality

Data on leaf micro- and macro-morphology, and physiology can be applied to the evaluation of plant health and to plant response to environmental changes.

Contacts

Email:
fabiana.cristofolini@fmach.it

Research unit
Environmental Botany

Plants interact with the environment, reflecting biotic and abiotic changes. Plant biodiversity and phenology are studied as response indicators, including those relating to human health.

Further details