URBAN LANDSCAPE AND POLLEN ALLERGY

Abstract

The growth of urban areas and the impact of urban ecosystems on public health and urban sustainability are very important in big cities. The United Nations predicts that 60% of the world's population will live in cities by 2030. More than 10-15 million Turkish people suffer from pollen allergy and pollen allergy poses a major risk for humans. Pollen allergy induces bronchitis, bronchial asthma and may even be life-threatening. Thus, pollen allergies greatly affect the daily life of individuals. But nowadays, The allergenicity of plants, however, is often neglected. In this paper are suggested that the major causes of this extensive allergenicity, including: the presence of exotic and invasive species, the mutual effect between allergenic pollen and air pollutants, cross-reactivity between allergenic species and the choice of male plant which produce a lot of allergenic pollen individuals in dioecious species and the guidelines created by the study contain eight recommendations that, if implemented by city planners and local authorities, would reduce the effects of pollen on people living and working in cities

Keywords

• Pollen allergy,public health,urban landscape

References

1. P. Carinanos and M. Casares-Porcel, Urban green zones and related pollen allergy: A review. Some guidelines for designing spaces with low allergy impact, Landscape and Urban Planning, 101 (2011) 205-214.
2. G. D’Amato, L. Cecchi, S. Bonini, C. Nunes, I. Annesi-Maesano, H. Behrendt, Allergenic pollen and pollen allergy in Europe, Allergy, 62 (2007) 976–990.
3. T. L. Ogren, Trees, shrubs and urban allergies. In WAA Annual Conference. Wisconsin ANR Urban Forestry Conference, (2002).
4. A. Guner, Türkiye Bitkileri Listesi: Damarlı Bitkiler (A Checklist of the Flora of Turkey, Vascular Plants), ANG Vakfı / Nezahat Gökyiğit Botanik Bahçesi, İstanbul (2012).
5. N. M. Pınar, Şehir ağaçlandırılmasında hangi bitkilere öncelik verilmeli/ Peyzaj tercihi. 24. Ulusal Alerji ve Klinik Immünoloji Kongresi, Antalya, 18- 22 Kasım, (2017).
6. N. M. Pınar, N. Sakıyan, O. Inceoğlu, and A. Kaplan, A one-year aeropalynological study at Ankara, Turkey, Aerobiologia, 15(4) (1999) 307- 310.
7. P. J. Hidalgo, C. Galán, and E. Dominguez, Pollen production of the genus Cupressus, Grana, 38 (1999) 296–300.
8. S. Celenk, A. Bicakci, Z. Tamay, N. Guler, M.K. Altunoglu, Y. Canitez and H. Malyer, Airborne pollen in European and Asian parts of Istanbul, Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 164 (1–4) (2010) 391–402.

9. N. M. Pınar, D.U. Altıntas, S. Kendirli Guneser, G. Bingol, M. Yılmaz, T. Ceter, P. Akdag and A. Acar, Adana ili alerjik egzotik bitkileri ve insan sağlığına yönelik bilgilendirme, 19. Ulusal Allerji ve Klinik İmmünoloji Kongresi, Antalya, 7-11 Kasım (2012).
10. D. Simsek, A. Acar, T. Ceter, T., S. Akdogan, N.M.Pınar, Ankara ili alerjik egzotik bitkileri ve insan sağlığına yönelik bilgilendirme, 20. Ulusal Allerji ve Klinik İmmünoloji Kongresi, Antalya, (2013).
11. D.U. Altıntas, G. Bingöl Karakoc, M. Yılmaz, M. Pınar, S. Guneser Kendirli and H. Cakan, Relationship between pollen counts and weather variables in East- Mediterranean coast of Turkey: Does it affect allergic symptoms in pollen allergic children?, Clinical and Developmental Immunology, 11(1) (2004) 87-96.
12. F. Aytar, S. Dagdas and C. Duran, Australian insects affecting Eucalyptus species in Turkey. Silva Lusitana, nº especial, (2011) 41 – 47.
13. E. Galdi, L. Perfetti, G. Calcagno, M.C. Marcotulli and G. Moscato, Exacerbation of asthma related to Eucalyptus pollens and to herb infusion containing Eucalyptus, Monaldi Archives for Chest Disease, 59(3) (2003) 220–221.
14. M. Ballero, A. Ariu, P. Falagiani and G. Piu, Allergy to Ailanthus altíssima (tree of heaven) pollen, Allergy: European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 58(6) (2003) 532–533.
15. A.B. Sin, N.M. Pınar, Z. Mısırlıgil, T. Ceter, A.Yıldız and S. Alan, Polen Alerjisi – Türkiye Alerjik Bitkilerine Genel Bir Bakış, Engin Yayınevi, Ankara, (2007).
16. G. Mitman, A Review of “breathing space: How allergies shape our lives and landscapes, Yale University Press, (2007).