Annual variation and impacto of meteorological factor on airborne fungal spore concentractions in La Plata (Argentina): Part I. Abundant types”.

MALLO, A.C.; NITIU, D.S.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 9Th. International Congress on Aerobiology; 2010

International Association Aerobiology

The spores of Agaricus, Coprinus, Cladosporium and Leptosphaeria are major aerobiological components of the mycobiota of the city of La Plata. The aim of this study is to establish the annual variation and the incidence of meteorological factors on these taxa. The distribution of fungal spores was studied continously from july 2000 to June 2001 using a volumetric spore trap. The Principal Sporulation Period (PSP) was established. The Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient was aplied to analyse the effect of meterological factors such as temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and wind speed. Abundant spore types represented 67,2 % of the total annual concentration (113387,3 spore/m3). The annual average of Agaricus and Coprinus varied from 25 to 45 spore/m3; Cladosporium herbarum and Leptosphaeria ranged from 70 to 75 spore/m3, and the recorded value of Cladosporium cladosporioides was of 182 spore/m3.  The daily spore concentrations exceeded the mean value during 28 % of PEP days. The highest monthly total concentration of selected spore types occured in February 2001, with a value of 20151,09 spore/m3.  Seasonal variations showed major concentrations of  Agaricus, Coprinus, C. cladosporioides and C. herbarum during the summer. These aestival spores had maximum daily peaks during this season, except for C. cladosporioides, whose peaks were reached in winter (August) . Leptosphaeria is an autumnal taxa and their maximum peak occurred in June. Our results showed that the concentrations of Agaricus, Coprinus and Cladosporium are significantly correlated with an increase of temperature. Relative humidity and rainfall displayed negative correlation with C. Herbarum, and mean wind speed with C. Cladosporioides. Leptosphaeria concentration is positively related with relative  humidity.   The abundant spore types registered are present throughout the year.However, a significant seasonal periodicity is observed in summer – early fall and winter showing higher spore concentrations The spores of Agaricus, Coprinus and Cladosporium show positive correlations with temperature and negative correlations with relative humidity, rainfall, and wind speed. An increase in relative humidity resulted in a marked increase in the concentration of late autumn spores of Leptosphaeria.