Hay fever is likely to increase in UK because of the rapid spread of ragweed. This is an invasive North American plant that is moving northwards towards Central Europe. The hay fever season is expected to grow longer. The New World’s tropical and subtropical areas are home to ragweeds, which is primarily North America. Many species were introduced to Europe and some became naturalized. Hay fever is a common reaction to ragweed pollen. Nearly 50% all cases of hay fever in North America (pollen-related allergic rhinoitis) are linked to the ragweeds. This could mean that many young British sufferers of hay fever, such as this little girl, will experience longer allergic reactions every year due to the fact that the ragweed (bottom photo) is moving northwards. It is rare to see hay fever symptoms caused by ragweed pollen in Britain. Climate change could increase pollen levels across northern Europe. Researchers from the UK, France, Austria and Italy wanted to determine if these events (pollen from ragweed that causes hay fever symptoms) will become more common and worse as a result of global warming. A project entitled ATOPICA was funded by EU and involved specialists from Rothamsted Research, Hertfordshire as well as colleagues in continental Europe. It was designed to forecast how 2050. may affect the extent and size of the ragweed cloud. Even without climate change, things will worsen. Scientists published their findings in Nature Climate Change. They found that pollen levels would rise in Northern Europe even if there was no global warming. This is because ragweed continues its dominance of available habitats. Continues to move northward. Today, British sufferers of hay fever have to deal with large amounts pollen that is released by trees and grasses during the spring and early summer. Common ragweed (Ambrosia sativa) will likely make matters worse. Large populations of ragweed from France, Italy, and Hungary create an allergenic cloud of pollen that’s carried by the winds during the summer months. Hay fever sufferers will experience symptoms in a wider range of areas than is currently possible due to the spread of the plant. The effect of ragweed plants blooming later in the season will prolong the hay fever seasons, which runs from early spring through early summer to late September. This is when the majority of hay fever sufferers can breathe a sigh relief. The scientists have predicted that the situation will only get worse after taking into account the effects of climate change and the future distribution of the plants. The current levels of ragweed pollen will be multiplied four times by the new airborne levels. Rothamsted Research stated on their website that ragweed concentrations will soar by 2050. Airborne ragweed pesticide levels are expected to rise four times as fast as current levels. Nature Climate Change. Published online 25 May 2015. DOI: 10. 1038/nclimate2652.
