Spring has arrived with a flourish, especially in Tampa Bay.
Over recent months, mounds of pollen have gathered, resembling clumps of sneeze-inducing confetti. Cars now sport a faint green hue, and it’s a common refrain to hear someone remark, “Allergies must be worse this year.”
Indeed, there’s some truth to that assertion.
Climate change is extending and intensifying the pollen season nationwide, including in Florida. With rising temperatures, plants and trees are releasing pollen earlier than usual.
“Broadly speaking, climate change is causing some strange phenomena,” explained Alyssa Vinson, a horticulture extension agent for the University of Florida in Manatee County. “The seasons are shifting.”
Changes in the pollen season carry implications for both human health and the environment, experts warn. Worsening pollen levels can aggravate respiratory conditions and simply make life uncomfortable. Additionally, as the Earth heats up, longer growing seasons may disrupt the delicate balance of ecosystems.
What’s a Typical Pollen Allergy Season Like in Florida?
Florida’s perennially verdant landscape is one of its charms, owing to its nearly constant mild climate. However, this abundance comes with a consequence — there’s always something growing.
During this time of year, particularly oaks, and other trees release pollen, those familiar yellow fluffs that trigger our allergies. Yet, in Florida, irritating allergies can hit at any time. Summertime grasses can also induce coughing and sneezing, followed by ragweed in the fall, which appears to be worsening due to elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
And let’s not ignore mold, perpetually present in Florida’s humidity.
Marc Frank, a botanist at the University of Florida Herbarium, notes that people tend to notice pollen more from January through April because it’s most visible during this period.
“Plants have one mission — reproduction, and they do it prolifically,” explains Frank. Different plant species employ various methods, from colorful flowers to attract bees to wind-borne pollen carried to new locations.
Wind-pollinated plants are the main offenders behind human allergies, explains Theresa Crimmins, director of the USA National Phenology Network. These events are closely tied to local environmental conditions, often driven by temperature fluctuations.
Climate change, driven by fossil fuel combustion, is pushing temperatures higher globally. Since the late 19th century, the planet has warmed by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to significant changes such as increased humidity, altered rainfall patterns, and shorter winters coupled with earlier springs and summers.
Florida’s average annual temperature has risen by approximately 1.6 degrees Fahrenheit since 1895, according to the Florida Climate Center at Florida State University.
In recent decades, spring has arrived earlier across the United States, correlating with changes in pollen intensity, notes Stefanie Ebelt, a professor at Emory University.
A study spanning nearly 30 years by climate and environmental researchers revealed that the pollen season lengthened by an average of 20 days, with a corresponding 21% increase in intensity.
Tracking pollen in Florida poses unique challenges due to its milder winters compared to northern states, where seasonal changes are more distinct. However, Crimmins notes that plants sensitive to seasonal changes are showing signs of earlier blooming.
With elevated carbon dioxide levels acting as a short-term fertilizer for plants, Crimmins concludes, “We’ve got more carbon dioxide in the air, which acts like a fertilizer in the short term for plants, enabling them to grow bigger and produce more pollen.”
Pollen Season: What You Need to Know
Extended pollen seasons carry broader impact beyond just triggering our allergies.
“Every element within an ecosystem exists in a delicate balance. Disrupting or removing one component can upset this equilibrium, causing cascading effects throughout the entire ecosystem,” explains Vinson.
For instance, if a plant begins blooming in March instead of its usual April timeframe, pollinators arriving in April may miss the opportunity to pollinate it. This disruption can lead to reduced plant reproduction and a decline in pollinator populations.
As much as our ecosystems are impacted by these changes in pollen, we, the individuals suffering from runny noses and itchy eyes, feel the effects too.
Farnaz Tabatabaian, an allergist and immunologist at the University of South Florida, acknowledges that while doctors can anticipate the arrival of tree pollen season each year, predicting its exact onset is more challenging.
Last season, blooming started in late December and remained consistent. However, this year, cooler temperatures in January delayed tree pollen release until late February, when it surged, as reported by the Tampa pollen station managed by the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. In recent weeks, pollen counts have begun to decrease.
“For individuals with asthma or eczema, increased pollen levels can lead to more severe health issues,” Tabatabaian warns.
Stefanie Ebelt’s research demonstrates that elevated outdoor pollen levels correlate with increased emergency room visits, especially among individuals with respiratory conditions like asthma.
Even for those whose allergies don’t necessitate ER visits, several months of discomfort await.
“It’s a matter of quality of life. For many people, these months are quite miserable—they struggle to sleep, their work performance suffers,” says Tabatabaian.
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