Detail

Keywords

Forecasting; Pollen; Pollen Allergy

Research group(s)

• Aerobiology and Pollen Information
  Research Area: Pollination in Austria and Europe; Allergen avoidance; Symptom and pollen data and their relationship to air quality
  Members:
  Katharina Bastl
  Maximilian Bastl

Research interests

My research interests lie on the relationship of onset and development of symptoms to environmental factors (e.g. the pollen load), improvement of pollen forecasts for the public and phenology as essential part of pollen monitoring.

Techniques, methods & infrastructure

We apply standard light microscopy to determine and count pollen and spores from aerobiological samples. I also have experience in microwear analysis (light microscope), phenological monitoring and forecasting (pollen forecasts).

Selected publications

1. Bastl, K. et al., 2018. The connection of pollen concentrations and crowd-sourced symptom data: new insights from daily and seasonal symptom load index data from 2013 to 2017 in Vienna. World Allergy Organization Journal, 11(1). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40413-018-0203-6.
2. Bastl, K., Kmenta, M. & Berger, U.E., 2018. Defining Pollen Seasons: Background and Recommendations. Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, 18(12). Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11882-018-0829-z.
3. Bastl, K. et al., 2016. The medical and scientific responsibility of pollen information services. Wiener klinische Wochenschrift, 129(1-2), pp.70-74. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00508-016-1097-3.
4. Bastl, K., Kmenta, M. & Berger, U., 2015. Unusually early flowering of alder in Vienna: first report of Alnus × spaethii in Austria, combined LM and SEM study of alder species and impact on pollen allergy sufferers. Aerobiologia, 31(4), pp.515-524. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10453-015-9383-5.
5. Kmenta, M. et al., 2013. Development of personal pollen information the next generation of pollen information and a step forward for hay fever sufferers. International Journal of Biometeorology, 58(8), pp.1721-1726. Available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00484-013-0776-2.