The Pollen Problem
By: Mya Taylor
Pollen. It’s the annoying yellow that blankets our cars, homes, streets, grass, and bodies of water. If that was not enough, it possesses the ability to wreak havoc on all five senses. After making itself at home, it irritates the skin and eyes, scratches throats, and tickles noses all for the big “achoo.” However, the real culprit of seasonal allergies are the sneaky grains you cannot see.
Georgia Southern University Biology Professor Alan Harvey’s interest in studying pollen began with a collaborative art project. Harvey, along with Georgia Southern University Art Professor Jeff Shmuckie and Auburn University Art Professor Wendy Deschene, put together a mural of different pollen grains.
Already having knowledge of the plants, Harvey went around the campus using a unique technique to collect pollen grains from them. After collecting the pollen grains, Harvey ran the grains from the separate species of plants through electron micrographs to take SEM photographs. Deschene added color to the photographs through false coloration. They made large, printed copies, cut them out, and used them to create the mural.
Harvey also wanted to get to the bottom of his own severe pollen allergy.
“I think for most people the issue when they’re talking about different types of pollen is which kinds of pollen are going to aggravate my allergies, which ones are going to coat my car, and those are the only types of pollen most people are aware of,” Harvey said.
Harvey says that pollen serves an important purpose in plant sexual reproduction. He explained that a way to differentiate the plants that produce pollen is the type of transfer used to get the grains from male plants to female plants. Some plants depend on their mutualistic relationships with birds and bees during the reproduction process. Therefore, the future of those plants rests on the bodies of birds, and in the mandibles of bees.
Some plants use bodies of water to transfer their pollen to other plants.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, “Pollen floats on the water’s surface drifting until it contacts flowers. This is called surface hydrophily, but it is relatively rare (only 2% of pollination is hydrophily). This water aided pollination occurs in waterweeds and pondweeds.”
For wind pollinated plants, it’s tricky. As wind freely blows in different directions, it makes the male plant’s chances of pollinating a female plant much harder. This challenge will leave the male plant with two options.
The first option is to produce a large amount of pollen. The second option is to produce smaller grains of pollen that can survive for a vast amount of time to increase the probability of pollinating a female plant.
Pine pollen belongs in this category. Pine pollen is lifted by the wind and paints the town yellow with its enormous grains. However, if you think this is triggering your allergies, think again. Pollen is more than what meets the eye, and the smaller grains that we often cannot see are inhaled, causing allergies.
Dr. Brad Goodman is an allergist immunologist in Savannah, Georgia. Before diagnosing a patient with an allergy, Goodman takes the patient’s medical history to see what symptoms they are experiencing, and what they believe may be the root cause of their allergy.
Patients must then go through a 15-minute skin test panel where 40 to 80 different allergens are placed on their back. During the test, the patient’s skin will reveal their reaction to each allergen.
Severe allergic reactions to pollen are rare.
“In terms of pollen, the probably worst one in Savannah area despite what people think would be the grass pollens, because our grass pollens are out for about 9 months a year,” said Goodman.
Aniyah Newton first developed an allergy to grass pollen in middle school. Her pollen allergy usually causes her to develop facial irritation and swelling.
Just recently, she had to visit the hospital for an allergic reaction to pollen that resulted in hives on her neck and chin area.
“I started out getting my allergy shots every week when I started 3 years ago, but now I get them once a month,” Newton said.
Since getting the allergy shots and changing from Zertec to Allegra, her symptoms have improved. She has recently taken notice of the increasing amount of pollen.
Experts have found that climate change is causing pollen seasons to arrive sooner and overstay their welcome.
“So as our springs start coming earlier and earlier, they start producing pollen earlier and earlier, and as it gets warmer and warmer, that increases plants growth rate, and they produce more pollen,” Harvey said.
Plants rely on temperatures to tell them when to bloom and carry out photosynthesis.
The global phenomenon has also resulted in some adults developing pollen allergies for the first time in their lives. The only solution, Harvey suggests, is to adapt to the changes and find the best treatment suitable for their allergy.
Treatment options for pollen allergies have changed throughout the years. The first method Dr. Goodman recommends for patients is to control their environment. Patients with multiple allergies would need more than one type of treatment.
Southern Marsh Nursery is a retail nursery and landscaping business located in Port Wentworth, Georgia.
The nursery is a plant seller for growers in several states including the Gulf Coast, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina. After receiving the plants from the growers, the nursery sells them to landscapers, contractors, and members of the public.
Their inventory is not there long enough to be concerned about the upkeep of the plants. However, during slower seasons, they must protect the plants against diseases and insects.
Chris, the manager and plant specialist at the nursery, says that while pollen is a public annoyance for allergy sufferers, it is a necessity for the nursery and all living things.
“It’s essential for every human being on the planet, that’s our food source,” Chris said. “The impact of pollen on businesses such as this is, like I said, a primarily positive thing.”
Harvey wants people to realize that attractive flowers are not at the root of their allergies, because the plants will not need the attention of insects. The actual plants and the grains they produce are so small that they go unnoticed.
“Those are the plants that are causing us grief,” Harvey said.