Líffræðifélag Íslands - biologia.is
Líffræðiráðstefnan 2025

Erindi/veggspjald / Talk/poster E120

Seasonal Variability, Co-occurrence Patterns, and Diversity of Airborne Fungal Spores in Iceland: First Comprehensive Aeromycological Study (2024)

Höfundar / Authors: Ewa Maria Przedpelska-Wasowicz (1), Maciej Lipinski (2), Katarzyna Patejuk (2), Wojciech Pusz (3)

Starfsvettvangur / Affiliations: 1. Natural Science Institute of Iceland, Akureyri, Iceland, 2. Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

Kynnir / Presenter: Ewa Maria Przedpelska-Wasowicz

Fungal spores are abundant in the atmosphere, varying seasonally with environmental conditions. Monitoring is important for health, agriculture, and cultural heritage preservation. While aerobiological studies in Iceland since 1988 have focused on pollen, fungal spores have been largely overlooked. This study presents the first comprehensive survey of airborne fungal spores in Iceland, conducted in 2024 using volumetric sampling. Thirty-five spore types were identified, 26 with allergenic potential. Dominant types, determined via the elbow method and ≥25% days rule, included Cladosporium, Leptosphaeria, basidiospores, Leccinum, Ascospores, and Venturiales. Cluster analysis revealed co-occurrence of Venturia, Cladosporium, Botrytis, Leptosphaeria, Erysiphe, Basidiospores, and Podosphaera. Cladosporium and Venturia acted as network hubs. Other taxa, including Alternaria, Fusarium, and Penicillium, were rare yet ecologically and clinically significant. This work establishes a baseline for fungal spore diversity and key indicators in Iceland.