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Copyright Copernicus GmbH 2013

Abstract

Bioaerosols are relevant for public health and may play an important role in the climate system, but their atmospheric abundance, properties, and sources are not well understood. Here we show that the concentration of airborne biological particles in a North American forest ecosystem increases significantly during rain and that bioparticles are closely correlated with atmospheric ice nuclei (IN). The greatest increase of bioparticles and IN occurred in the size range of 2-6 μm, which is characteristic for bacterial aggregates and fungal spores. By DNA analysis we found high diversities of airborne bacteria and fungi, including groups containing human and plant pathogens (mildew, smut and rust fungi, molds, Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonadaceae). In addition to detecting known bacterial and fungal IN (Pseudomonas sp., Fusarium sporotrichioides), we discovered two species of IN-active fungi that were not previously known as biological ice nucleators (Isaria farinosa and Acremonium implicatum). Our findings suggest that atmospheric bioaerosols, IN, and rainfall are more tightly coupled than previously assumed.

Details

Title
High concentrations of biological aerosol particles and ice nuclei during and after rain
Author
Huffman, J. A.; Prenni, A. J.; DeMott, P. J.; Pöhlker, C.; Mason, R. H.; Robinson, N. H.; Fröhlich-Nowoisky, J.; Tobo, Y.; Després, V. R.; Garcia, E.; Gochis, D. J.; Harris, E.; Müller-Germann, I.; Ruzene, C.; Schmer, B.; Sinha, B.; Day, D. A.; Andreae, M. O.; Jimenez, J. L.; Gallagher, M.; Kreidenweis, S. M.; Bertram, A. K.; Pöschl, U.
First page
6151
Publication year
2013
Publication date
2013
Publisher
Copernicus GmbH
ISSN
16807316
e-ISSN
16807324
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
1395252992
Copyright
Copyright Copernicus GmbH 2013