Simon Haberle
@thatpollenguy.bsky.social
Palynologist, palaeoecologist, aerobiologist, Professor of Palaeoecology & Natural History @ANU | Long-term interactions between people and the environment | Fire | Pollen
https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/simon-haberle
https://researchportalplus.anu.edu.au/en/persons/simon-haberle
Elevated Cupressaceae pollen appear a week earlier than reported last year (2024). Overall, a wet winter this year and the prospect of above average rainfall and warm temperatures in the September to November period (BOM forecast) point to a challenging hay fever season ahead.
July 14, 2025 at 1:36 AM
Elevated Cupressaceae pollen appear a week earlier than reported last year (2024). Overall, a wet winter this year and the prospect of above average rainfall and warm temperatures in the September to November period (BOM forecast) point to a challenging hay fever season ahead.
It seems a little early to start talking about the pollen-hay fever season in Canberra, but over the weekend we saw the first hint of elevated pollen levels in Cupressaceae pollen (Cypress pine family) - 14 grains/m3 - still LOW, but hinting at the beginnings of elevated levels to come.
July 14, 2025 at 1:36 AM
It seems a little early to start talking about the pollen-hay fever season in Canberra, but over the weekend we saw the first hint of elevated pollen levels in Cupressaceae pollen (Cypress pine family) - 14 grains/m3 - still LOW, but hinting at the beginnings of elevated levels to come.
See the full paper here, led by Matthew Adeleye, with images of remnant pedestals left after the peat fires.
Adeleye, M.A., et al. (2025) Palaeoecological Analyses Reveal Recent Fires Have Destroyed Late-Holocene Peat Deposits in Tasmania's Largest Ramsar Reserve. Austral Ecology, 50: e70087
Adeleye, M.A., et al. (2025) Palaeoecological Analyses Reveal Recent Fires Have Destroyed Late-Holocene Peat Deposits in Tasmania's Largest Ramsar Reserve. Austral Ecology, 50: e70087
June 20, 2025 at 11:23 PM
See the full paper here, led by Matthew Adeleye, with images of remnant pedestals left after the peat fires.
Adeleye, M.A., et al. (2025) Palaeoecological Analyses Reveal Recent Fires Have Destroyed Late-Holocene Peat Deposits in Tasmania's Largest Ramsar Reserve. Austral Ecology, 50: e70087
Adeleye, M.A., et al. (2025) Palaeoecological Analyses Reveal Recent Fires Have Destroyed Late-Holocene Peat Deposits in Tasmania's Largest Ramsar Reserve. Austral Ecology, 50: e70087
#ICCB2025 great to be able to present alongside Ramya Bala Prabhakaran, Meghna Agarwala, and Patrick Moss in the “using Palaeoecology for Fire Management and Landscape Conservation” session today (organised by Ramya).
June 19, 2025 at 6:09 AM
#ICCB2025 great to be able to present alongside Ramya Bala Prabhakaran, Meghna Agarwala, and Patrick Moss in the “using Palaeoecology for Fire Management and Landscape Conservation” session today (organised by Ramya).
#ICCB2025 Looking forward to presenting “Palaeoecological records from peat mounds in Tasmania as a tool to advance endangered bird research and inform conservation strategies” as part of the Palaeoecology and Conservation Biology session on Thursday June 19, 2.15 PM - 3:15 PM, Meeting Room P4
June 17, 2025 at 11:59 AM
#ICCB2025 Looking forward to presenting “Palaeoecological records from peat mounds in Tasmania as a tool to advance endangered bird research and inform conservation strategies” as part of the Palaeoecology and Conservation Biology session on Thursday June 19, 2.15 PM - 3:15 PM, Meeting Room P4
Another great deep-time palynology paper by Mike MacPhail from the ANU PalaeoWorks Lab @palaeoworks.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Fossil pollen from Goat Paddock Crater, Kimberley Plateau, are restricted to the Late Cretaceous Epoch.
=> meteor impact during/before the Mesozoic.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Fossil pollen from Goat Paddock Crater, Kimberley Plateau, are restricted to the Late Cretaceous Epoch.
=> meteor impact during/before the Mesozoic.
June 10, 2025 at 1:06 AM
Another great deep-time palynology paper by Mike MacPhail from the ANU PalaeoWorks Lab @palaeoworks.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Fossil pollen from Goat Paddock Crater, Kimberley Plateau, are restricted to the Late Cretaceous Epoch.
=> meteor impact during/before the Mesozoic.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Fossil pollen from Goat Paddock Crater, Kimberley Plateau, are restricted to the Late Cretaceous Epoch.
=> meteor impact during/before the Mesozoic.
Wondering what was in the air during the dust storm that passed over Canberra this week?
Our daily pollen monitoring slide collected on the morning of the 27/5/25 shows the dense brown particles captured over the event. The fine particles of dust can be seen at 400x magnification.
Our daily pollen monitoring slide collected on the morning of the 27/5/25 shows the dense brown particles captured over the event. The fine particles of dust can be seen at 400x magnification.
May 27, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Wondering what was in the air during the dust storm that passed over Canberra this week?
Our daily pollen monitoring slide collected on the morning of the 27/5/25 shows the dense brown particles captured over the event. The fine particles of dust can be seen at 400x magnification.
Our daily pollen monitoring slide collected on the morning of the 27/5/25 shows the dense brown particles captured over the event. The fine particles of dust can be seen at 400x magnification.
Humans in Africa’s wet tropical forests 150 thousand years ago.
The onset of human occupations at Bété I found to be ~150 ka, linking them with Homo sapiens. Plant wax biomarker, stable isotope, phytolith and pollen analyses all point to a wet forest environment.
rdcu.be/ebrSR
The onset of human occupations at Bété I found to be ~150 ka, linking them with Homo sapiens. Plant wax biomarker, stable isotope, phytolith and pollen analyses all point to a wet forest environment.
rdcu.be/ebrSR
February 27, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Humans in Africa’s wet tropical forests 150 thousand years ago.
The onset of human occupations at Bété I found to be ~150 ka, linking them with Homo sapiens. Plant wax biomarker, stable isotope, phytolith and pollen analyses all point to a wet forest environment.
rdcu.be/ebrSR
The onset of human occupations at Bété I found to be ~150 ka, linking them with Homo sapiens. Plant wax biomarker, stable isotope, phytolith and pollen analyses all point to a wet forest environment.
rdcu.be/ebrSR
The summer Elm pollen season is well underway this year with an early start in late January and EXTREME levels experienced over the last few day.
Extended and elevated tree pollen seasons in winter and summer are becoming increasingly common in Canberra.
Extended and elevated tree pollen seasons in winter and summer are becoming increasingly common in Canberra.
February 27, 2025 at 5:43 AM
The summer Elm pollen season is well underway this year with an early start in late January and EXTREME levels experienced over the last few day.
Extended and elevated tree pollen seasons in winter and summer are becoming increasingly common in Canberra.
Extended and elevated tree pollen seasons in winter and summer are becoming increasingly common in Canberra.
Still can’t shake the sneezing and wheezing this summer?
One of the reasons may be the onset of She Oak (Casuarina) and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) summer pollen season - a very CBR phenomenon.
This year (and last year) we saw a much earlier onset of these allergenic tree pollen in Canberra
One of the reasons may be the onset of She Oak (Casuarina) and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) summer pollen season - a very CBR phenomenon.
This year (and last year) we saw a much earlier onset of these allergenic tree pollen in Canberra
February 3, 2025 at 5:27 AM
Still can’t shake the sneezing and wheezing this summer?
One of the reasons may be the onset of She Oak (Casuarina) and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) summer pollen season - a very CBR phenomenon.
This year (and last year) we saw a much earlier onset of these allergenic tree pollen in Canberra
One of the reasons may be the onset of She Oak (Casuarina) and Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia) summer pollen season - a very CBR phenomenon.
This year (and last year) we saw a much earlier onset of these allergenic tree pollen in Canberra
Chinese Elm tree or Ulmus parvifolia pollen is increasing in Canberra this week marking the beginning of the late summer-autumn pollen season. If you are experiencing hay fever symptoms this might be the culprit!
January 28, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Chinese Elm tree or Ulmus parvifolia pollen is increasing in Canberra this week marking the beginning of the late summer-autumn pollen season. If you are experiencing hay fever symptoms this might be the culprit!
This study emphasises the importance of palaeoecological studies, specifically their value in understanding modern ecosystems in their historic context. This data is critical in understanding the island’s current landscape and how this might change into the future.
January 23, 2025 at 11:47 PM
This study emphasises the importance of palaeoecological studies, specifically their value in understanding modern ecosystems in their historic context. This data is critical in understanding the island’s current landscape and how this might change into the future.
Sediment cores, historical documents and air photos from Long Island, Furneaux Group, Lutruwita/Tasmania show that grasslands have been an important feature of the island for at least the last 1000 years, and are reminiscent of Last Glacial Maximum grasslands of the now-submerged Bassian Plain.
January 23, 2025 at 11:47 PM
Sediment cores, historical documents and air photos from Long Island, Furneaux Group, Lutruwita/Tasmania show that grasslands have been an important feature of the island for at least the last 1000 years, and are reminiscent of Last Glacial Maximum grasslands of the now-submerged Bassian Plain.
Pollen and sub-pollen particles: External interactions shaping the allergic potential of pollen
| by Sudharsun Venkatesan et al.
- Source, chemical and biological interactions, such as changes in soil pH, influence pollen allergenicity.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
| by Sudharsun Venkatesan et al.
- Source, chemical and biological interactions, such as changes in soil pH, influence pollen allergenicity.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
January 4, 2025 at 10:24 PM
Pollen and sub-pollen particles: External interactions shaping the allergic potential of pollen
| by Sudharsun Venkatesan et al.
- Source, chemical and biological interactions, such as changes in soil pH, influence pollen allergenicity.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
| by Sudharsun Venkatesan et al.
- Source, chemical and biological interactions, such as changes in soil pH, influence pollen allergenicity.
www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
Canberra's 'forever' hayfever season causing headaches | in CanberraTimes
January 4, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Canberra's 'forever' hayfever season causing headaches | in CanberraTimes
Stay safe and wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas 🎄
(Greeting card curtesy of the AirHealth team - www.airhealthlab.com)
(Greeting card curtesy of the AirHealth team - www.airhealthlab.com)
December 23, 2024 at 11:50 PM
Stay safe and wishing everyone a very Merry Christmas 🎄
(Greeting card curtesy of the AirHealth team - www.airhealthlab.com)
(Greeting card curtesy of the AirHealth team - www.airhealthlab.com)
A 🎄Christmas Eve🎄 update on the pollen and spores counts for 2024.
The grass pollen season continues to be of low intensity
The combined impact of LOW to MODERATE grass pollen, plus Alternaria spores will cause wheezing and sneezing from Christmas Day onwards into January
The grass pollen season continues to be of low intensity
The combined impact of LOW to MODERATE grass pollen, plus Alternaria spores will cause wheezing and sneezing from Christmas Day onwards into January
December 23, 2024 at 11:50 PM
A 🎄Christmas Eve🎄 update on the pollen and spores counts for 2024.
The grass pollen season continues to be of low intensity
The combined impact of LOW to MODERATE grass pollen, plus Alternaria spores will cause wheezing and sneezing from Christmas Day onwards into January
The grass pollen season continues to be of low intensity
The combined impact of LOW to MODERATE grass pollen, plus Alternaria spores will cause wheezing and sneezing from Christmas Day onwards into January
Great to see the December 2024 issue of Quaternary Australasia out. Lots of great content related to academic staff and student projects, conferences, field trips, and reflections on Quaternary research in Australasia.
See more here: aqua.org.au
See more here: aqua.org.au
December 13, 2024 at 1:54 AM
Great to see the December 2024 issue of Quaternary Australasia out. Lots of great content related to academic staff and student projects, conferences, field trips, and reflections on Quaternary research in Australasia.
See more here: aqua.org.au
See more here: aqua.org.au
The increase in heat and moisture over the next few days in Canberra will no doubt exacerbate the rising Alternaria spore counts following recent rains.
If you are allergic to airborne spores, take precautions by staying inside, wear a mask and seek advice from your GP and/or pharmacist.
If you are allergic to airborne spores, take precautions by staying inside, wear a mask and seek advice from your GP and/or pharmacist.
December 12, 2024 at 7:01 AM
The increase in heat and moisture over the next few days in Canberra will no doubt exacerbate the rising Alternaria spore counts following recent rains.
If you are allergic to airborne spores, take precautions by staying inside, wear a mask and seek advice from your GP and/or pharmacist.
If you are allergic to airborne spores, take precautions by staying inside, wear a mask and seek advice from your GP and/or pharmacist.
Hay fever and asthma can be triggered by a range of pollen and spores that might be in the air during the spring and summer months. In Canberra the combined impact of grass pollen plus the rise of Alternaria spores can create a cocktail of allergenic particles affecting people across our city.
December 6, 2024 at 1:25 AM
Hay fever and asthma can be triggered by a range of pollen and spores that might be in the air during the spring and summer months. In Canberra the combined impact of grass pollen plus the rise of Alternaria spores can create a cocktail of allergenic particles affecting people across our city.
Great privilege to be a part of launch of “The Landbridge” project held at the State Theatre in Hobart last night.
The short film is beautifully produced by Jary Nemo and Lucinda Horrocks of Wind and Sky Productions and enabled by the generous support of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
The short film is beautifully produced by Jary Nemo and Lucinda Horrocks of Wind and Sky Productions and enabled by the generous support of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
December 4, 2024 at 3:10 AM
Great privilege to be a part of launch of “The Landbridge” project held at the State Theatre in Hobart last night.
The short film is beautifully produced by Jary Nemo and Lucinda Horrocks of Wind and Sky Productions and enabled by the generous support of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
The short film is beautifully produced by Jary Nemo and Lucinda Horrocks of Wind and Sky Productions and enabled by the generous support of the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre.
Alternaria is a common allergenic fungal spore that proliferates on vegetation after wet periods. They also cause hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma.
December 1, 2024 at 7:50 PM
Alternaria is a common allergenic fungal spore that proliferates on vegetation after wet periods. They also cause hay fever or hypersensitivity reactions that sometimes lead to asthma.
This grass pollen season is looking more like an “El Niño season” for grass pollen production with cumulative counts well below average and no EXTREME pollen days recorded so far.
November 24, 2024 at 8:38 PM
This grass pollen season is looking more like an “El Niño season” for grass pollen production with cumulative counts well below average and no EXTREME pollen days recorded so far.
Canberra is going through a severe dry spell with rainfall levels well below average for the period from August to October (according to www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au).
This has led to drying off of grasslands and a reduction in pollen production during the peak period of the grass pollen seasoon.
This has led to drying off of grasslands and a reduction in pollen production during the peak period of the grass pollen seasoon.
November 24, 2024 at 8:38 PM
Canberra is going through a severe dry spell with rainfall levels well below average for the period from August to October (according to www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au).
This has led to drying off of grasslands and a reduction in pollen production during the peak period of the grass pollen seasoon.
This has led to drying off of grasslands and a reduction in pollen production during the peak period of the grass pollen seasoon.
Canberra is going through a dry spell with rainfall levels well below average and the available soil water extremely low (according to www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au) leading to a rapid drying off of the grasslands and a reduction in pollen production midway through the season.
November 23, 2024 at 12:49 AM
Canberra is going through a dry spell with rainfall levels well below average and the available soil water extremely low (according to www.longpaddock.qld.gov.au) leading to a rapid drying off of the grasslands and a reduction in pollen production midway through the season.