Aerobiology: Aspects and Prospects

Abstract

Aerobiology is the study of all biologically significant materials that are transported in the atmosphere. Air-borne bioparticles are either beneficial or hazardous, affecting the health and economic prosperity of man on one hand and serving as bio-indicators on the other. Aerobiology has been used as a discipline and as well as a tool for other disciplines such as medicine (allergology - both human & animal diseases, immunology, occupational hygiene), agriculture (plant pathology, pest management, arthropod dispersal), forestry & gene ecology, meteorology, climatology, biometeorology, microbiology, biodeterioration, indoor air quality, air pollution, industrial aerobiology, cultural heritage, palaeobotany, etc. Aerobiologists should encourage closer collaboration among various disciplines in order to achieve a more meaningful outcome.