I can feel it, pollen in the air tonight

Perhaps, it's a take on an old Phil Collins tune many sufferers are singing this allergy season?

If you feel as though the shoreline of your favourite lake has been resembling — even more than usual —  a slick of pea soup this spring and early summer, you are not alone.

Photos have been circulating on social media channels showing the results of what seems to be heavier than typical spring pollen, especially on Lake Nipissing, stretching west from North Bay off Highway 17. In some photos, the swath of yellow extends for several metres into the water, while many have noted the yellow hue seemingly baked onto their vehicles each morning. 

Some are even seeing art in the mess:

BayToday asked Dr. Peter Nosko, Chair of the Department of Biology & Chemistry at Nipissing University for his take on the mellow yellow sheen descending on the area this season.

"Certainly, the amount of pollen people are seeing in the lakes is a function of the amount of pollen being produced," offers Nosko. "Right now, some of the key pollen producers are at the peak of their sexual reproductive activity, including birches, poplars and other tree species."

Nosko points out his north-end property in North Bay contains many mature birch trees and "when I park my vehicle these days in the driveway, it is covered with birch pollen — we've got a lot of it this year it seems."

Those who experience environmental allergies could notice an increased sensitivity with such an active pollen season, says Nosko. He says two members of his own household suffer from pollen allergies and he receives "regular updates" from them, allowing for "non-scientific year-by-year comparisons" of the intensity of the side effects.

Although he is a plant ecologist, Nosko does not focus his research specifically on pollen but agrees to give an educated guess as to what's behind the pollen levels we're seeing this year.

"The things that will influence the amount of pollen production — and the success of pollen production are the same things that influence the well-being and growth of the plant," he says.

"And," Nosko continues, "I'm going to give you a big, sensational headline here. I'm going to attribute all of this to global climate change."

Whether you stand on climate change, Nosko says there is no denying "our growing seasons are getting longer. They are getting all messed up because we have lots of fluctuations between freezes and thaws. We have a run of warm weather, then a run of cold weather, the seasons seem a little screwed up."

Nosko says a recent pattern of longer summers, fall and winter seasons starting later, and often earlier springs contribute to "an extended growing season, with generally warmer, higher temperatures."

According to his related readings on the subject, Nosko says "all-in-all, high pollen is good for the waterways. We're more focused on the amount of fish that Lake Nipissing produces but that whole food web begins right at the bottom with what the plankton are eating — and they really like pollen."

So, what is causing this spring's potent pollen production?

"Imagine what the weather was like the previous fall," says Nosko. "That is a major influence over the amount of pollen we have in the spring and early summer because the reproductive ability of the plant this year was highly influenced by the temperatures and how well the plant was growing last year."

Nosko adds, "Even if we didn't know it already, we could hypothesize last fall must have been great weather because we've got a lot of pollen going on this spring and summer."

As far as any health concerns, Nosko says, "It's unsightly, maybe you don't want to get it all over you if you are going swimming but in general terms, pollen is not a bad thing for the ecological integrity of bodies of water."

The outlook for allergy sufferers does not seem so rosy.

"This could be the new norm," observes Nosko. "With more climate change, we might expect to see increased pollen production in successive years."