Phenology & Human Health
LSP Assisted Biogeography Research and its Changes Associated with Climate Change
In November 2016, a high grass pollen count, stormy weather and strong winds conspired to create a deadly thunderstorm asthma event in Melbourne. Nine people died from severe asthma attacks and hundreds more overwhelmed ambulance services and hospital emergency departments. According to Dr. Qiaoyun Xie, a national pollen forecasting system could have given hospitals, ambulance services and allergy sufferers precious time to prepare for the danger that lay ahead. But, while such systems exist in other countries, Australia is lagging behind.
In response, Xie is using her combined expertise in science and engineering, including machine learning and remote sensing to establish a national pollen surveillance system in Australia. This work was in collaboration with AusPollen research network, and supported by amazing air quality scientists like A/Prof Paul Beggs at Macquarie University and Prof Janet Davis at Queensland University of Technology.
Selected Publications
Xie, Qiaoyun, et al. "Forecasting Grass Pollen with Satellite Sensor Time-series, Meteorology data, and Machine Learning Tools." AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts. Vol. 2020. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2020AGUFMB107...06X/abstract
Liu, Yuxia, et al. “Multi-scale phenology from digital time-lapse camera to Sentinel-2 and MODIS over Australian pastures.” No. EGU2020-7261. Copernicus Meetings, 2020. https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2020/EGU2020-7261.html?report=6975
Media: Bless you! New pollen surveillance system to reduce respiratory disease risk
