Green planning focusses on specific site requirements such as temperature tolerance or aesthetics as crucial criteria in the choice of plants. The allergenicity of plants, however, is often neglected. Cariñanos et al. (2014; Landscape and Urban Planning, 123: 134–144) developed the Urban Green Zone Allergenicity Index (I_UGZA) that considers a variety of plant characteristics to calculate the allergenic potential of urban green spaces. Based on this index, we calculated an index for the individual-specific allergenic potential (I_ISA) that accounts for a varying foliage volume by accurate measurements of crown heights and surface areas occupied by each tree and only included mature individuals. The studied park, located in Eichstätt, Germany, has an area of 2.2 ha and consists of 231 trees. We investigated the influence of species composition using six planting scenarios and analysed the relationship between allergenic potential and species diversity using Shannon index. Only a small number of trees was female and therefore characterised as non-allergenic, 9% of the trees were classified as sources of main local allergens. The allergenic potential of the park based on literature values for crown height and surface was I_UGZA = 0.173. Applying our own measurements resulted in I_ISA = 0.018. The scenarios indicated that replacing trees considered as sources of main local allergens has the strongest impact on the park’s allergenic potential. The I_UGZA offers an easy way to assess the allergenic potential of a park by the use of a few calculations. The I_ISA reduces the high influence of the foliage volume but there are constraints in practicability and in speed of the analysis. Although our study revealed that a greater biodiversity was not necessarily linked to lower index values, urban green planning should focus on biodiversity for ameliorating the allergenic potential of parks.

Although recent global warming trends in air temperature are not as pronounced as those observed only one decade ago, global mean temperature is still at a very high level. Does plant phenology – which is believed to be a suitable indicator of climate change – respond in a similar way, that is, does it still mirror recent temperature variations? We explored in detail long‐term flowering onset dates of snowdrop, cherry, and lime tree and relevant spring temperatures at three sites in Germany (1901–2012) using the Bayesian multiple change‐point approach. We investigated whether mean spring temperature changes were amplified or slowed down in the past decade and how plant phenology responded to the most recent temperature changes. Incorporating records with different end points (i.e., 2002 and 2012), we compared differences in trends and inferred possible differences caused by extrapolating phenological and meteorological data. The new multiple‐change point approach is characterized by an enhanced structure and greater flexibility compared to the one change point model. However, the highest model probabilities for phenological (meteorological) records were still obtained for the one change point (linear) model. Marked warming trends in the recent decade were only revealed for mean temperatures of March to May, here better described with one or two change point models. In the majority of cases analyzed, changes in temperatures were well mirrored by phenological changes. However, temperatures in March to May were linked to less strongly advancing onset dates for lime tree flowering during the period 1901‐2012, pointing to the likely influence of photoperiodic constraints or unfulfilled chilling requirements. Due to the slowdown of temperature increase, analyses conducted on records ending in 2002 demonstrated distinct differences when compared with records ending in 2012. Extrapolation of trends could therefore (along with the choice of the statistical method) lead to distinctly different results and most recent data should be integrated in order not to over‐ or underestimate future phenological changes.

Background and Objectives: The existence of common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) in Europe is severely endangered by ash dieback. To support its future sustainability, it is essential to improve the natural ash regeneration. The main aim of this study was to investigate the influence of light conditions, conceivably influenced by stand structure/ash dieback, on ash regeneration and the competition between ash seedlings and species growing in the understory. Materials and Methods: We selected 40 plots in a riparian forest located in Bavaria, Germany. Light-related variables (Leaf Area Index, gap fraction) were gathered with fish-eye photography, whereas other environmental factors were derived from vegetation surveys (Ellenberg indicator values). We assessed vegetation parameters such as species’ richness and coverage of the herb layer to account for competition with ash seedlings. Results: Our results indicate that ash regeneration is favoured under shady conditions. The majority of other abiotic factors were not statistically associated with the analysed ash metrics. In contrast, the coverage of grass was negatively related to LAI and positively to gap fraction. Higher herb and grass coverages were linked to a suppression of ash regeneration. A higher litter coverage was associated with a higher frequency of ash seedlings. Nonparametric partial correlation analyses demonstrated the influence of light and stressed that litter coverage is of particular importance. Conclusions: We conclude that gaps, inter alia induced by ash dieback, favour grass invasion. In turn, this invasion might suppress regeneration of ash. In this regard, rapid silvicultural management such as reforestation of gaps after dieback of mature trees is recommended. The influence of litter on interspecific competition during growth should be also considered. The pace of dieback might additionally influence the timing and quantity of litter accumulation; thus, further research should also focus on these interrelations.