Allergenicity of tree avenues in an urban district of Novi Sad, Serbia

Abstract Tree avenues in urban settings represent an important element of urban green infrastructure (UGI), providing ecological, aesthetic, and social benefits. However, they can also contribute to allergenic risks that affect public health. This study aimed to analyze the tree species distribution within tree avenues in the Nova Detelinara district of Novi Sad, Serbia, with a particular focus on their allergenic potential. A field inventory was conducted during April 2025, which identified 849 individual trees belonging to 39 species. Each species was categorized by its allergenic potential based on data in the literature, and an Index of Allergenicity of Urban Green Zones (IUGZA) was calculated for the detected individuals found in 14 observed streets to assess the overall allergenic risk of the species composition within the area. Analysis of the allergenic potential of the identified species showed that most species had low (41%) or moderate (31%) allergenic potential, with only one species which was very low. In the observed UGI element, trees with moderate allergenic potential were the most abundant (48%), followed by high (31%) and low (15%) potentials, while very high and very low allergenic potential were present in 6% and one tree, respectively. The IUGZA index values ranged from 0.01 to 0.37, classifying species composition in Stevana Mokranjca Street as high-risk (IUGZA > 0.3), whereas all other streets fell within the low-risk category (IUGZA < 0.2). The findings contribute to the development of more informed, local- and city-level approaches to establishing and managing the use of UGI, as well as species selection strategies that balance ecological criteria with public health considerations.