Rozario, K. | Search bioRxiv

bioRxiv2024

Using nature-based citizen science initiatives to enhance nature connection and mental health.

The global rise in mental health issues underscores the critical importance of assessing the mental health benefits of engaging with nature. Beyond their primary aim of involving citizens in scientific data collection, nature-based citizen science initiatives offer significant potential for enhancing conservation (e.g. connection to nature) and human health and wellbeing (e.g. emotions, depression, stress, anxiety) outcomes. However, the effectiveness of various types of initiatives in achieving specific health outcomes remain unclear. This study evaluates changes in eight nature connection and health and wellbeing outcomes before and after participation in five such initiatives, specifically three dimensions of connection to nature (Self, Experience and Perspective) measured by the Nature Relatedness scale), and mental health outcomes--depression, stress and anxiety--measured by the DASS-21 scale; along with positive and negative emotions assessed using the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE). We found that participants generally reported improvements across all outcomes, but only positive emotions and reduced anxiety and stress symptoms were significantly enhanced. This suggests that short-term nature-based interventions are effective in boosting emotions and alleviating anxiety and stress, though significant changes in nature connection and depression may require prolonged or more intensive engagement. We also found that the Queensland Trust for Nature initiative, characterized by its extended duration and social interactions, emerged as a particularly effective model in achieving synergies between biodiversity and human health goals. Consequently, we advocate for the reimagining of these nature-based initiatives as integral components of broader health-promoting strategies. By aligning citizen science efforts with health promotion frameworks, we can amplify the utility and impact of nature-based citizen science initiatives, enhancing their contributions to scientific knowledge, nature conservation and human health.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2024

Perceived biodiversity: is what we measure also what we see and hear?

1. Biodiversity is crucial for human health and well-being. Perceived biodiversity - peoples subjective experience of biodiversity - seems to be particularly relevant for mental well-being. 2. Using photographs and audio recordings of forests that varied in levels of species richness, we conducted two sorting studies to assess how people perceive visual and acoustic diversity and whether their perceptions align with measured tree and bird species richness ( actual diversity). Per study, 48 participants were asked to sort the stimuli according to any similarity-based sorting criteria they liked ( open sorts) and perceived diversity ( closed sorts). 3. The main perceived visual forest characteristics identified by participants in the open visual sorts were vegetation density, light conditions, forest structural attributes and colours. The main perceived acoustic forest characteristics identified in the open acoustic sorts comprised bird song characteristics, physical properties such as volume, references to the time of day or seasonality and evoked emotions. 4. Perceived visual and acoustic diversity were significantly correlated with actual tree and bird species richness, respectively. Notably, the relationship was twice as strong for the acoustic sense. The acoustic sense may thus be crucial to obtain a more thorough understanding of perceived biodiversity. 5. We further computed several visual and acoustic diversity indices from the photos and audio recordings, e.g. colourfulness or acoustic complexity, and assessed their relevance for perceived and actual diversity. While all acoustic diversity indices were significantly associated with perceived acoustic diversity and bird richness, we could not identify a visual diversity index that captured perceived visual diversity and tree richness. 6. Our results suggest that people can perceive species richness. Our identified visual and acoustic forest characteristics may help to better understand perceived diversity and how it differs from actual diversity. We present acoustic diversity indices that quantify aspects of perceived and actual acoustic diversity. These indices may serve as cost-efficient tools to manage and plan greenspaces to promote biodiversity and mental well-being.

ecology↗