The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study
Abstract Forests can foster mental health and well‐being. Yet, the contribution of forest biodiversity remains unclear, and experimental research is needed to unravel pathways of biodiversity–health linkages. Here, we assess the role of tree species richness, both actual and perceived, and how stres...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2024-02-01
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| Series: | People and Nature |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10564 |
| _version_ | 1797322268505800704 |
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| author | Kevin Rozario Rachel Rui Ying Oh Melissa Marselle Erich Schröger Loïc Gillerot Quentin Ponette Douglas Godbold Daniela Haluza Katriina Kilpi Dagmar Müller Urte Roeber Kris Verheyen Bart Muys Sandra Müller Taylor Shaw Aletta Bonn |
| author_facet | Kevin Rozario Rachel Rui Ying Oh Melissa Marselle Erich Schröger Loïc Gillerot Quentin Ponette Douglas Godbold Daniela Haluza Katriina Kilpi Dagmar Müller Urte Roeber Kris Verheyen Bart Muys Sandra Müller Taylor Shaw Aletta Bonn |
| author_sort | Kevin Rozario |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Forests can foster mental health and well‐being. Yet, the contribution of forest biodiversity remains unclear, and experimental research is needed to unravel pathways of biodiversity–health linkages. Here, we assess the role of tree species richness, both actual and perceived, and how stress reduction and attention restoration can serve as potential mediating pathways to achieve positive mental health and well‐being outcomes. We conducted an experimental, multicentric field study in three peri‐urban forests in Europe, employing a mixed design with 223 participants, that comprised 20‐min stays in forests with either low, medium or high tree species richness or a built control. Participants' short‐term mental health and well‐being and saliva cortisol as a biomarker of stress were measured before and after the intervention. Forest visits for 20 min were found to be beneficial for participants' short‐term mental health, short‐term mental well‐being, subjective stress, subjective directed attention and perceived restorativeness compared with a built environment. No differences were found for the physiological stress indicator saliva cortisol, which decreased in both the forest and the built environments. Increased perceived biodiversity—possibly linked to structural forest attributes—was significantly associated with well‐being outcomes, while no association was found for differences in actual tree species richness. Structural equation modelling indicates that higher levels of perceived biodiversity had an indirect effect on short‐term mental health and well‐being through enhancing perceived restorativeness. While we found no evidence of actual tree species richness effects, perceived biodiversity was associated with positive short‐term mental health and well‐being outcomes. Understanding these biodiversity–health linkages can inform conservation management and help develop effective nature‐based interventions for promoting public health through nature visits. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:11:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0e1d89ab8c9145279876fddfb4406330 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2575-8314 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T05:11:46Z |
| publishDate | 2024-02-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | People and Nature |
| spelling | doaj.art-0e1d89ab8c9145279876fddfb44063302024-02-07T06:14:19ZengWileyPeople and Nature2575-83142024-02-016118020110.1002/pan3.10564The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre studyKevin Rozario0Rachel Rui Ying Oh1Melissa Marselle2Erich Schröger3Loïc Gillerot4Quentin Ponette5Douglas Godbold6Daniela Haluza7Katriina Kilpi8Dagmar Müller9Urte Roeber10Kris Verheyen11Bart Muys12Sandra Müller13Taylor Shaw14Aletta Bonn15Institute of Biodiversity Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena GermanyDepartment of Ecosystem Services Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research—UFZ Leipzig GermanySchool of Psychology, Environmental Psychology Research Group University of Surrey Guilford UKWilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology Leipzig University Leipzig GermanyForest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment Ghent University Ghent BelgiumDepartment of Environmental Science, Earth and Life Institute Université catholique de Louvain Louvain‐la‐Neuve BelgiumInstitute of Forest Ecology University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU) Vienna AustriaDepartment of Environmental Health, Center for Public Health Medical University of Vienna Vienna AustriaBOS+ Melle BelgiumWilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology Leipzig University Leipzig GermanyWilhelm Wundt Institute for Psychology Leipzig University Leipzig GermanyForest & Nature Lab, Department of Environment Ghent University Ghent BelgiumDivision of Forest, Nature and Landscape, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences KU Leuven Leuven BelgiumFaculty of Biology, Chair of Geobotany University of Freiburg Freiburg GermanyFaculty of Biology, Chair of Geobotany University of Freiburg Freiburg GermanyInstitute of Biodiversity Friedrich Schiller University Jena Jena GermanyAbstract Forests can foster mental health and well‐being. Yet, the contribution of forest biodiversity remains unclear, and experimental research is needed to unravel pathways of biodiversity–health linkages. Here, we assess the role of tree species richness, both actual and perceived, and how stress reduction and attention restoration can serve as potential mediating pathways to achieve positive mental health and well‐being outcomes. We conducted an experimental, multicentric field study in three peri‐urban forests in Europe, employing a mixed design with 223 participants, that comprised 20‐min stays in forests with either low, medium or high tree species richness or a built control. Participants' short‐term mental health and well‐being and saliva cortisol as a biomarker of stress were measured before and after the intervention. Forest visits for 20 min were found to be beneficial for participants' short‐term mental health, short‐term mental well‐being, subjective stress, subjective directed attention and perceived restorativeness compared with a built environment. No differences were found for the physiological stress indicator saliva cortisol, which decreased in both the forest and the built environments. Increased perceived biodiversity—possibly linked to structural forest attributes—was significantly associated with well‐being outcomes, while no association was found for differences in actual tree species richness. Structural equation modelling indicates that higher levels of perceived biodiversity had an indirect effect on short‐term mental health and well‐being through enhancing perceived restorativeness. While we found no evidence of actual tree species richness effects, perceived biodiversity was associated with positive short‐term mental health and well‐being outcomes. Understanding these biodiversity–health linkages can inform conservation management and help develop effective nature‐based interventions for promoting public health through nature visits. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10564attention restorationDr. FORESTforest diversitymental health and well‐beingperceived biodiversitystress reduction |
| spellingShingle | Kevin Rozario Rachel Rui Ying Oh Melissa Marselle Erich Schröger Loïc Gillerot Quentin Ponette Douglas Godbold Daniela Haluza Katriina Kilpi Dagmar Müller Urte Roeber Kris Verheyen Bart Muys Sandra Müller Taylor Shaw Aletta Bonn The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study People and Nature attention restoration Dr. FOREST forest diversity mental health and well‐being perceived biodiversity stress reduction |
| title | The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study |
| title_full | The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study |
| title_fullStr | The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study |
| title_full_unstemmed | The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study |
| title_short | The more the merrier? Perceived forest biodiversity promotes short‐term mental health and well‐being—A multicentre study |
| title_sort | more the merrier perceived forest biodiversity promotes short term mental health and well being a multicentre study |
| topic | attention restoration Dr. FOREST forest diversity mental health and well‐being perceived biodiversity stress reduction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/pan3.10564 |
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