Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer
This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the thermal comfort and physiological and psychological effects according to tree density in forest environments during rest and during and after physical activities in the summer. Participants consisted of 18 male university students (average age: 24....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Forests |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/120 |
| _version_ | 1797442405146820608 |
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| author | Juhyeon Kim Injoon Song Choyun Kim Hyejung Gho Siok An Doyun Song Dawou Joung Shinkwang Kang Yunjeong Yi Bum-Jin Park Chorong Song |
| author_facet | Juhyeon Kim Injoon Song Choyun Kim Hyejung Gho Siok An Doyun Song Dawou Joung Shinkwang Kang Yunjeong Yi Bum-Jin Park Chorong Song |
| author_sort | Juhyeon Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the thermal comfort and physiological and psychological effects according to tree density in forest environments during rest and during and after physical activities in the summer. Participants consisted of 18 male university students (average age: 24.0 ± 1.6 years old), and a within-subjects experimental design was used. Participants sat on a chair for 5 min to rest, performed a step-box exercise for 8 min, and then sat on the chair again, and rested for 10 min in a forest with high tree density (85.6%) and one with low tree density (12.2% as a control). Thermal comfort (predicted mean vote; PMV and percentage of dissatisfied; PPD) and physiological and psychological responses were measured. We investigated and analyzed the changes in “rest”, “during exercise”, and “after exercise”. As a result, a forest with high tree density showed a statistically significant decrease in PMV and PPD values; an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity; a decrease in respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, and pulse rate; an improvement in mood state; an increase in comfortable, relaxed, and natural feelings; and more of an increase in personal thermal sensation during the recovery period after physical activities than in a forest with low tree density. In conclusion, a forest with high tree density during recovery after physical activities in the summer has higher thermal comfort and physiological and psychological relaxation effects on humans, as compared to one with low tree density. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:41:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-eabda62cb8d04923b19d4719dfa13e90 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4907 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T12:41:22Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Forests |
| spelling | doaj.art-eabda62cb8d04923b19d4719dfa13e902023-11-30T22:18:01ZengMDPI AGForests1999-49072023-01-0114112010.3390/f14010120Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the SummerJuhyeon Kim0Injoon Song1Choyun Kim2Hyejung Gho3Siok An4Doyun Song5Dawou Joung6Shinkwang Kang7Yunjeong Yi8Bum-Jin Park9Chorong Song10Department of Forest Science, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Science, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Science, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Environment and Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Environment and Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Environment and Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Environment and Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Chungnam National University Hospital, Chungnam National University School of Medicine, Daejeon 35015, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Nursing, Kyung-In Women’s University, Incheon 21041, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Environment and Resources, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Forest Science, Kongju National University, 54 Daehak-ro, Yesan-eup, Yesan-gun, Chungcheongnam-do 32439, Republic of KoreaThis study aimed to comprehensively investigate the thermal comfort and physiological and psychological effects according to tree density in forest environments during rest and during and after physical activities in the summer. Participants consisted of 18 male university students (average age: 24.0 ± 1.6 years old), and a within-subjects experimental design was used. Participants sat on a chair for 5 min to rest, performed a step-box exercise for 8 min, and then sat on the chair again, and rested for 10 min in a forest with high tree density (85.6%) and one with low tree density (12.2% as a control). Thermal comfort (predicted mean vote; PMV and percentage of dissatisfied; PPD) and physiological and psychological responses were measured. We investigated and analyzed the changes in “rest”, “during exercise”, and “after exercise”. As a result, a forest with high tree density showed a statistically significant decrease in PMV and PPD values; an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity; a decrease in respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, and pulse rate; an improvement in mood state; an increase in comfortable, relaxed, and natural feelings; and more of an increase in personal thermal sensation during the recovery period after physical activities than in a forest with low tree density. In conclusion, a forest with high tree density during recovery after physical activities in the summer has higher thermal comfort and physiological and psychological relaxation effects on humans, as compared to one with low tree density.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/120blood pressurecrown closureforest densityheart rate variabilitypersonal thermal sensationpercentage of dissatisfied |
| spellingShingle | Juhyeon Kim Injoon Song Choyun Kim Hyejung Gho Siok An Doyun Song Dawou Joung Shinkwang Kang Yunjeong Yi Bum-Jin Park Chorong Song Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer Forests blood pressure crown closure forest density heart rate variability personal thermal sensation percentage of dissatisfied |
| title | Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer |
| title_full | Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer |
| title_fullStr | Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer |
| title_full_unstemmed | Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer |
| title_short | Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer |
| title_sort | thermal comfort and human responses according to tree density in forest environments during and after physical activities in the summer |
| topic | blood pressure crown closure forest density heart rate variability personal thermal sensation percentage of dissatisfied |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4907/14/1/120 |
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