Gunnarsson_et_al_2016

Gunnarsson, B., Knez, I., Hedblom, M. et al. Effects of biodiversity and environment-related attitude on perception of urban green space. Urban Ecosyst 20, 37–49 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-016-0581-x

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Keywords: Green infrastructure, green space, biodiversity, perceptions

No actual correlation between perceived and quantified species richness - and further, human well-being is only positively related to perceived species richness (Dallimer et al 2012).

People have also been shown to prefer “intermediate” biodiversity because sites with “high” biodiversity are so complex that the level isn’t understood to actually be higher (Johansson et al. 2014)

Six urban sites in Sweden across urban gradient. Measured biodiversity (trees, bushes, herbs, songbirds, bumblebees), perceptions of site, and environment-related attitude of participants.

Surveys were 7 point scales of agreement with questions related to aesthetic perceptions, greenery related sound perception, importance of greenery for perception of bird species, attitude.

More nature-oriented and urban-oriented people had higher scores to urban green space related aesthetics. In low biodiversity settings, nature oriented people and non-nature oriented people had similar responses.

Their results show that perception follows broad categories of low/med/high biodiversity. Environment-related attitude was also an important factor in determining perceptions.