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Methorst J. Positive relationship between bird diversity and human mental health: an analysis of repeated cross-sectional data. Lancet Planet Health 2024; 8:e285-e296. [PMID: 38729669 DOI: 10.1016/s2542-5196(24)00023-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Revised: 01/24/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing body of research has examined the link between biodiversity of birds and human mental health, but most studies only use cross-sectional data. Few studies have used longitudinal or repeated cross-sectional data to investigate the mental health benefits of bird diversity. The aim of this study is to analyse the relationship between bird diversity and mental health at the national level using a unique repeated cross-sectional dataset. METHODS I used repeated cross-sectional health data from the German National Cohort health study, collected between March, 2014, and September, 2019, and annual bird citizen science data to investigate the effects of bird-diversity exposure on mental health. Mental health was measured using the summary score of the Patient Health Questionnaire depression module 9 (SumPHQ) and the Short Form Health Survey-12 Mental Health Component Scale. As a proxy for bird diversity, I created a unique indicator called reporting-rate richness and combined it with the health data. Reporting-rate richness measures the number of bird species within postcode areas across Germany in probabilities while accounting for variation in survey efforts. Alternative indicators of bird diversity, such as bird-species richness or abundance, were also calculated. Associations between bird diversity and mental health were estimated using linear regression with region and time fixed effects, adjusted for a range of sociodemographic and environmental confounders and spatial autocorrelation. Interaction terms between income levels and reporting-rate richness were also analysed to examine the moderating effect of socioeconomic status. FINDINGS I did the analyses for an unbalanced (n=176 362) and balanced (n=125 423) dataset, with the balanced dataset comprising only regions (postcode areas) in which health data were available for each year. The linear fixed-effects regression analysis indicated a significant negative association between reporting-rate richness and SumPHQ, as observed in both the unbalanced dataset (β -0·02, p=0·017) and the balanced dataset (β -0·03, p=0·0037). Similarly, regression results with both datasets showed a positive relationship between reporting-rate richness and Mental Health Component Scale (MCS; unbalanced β 0·02, p=0·0086; balanced β 0·03, p=0·0018). The moderator analyses revealed a significant influence of socioeconomic status on the relationship between reporting-rate richness and mental health. The robustness of these findings was confirmed through sensitivity analyses. INTERPRETATION The results suggest that a greater likelihood of having many different bird species in a person's area of residence might positively contribute to mental health, especially for people with lower socioeconomic status. These findings could have implications for biodiversity conservation and health policy decisions, as governments are facing challenges such as global biodiversity loss and growing public mental health problems. FUNDING None.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel Methorst
- Helmut-Schmidt University, Holstenhofweg, Hamburg, Germany; Hamburg Institute of International Economics, Hamburg, Germany.
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2
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Hammoud R, Tognin S, Smythe M, Gibbons J, Davidson N, Bakolis I, Mechelli A. Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment reveals an incremental association between natural diversity and mental wellbeing. Sci Rep 2024; 14:7051. [PMID: 38627422 PMCID: PMC11021539 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-55940-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment, this study investigated an association between natural diversity on mental wellbeing. A sample of 1,998 participants completed 41,448 assessments between April 2018 and September 2023. Environments which included a larger range of natural features, such as trees, plants and birdlife (high natural diversity) were associated with greater mental wellbeing than environments including a smaller range of natural features (low natural diversity). There was evidence of a mediating effect of natural diversity on the association between natural environments and mental wellbeing. These results highlight the importance of policies and practices that support richness of biodiversity for public mental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Hammoud
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - Stefania Tognin
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Michael Smythe
- Nomad Projects, Sunbury Workshops, 24, Swanfield St, London, E2 7LF, UK
| | | | | | - Ioannis Bakolis
- Health Services and Population Research Department, Centre for Implementation Science, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Biostatistics and Health Informatics, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Andrea Mechelli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK
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Li L, Yan M, Hong Y, Feng W, Xie D, Pagani-Núñez E. Protecting China's major urban bird diversity hotspots. AMBIO 2024; 53:339-350. [PMID: 37884617 PMCID: PMC10774474 DOI: 10.1007/s13280-023-01943-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework puts forward a new conservation target to enhance urban biodiversity. Cities have a great potential for sustaining biodiversity and nurturing a healthy relationship between people and our nearest nature. It is especially important in developing countries such as China, which has a rich biodiversity and a rapidly growing urban population. Using citizen science data, we show that 48% of the national bird diversity and 42% of its threatened species have been recorded in the top-20 most avian-diverse cities of China. Urban bird diversity hotspots clustered along the eastern coast, indicating the importance of establishing an inter-city conservation network along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. This urban conservation network would be a starting point to promote social recognition of biodiversity's relational value in a country with a vast population and an increasingly important role in meeting UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Li
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Mingxiao Yan
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- School of Design, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yixuan Hong
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
- School of Ecology, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weijia Feng
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China
| | - Dong Xie
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing, China
| | - Emilio Pagani-Núñez
- Department of Health and Environmental Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, China.
- Centre for Conservation and Restoration Science, School of Applied Sciences, Edinburgh Napier University, Edinburgh, UK.
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4
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Catalan A, Tognin S, Hammoud R, Aymerich C, Pedruzo B, Bilbao-Gonzalez A, Salazar de Pablo G, Pacho M, Fusar-Poli P, Gonzalez-Torres MÁ. Understanding the relationship between time spent outdoors, mental well-being and health-related behaviours in a Spanish sample: A real time smartphone-based study. Psychiatry Res 2023; 329:115494. [PMID: 37783095 DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2023.115494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION COVID-19 pandemic has affected our lifestyle and physical and mental well-being. We aimed to study the effect of being outdoors and mental well-being after the COVID-19 pandemic. MATERIAL AND METHODS We used smartphone based ecological momentary assessments (EMA) (Urban Mind app) to study the mental well-being of the Spanish general population. We collected socio-demographic data, past and current physical and mental health, and social and physical environment. Participants were recruited during 5 months (February to June 2021). Longitudinal associations between EMA and anxiety, depression, loneliness, tiredness, and happiness during the assessments were investigated using random intercept ordinal logistic regression models. RESULTS 274 subjects downloaded the app and completed the baseline assessment. 66 participants completed at least 50 % of the assessments. Being outdoors was related to a lower likelihood of anxiety (OR: 0.48, 95 %CI 0.34-0.66), depression (OR: 0.40, 95 %CI 0.28-0.56), tiredness (OR: 0.47, 95 %CI 0.35-0.63), and loneliness (OR: 0.59, 95 %CI 0.42-0.84), and a higher likelihood of happiness (OR: 2.14, 95 %CI 1.57-2.93). CONCLUSIONS Being outdoors is related to better mental health in the general population independently of other factors (baseline mental well-being or socio-demographic characteristics). Public policies should include measurements to promote outdoor spaces in urban settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Catalan
- Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain; OSI Bilbao-Basurto, Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain; Neuroscience Department, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain; Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King´s College London, London, UK.
| | - Stefania Tognin
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King´s College London, London, UK; Outreach and Support in South London (OASIS) Service, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Ryan Hammoud
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King´s College London, London, UK
| | - Claudia Aymerich
- Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain; OSI Bilbao-Basurto, Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Borja Pedruzo
- OSI Bilbao-Basurto, Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Amaia Bilbao-Gonzalez
- Osakidetza Basque Health Service, Basurto University Hospital, Research and Innovation Unit, Bilbao, Spain; Network for Research on Chronicity, Primary Care, and Health Promotion (RICAPPS), Bilbao, Spain; Kronikgune Institute for Health Services Research, Barakaldo, Spain; Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Deusto, Bilbao, Spain; Health Services Research on Chronic Patients Network (REDISSEC), Spain
| | - Gonzalo Salazar de Pablo
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy; Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
| | - Malein Pacho
- OSI Bilbao-Basurto, Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain
| | - Paolo Fusar-Poli
- Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King´s College London, London, UK; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy; Outreach and Support in South-London (OASIS) service, South London and Maudlsey (SLaM) NHS Foundation Trust, UK; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Ludwig-Maximilian-University, Munich, Germany
| | - Miguel Ángel Gonzalez-Torres
- Biobizkaia Health Research Institute, Barakaldo, Spain; OSI Bilbao-Basurto, Basurto University Hospital, Bilbao, Spain; Neuroscience Department, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain; Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Owens M, Bunce H. The effect of brief exposure to virtual nature on mental wellbeing in adolescents. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17769. [PMID: 37853074 PMCID: PMC10584913 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-44717-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Adolescence is a time of multiple transitions and a vulnerability period for mental health difficulties. There are many barriers to the treatment of mental health conditions which is one reason for developing alternatives to help improve efficacy in treatment and prevention. One approach is to use nature-based interventions (NBIs) to improve mental wellbeing. In this experimental proof-of-principle intervention study, we randomly allocated a sample of adolescents to brief exposure (6 min) to either a virtual woodland nature video or a busy train journey and tested the effect on mental wellbeing. Results showed beneficial effects in the nature condition on several self-reported outcomes including stress, relaxation, affect, mood, attention, nature connection and nature spirituality. The intervention was mainly acceptable and feasible to do suggesting that overall brief virtual nature interventions may have utility in a range of mental health contexts for adolescents including as self-help universal or targeted prevention strategies, adjunct to psychological therapy and as preparation for more intensive NBIs. Additionally, brief virtual nature interventions support accessibility for those who may be limited on time, unable to access real-life nature or who may be more biophobic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Owens
- Department of Psychology, The Mood Disorders Centre, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4QQ, UK.
- The ROWAN Group, Exeter, UK.
| | - Hannah Bunce
- The ROWAN Group, Exeter, UK
- Somerset Foundation Trust NHS, Taunton, TA1 5DA, UK
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Morelli F, Tryjanowski P, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Díaz M, Suhonen J, Pape Møller A, Prosek J, Moravec D, Bussière R, Mägi M, Kominos T, Galanaki A, Bukas N, Markó G, Pruscini F, Reif J, Benedetti Y. Effects of light and noise pollution on avian communities of European cities are correlated with the species' diet. Sci Rep 2023; 13:4361. [PMID: 36928766 PMCID: PMC10020436 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-31337-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Urbanization affects avian community composition in European cities, increasing biotic homogenization. Anthropic pollution (such as light at night and noise) is among the most important drivers shaping bird use in urban areas, where bird species are mainly attracted by urban greenery. In this study, we collected data on 127 breeding bird species at 1349 point counts distributed along a gradient of urbanization in fourteen different European cities. The main aim was to explore the effects of anthropic pollution and city characteristics, on shaping the avian communities, regarding species' diet composition. The green cover of urban areas increased the number of insectivorous and omnivorous bird species, while slightly decreasing the overall diet heterogeneity of the avian communities. The green heterogeneity-a measure of evenness considering the relative coverage of grass, shrubs and trees-was positively correlated with the richness of granivorous, insectivorous, and omnivorous species, increasing the level of diet heterogeneity in the assemblages. Additionally, the effects of light pollution on avian communities were associated with the species' diet. Overall, light pollution negatively affected insectivorous and omnivorous bird species while not affecting granivorous species. The noise pollution, in contrast, was not significantly associated with changes in species assemblages. Our results offer some tips to urban planners, managers, and ecologists, in the challenge of producing more eco-friendly cities for the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Morelli
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic.
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Bournemouth University, Fern Barrow, Poole, 12 5BB, BH, UK.
| | - Piotr Tryjanowski
- Institute of Zoology, Poznań University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71C, 60-625, Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Mario Díaz
- Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (BGC-MNCN-CSIC), 28006, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jukka Suhonen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Anders Pape Møller
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91405, Orsay Cedex, France
| | - Jiri Prosek
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Spatial Planning, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - David Moravec
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Department of Applied Geoinformatics and Spatial Planning, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | | | - Marko Mägi
- Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Theodoros Kominos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Antonia Galanaki
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikos Bukas
- Plegadis, Riga Feraiou 6A, 45444, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Gábor Markó
- Department of Plant Pathology, Institute of Plant Protection Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
| | | | - Jiri Reif
- Institute for Environmental Studies, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Palacky University in Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Yanina Benedetti
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Kamýcká 129, 165 00, Prague 6, Czech Republic
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Fleming GM, ElQadi MM, Taruc RR, Tela A, Duffy GA, Ramsay EE, Faber PA, Chown SL. Classification and ecological relevance of soundscapes in urban informal settlements. PEOPLE AND NATURE 2023. [DOI: 10.1002/pan3.10454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Genie M. Fleming
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | | | - Ruzka R. Taruc
- Public Health Faculty Hasanuddin University Makassar Indonesia
| | - Autiko Tela
- School of Public Health and Primary Care Fiji National University, College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Suva Fiji
| | - Grant A. Duffy
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Emma E. Ramsay
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Peter A. Faber
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Steven L. Chown
- School of Biological Sciences Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
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The Joy of birds: the effect of rating for joy or counting garden bird species on wellbeing, anxiety, and nature connection. Urban Ecosyst 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s11252-023-01334-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
AbstractThe feeding of garden birds is a popular and accessible means of connecting with wildlife in urban environments in the United Kingdom. Past research has found that the main motivations for feeding birds are psychological benefits, concern for bird welfare, and connecting to nature. This study explores whether a brief birdwatching activity impacts on wellbeing, anxiety, and nature connection. One hundred and fifty-six participants took part in a birdwatching activity, identifying the species that entered their garden during a thirty-minute period. Participants were randomly allocated to the ‘joy’ group, who rated their feeling of joy on seeing each species, or the ‘count’ group, who counted the number of birds of each species. Measures of wellbeing, state anxiety and nature connection were completed before and after the observation period. Both groups had improved wellbeing, anxiety, and nature connection, though decreases in anxiety were greatest for those in the joy group. These results suggest that activating a sense of joy heightens the psychological benefits of watching garden birds. These benefits and the strengthening of nature connections highlight the reciprocal relationship between humans and birds and the importance of actions towards healthy, sustainable urban ecosystems.
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Kiers AH, Nishimura KM, Dewa CS. Leveraging Campus Landscapes for Public Health: A Pilot Study to Understand the Psychological Effects of Urban Sheep Grazing on College Campuses. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2023; 20:1280. [PMID: 36674034 PMCID: PMC9859548 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20021280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1980s, college students in the U.S. have self-reported a decline in their physical and emotional health. With these conditions compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic and its physical distancing restrictions, higher education institutions have an increased responsibility to establish strategic interventions and health-promoting programs for their students. Research collaborations between public health professionals and environmental designers have highlighted the benefits of environmental factors, such as wildlife, street trees, and public parks, on mental health. This pilot project aims to build upon the transdisciplinary dialogue between ecology, design, and public health by examining the social benefits of grazing lawnscape management, which is the practice of using herbivorous livestock to manage turfgrass areas. Through the design of an accessible central campus grazing space for a flock of 25 sheep and use of online questionnaires, a smartphone-based single-item survey, and open-ended feedback given via social media, the UC Davis Sheepmower Project addresses three primary questions: (1) Are there differences in self-reported stress levels and well-being between people who did not watch grazing sheep (no sheepmower group) compared with those who did watch grazing sheep (sheepmower group)? (2) Does holding sheep grazing events create opportunities for education about well-being and engagement with the campus community? (3) Can this type of urban grazing installation ultimately contribute to the overall identity of a college campus? Web-based questionnaire results indicate there is no significant difference in self-reported stress levels between the two groups; however, the moment-in-time smartphone-based single item question suggests that the presence of sheep provides temporary, noticeable relief and enhanced mood for those who observe the animals. Reflections posted on social media suggested that participants found the sheep grazing events fostered feelings of community and placemaking within the campus identity. However, the questionnaire sample indicated the grazing events did not have a significant effect on participants' sense of place or overall campus identity. This transdisciplinary effort breaks down traditionally siloed approaches to human and environmental health and is an example of a whole-systems approach to developing innovative solutions and encouraging applied collective action.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Haven Kiers
- Department of Human Ecology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Kelly M. Nishimura
- Office of Campus Planning, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Carolyn S. Dewa
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Lorenzi C, Apoux F, Grinfeder E, Krause B, Miller-Viacava N, Sueur J. Human Auditory Ecology: Extending Hearing Research to the Perception of Natural Soundscapes by Humans in Rapidly Changing Environments. Trends Hear 2023; 27:23312165231212032. [PMID: 37981813 PMCID: PMC10658775 DOI: 10.1177/23312165231212032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Research in hearing sciences has provided extensive knowledge about how the human auditory system processes speech and assists communication. In contrast, little is known about how this system processes "natural soundscapes," that is the complex arrangements of biological and geophysical sounds shaped by sound propagation through non-anthropogenic habitats [Grinfeder et al. (2022). Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. 10: 894232]. This is surprising given that, for many species, the capacity to process natural soundscapes determines survival and reproduction through the ability to represent and monitor the immediate environment. Here we propose a framework to encourage research programmes in the field of "human auditory ecology," focusing on the study of human auditory perception of ecological processes at work in natural habitats. Based on large acoustic databases with high ecological validity, these programmes should investigate the extent to which this presumably ancestral monitoring function of the human auditory system is adapted to specific information conveyed by natural soundscapes, whether it operate throughout the life span or whether it emerges through individual learning or cultural transmission. Beyond fundamental knowledge of human hearing, these programmes should yield a better understanding of how normal-hearing and hearing-impaired listeners monitor rural and city green and blue spaces and benefit from them, and whether rehabilitation devices (hearing aids and cochlear implants) restore natural soundscape perception and emotional responses back to normal. Importantly, they should also reveal whether and how humans hear the rapid changes in the environment brought about by human activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Lorenzi
- Laboratoire des Systèmes Perceptifs, UMR CNRS 8248, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL), Paris, France
| | - Frédéric Apoux
- Laboratoire des Systèmes Perceptifs, UMR CNRS 8248, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL), Paris, France
| | - Elie Grinfeder
- Laboratoire des Systèmes Perceptifs, UMR CNRS 8248, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL), Paris, France
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
| | | | - Nicole Miller-Viacava
- Laboratoire des Systèmes Perceptifs, UMR CNRS 8248, Département d’Etudes Cognitives, Ecole Normale Supérieure, Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL), Paris, France
| | - Jérôme Sueur
- Institut de Systématique, Évolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHE, Université des Antilles, Paris, France
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