Effects of Plant Communities on Human Physiological Recovery and Emotional Reactions: A Comparative Onsite Survey and Photo Elicitation Study

Seasonal Forest Changes of Color and Temperature: Effects on the Mood and Physiological State of University Students

In this study, we attempted to analyze the effect of color and temperature changes in the forest environment over time on the mood and physiological state of university students. The survey was conducted four times considering forest changes such as new leaf appearance and growth, autumn leaf changes, and fallen leaves. The participants' moods and physiological states were first evaluated in an indoor environment; a second evaluation was conducted after contact with the forest. The color visual information of the forest environment was analyzed through color extraction from photographs taken each survey day. The participants' moods and physiological states were measured using the Korean Profile of Mood States-Brief and a heart rate variability measuring device, respectively. Changes in the forest experience according to the season had an effect on university students' mood states. In particular, the effects of the spring forest experience included the relaxation of tension and the activation of vigor. This result is considered to be influenced by factors such as the season's temperature and the green color, which is predominant in the spring forest. However, no physiological changes were found in the participants according to each season. The results of this study can lead to greater consideration of the role of color in urban forest planning for universities and other public spaces.

Study of Different Vegetation Types in Green Space Landscape Preference: Comparison of Environmental Perception in Winter and Summer

Through field perception in winter and summer, people’s preferences for vegetation types in green spaces with various structures (single-layer woodland, tree-shrub-grass composite woodland, tree-grass composite woodland, and single-layer grassland) and concrete and asphalt sites (areas) without plants are evaluated. The results show the following: (1) There are significant differences in landscape preference between the two seasons, and the environmental perception preference score for landscapes in summer is higher. (2) The preference score for the vegetation types in green spaces was single-layer woodland > tree-shrub-grass composite woodland > tree-grass composite woodland > single-layer grassland > concrete and asphalt sites (areas). The preference score for the single-layer woodland landscape in winter was significantly higher than that in summer. (3) The preferences of participants to carry out activities vary by season and the magnitude of thermal comfort; notably, rest and communication activities in green spaces with high thermal comfort, such as tree-shrub-grass composite woodland and single-layer woodland areas, are preferred in summer, and physical activities in the single-layer woodland landscape are preferred in winter. (4) Regardless of which environmental perception method is adopted, landscape preferences did not significantly differ by sex or professional background. Based on the above results, the two seasonal perception methods cannot replace each other. Therefore, the types of activities should be carefully selected to be appropriate for the specific vegetation types in green spaces and season in which they will occur, and the green space should be reasonably planned according to the thermal comfort of the vegetation types to provide a scientific basis for evaluating landscape perception and preferences in the future.