Prediction of essential oil content in C. sintoc Leaves based on the direction of vegetation slope in Mount Ciremai National Park using ANFIS Artificial Neural Network.

C. sintoc is a plant that has a high essential oil content. Essential oils have many health benefits. Mount Ciremai National Park is an area that has abundant vegetation, especially C. sintoc. The purpose of this study was to predict the volume of oil contained in the leaves of C. sintoc based on its growing location in Mount Ciremai National Park (TNGC), West Java. Sampling was carried out in two stages, namely field samples and laboratory samples. Field samples with a single plot measuring 20 x 20 meters. Extraction of laboratory samples by steam distillation method. Data analysis using ANFIS method to predict the volume of essential oil. The results showed that the volume of essential oil in the leaves was largest on the western slope (1,96 ml), northern slope (2,01 ml), eastern slope (1,55 ml) and southern slope (1,37 ml) while the essential oil yield of extract oil in the leaves is found on the western slope (0,08%), northern slope (0,07 %), eastern slope (0,06 %) and southern slope (0,04), On the western slope (1,82 ml), northern slope (1,73 ml). The ANFIS analysis results showed a prediction accuracy of 90,99% with the highest tree productivity when C. sintoc BL grows at an altitude of 650-700 meters above sea level, tree diameter of 42 cm, height of 12 m, growing on sand-textured land and at a humidity of 75 and at a growing temperature range of 25-270C. The value of essential oil production volume is influenced by each variable such as tree diameter, tree height, soil texture, altitude, temperature and humidity.

Public parks in the city of Rio de Janeiro, southeast Brazil, and the risk of parasitosis transmission by freshwater gastropods.

Urban parks are not only important for the wellbeing of the human population, but are also widely considered to be potentially important sites for the conservation of biodiversity. However, they may offer risk parasitic infections, such as schistosomiasis and fascioliasis, which are both transmitted by freshwater snails. The present study investigated the occurrence of freshwater gastropods in urban parks of the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro, and their possible infection by helminths of medical-veterinary importance. Gastropods were collected from six parks (2021 - 2022) and examined for the presence of larval helminths. In all, 12 gastropod species from different families were collected: Ampullariidae, Assimineidae, Burnupidae, Lymnaeidae, Physidae, Planorbidae, Succineidae, and Thiaridae. The parasitological examination revealed cercaria of three types in five snail species, with the Pleurolophocerca cercariae type in Melanoides tuberculata (the most abundant species), Echinostoma cercariae in Physella acuta and Pomacea maculata, and Virgulate cercariae, in Pomacea sp. and Pomacea maculata. None of the Biomphalaria tenagophila and Pseudosuccinea columella (the most frequent species) specimens were parasitized by Schistosoma mansoni or Fasciola hepatica, respectively. Even so, some parks may represent a considerable potential risk for transmission of both Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola hepatica, given the presence of these gastropod vectors and the frequent contact of visitors with the waterbodies.

The use of Urban Forest Parks to improve human-nature relations and cognitive ability performance in older adults.

At present more than 50% of the human population of Planet Earth, live in urban areas. The natural environment is changed considerably by cities: increase of population, productions of tons of waste, daily, change of biodiversity. The relationships human-nature were disrupted in cities due to the artificial construction of infrastructure. In order to protect biodiversity and recover nature in cities, Urban Forest Parks, as part of green infrastructure are a very important action. At the same time the psycology of urban populations can be improved. The use of Urban Forest Parks to improve social relations, education, physical activities in older adults can improve their cognitive ability and performance.

Quantitative analysis of the impact of climate variability and human activities on grassland productivity of the Qilian Mountain National Park, China.

To quantitatively analyze the impact of climate variability and human activities on grassland productivity of China's Qilian Mountain National Park, this study used Carnegic-Ames-Stanford Approach model (CASA) and Integrated Vegetation model improved by the Comprehensive and Sequential Classification System (CSCS) to assess the trends of grassland NPP from 2000 to 2015, the residual trend analysis method was used to quantify the impact of human activities and climate change on the grassland based on the NPP changes. The actual grassland NPP accumulation mainly occurred in June, July and August (autumn); the actual NPP showed a fluctuating upward trend with an average increase of 2.2 g C·m-2 a-1, while the potential NPP increase of 1.6 g C·m-2 a-1 and human-induced NPP decreased of 0.5 g C·m-2 a-1. The annual temperature showed a fluctuating upward trend with an average increase of 0.1°C 10a-1, but annual precipitation showed a fluctuating upward trend with an average annual increase of 1.3 mm a-1 from 2000 to 2015. The area and NPP of grassland degradation caused by climate variability was significantly greater than that caused by human activities and mainly distributed in the northwest and central regions, but area and NPP of grassland restored caused by human activities was significantly greater than that caused by climate variability and mainly distributed in the southeast regions. In conclusion, grassland in Qilian Mountain National Park showed a trend of degradation based on distribution area, but showed a trend of restoration based on actual NPP. Climate variability was the main cause of grassland degradation in the northwestern region of study area, and restoration of grassland in the eastern region was the result of the combined effects of human activities and climate variability. Under global climate change, the establishment of Qilian Mountain National Park was of great significance to the grassland's protection and the grasslands ecological restoration that have been affected by humans.

Comprehensive evaluation and application of woody plants in the green spaces of parks in saline-Alkaline areas from a low-carbon perspective: A case study of Tianjin Qiaoyuan Park.

The field of landscape architecture has placed significant emphasis on low-carbon landscapes due to the increasing challenges posed by global warming and environmental deterioration in recent years. The soil ecological conditions in saline-alkaline areas are characterized by poor quality, resulting in suboptimal growth conditions for trees. This, in turn, hampers their ability to effectively sequester carbon, thereby diminishing the potential benefits of carbon sinks. Additionally, the maintenance of tree landscapes in such areas generates more carbon emissions than does conventional green land, making it difficult to reap the benefits of tree-based carbon. A comprehensive evaluation of trees in green park spaces in saline-alkaline areas is conducted from a low-carbon perspective; by identifying the dominant tree species that are well suited to greening, we can offer a precise scientific foundation for implementing low-carbon greening initiatives in cities situated in saline-alkaline environments. Therefore, as a case study, this study investigates Tianjin Qiaoyuan Park, a typical saline park in the Bohai Bay region. The hierarchical analysis method (AHP) was used to evaluate 50 species of trees and shrubs in the park from a low-carbon perspective. The results show that the evaluation system consists of four criterion layers and 15 indicator factors. The relative weight of the criterion layer followed the order of habitat adaptability (B2) > carbon sequestration capacity (B1) > low-carbon management and conservation (B3) > landscape aesthetics (B4). The indicator layer assigned greater weight values to net assimilation (C1), saline and alkaline adaptability (C3), drought tolerance (C4), irr igation and fertilization needs (C8), growth rate (C2), and adaptability to barrenness (C5). The trees were classified into five distinct categories, with each exhibiting significant variation in terms of the strengths and weaknesses of the indicators. According to the comprehensive score, the trees were categorized into three levels. The Grade I plants exhibited the best carbon efficiency performance, comprising a total of 12 species (e.g. Sabina chinensis, Fraxinus chinensis 'Aurea' and Hibiscus syriacu), and demonstrated superior performance in all aspects. Grade II trees, consisting of 26 species (e.g Pinus tabuliformis, Paulownia fortunei, Ligustrum × vicaryi), had the second-highest comprehensive score. Moreover, Grade III trees, encompassing 12 species (e.g Acer mono, Cedrus deodara, Magnolia denudata), exhibited lower comprehensive scores. The extensive use of Grade I and II tree species is recommended in the implementation of low-carbon greening projects in the Bohai Bay region, while Grade III tree species should be judiciously utilized. The findings of this research can serve as a valuable resource for the scientific identification of tree species that are suitable for urban park green spaces in the Bohai Bay region, which is characterized by predominantly saline and alkaline soil. Additionally, the development of an evaluation system can guide the selection of low-carbon tree species when evaluating other types of saline and alkaline lands.

Passive green space exposure leading to lower aggression: The mediating role of sense of control.

Green spaces, integral to natural environments, have been extensively studied for their positive impact on mental health, yet their influence on social behavior, particularly aggression, is less explored. While prior research has predominantly emphasized the effects of actively engaging with nature, the significant role of passive nature exposure-a more common daily occurrence-has often been overlooked. We conducted two studies to explore the influence of passive green space exposure on aggression and the mediating effect of the sense of control. Study 1 (N = 240) utilized a cross-sectional survey to assess the relationship between passive green space exposure, sense of control, and aggression. Study 2 (N = 260) employed a single-factor between-subjects experimental design to further explore these relationships in a controlled environment. The results from both studies indicated that passive green space exposure is negatively related to aggression, and that this relationship is partially mediated by an increased sense of control. Specifically, passive green space exposure was found to negatively predict aggression by bolstering individuals' sense of control. These findings underscore the potential of enhancing the sense of control through environmental factors like green spaces as an effective strategy to reduce aggression. This study enriches our understanding of the broader impacts of green spaces, extending beyond mental health to include social behaviors. We discussed both the theoretical and practical implications of our findings, highlighting how urban planning and environmental design can incorporate green spaces to foster community well-being and mitigate aggressive behaviors.

Understanding How Green Space Naturalness Impacts Public Well-Being: Prospects for Designing Healthier Cities.

Statement of problem: Urbanization has brought significant advancements in human well-being; however, it poses challenges to urban green spaces (UGSs), affecting environmental quality and public health. Research gap: Previous studies have established the importance of UGSs for urban well-being but have not sufficiently explored how the naturalness of these spaces-ranging from untouched natural areas to human-designed landscapes-affects mental health outcomes in the context of developing countries, particularly Brazil. Purpose: This study aimed to bridge the research gap by investigating the relationship between the degree of naturalness in UGSs and mental health among residents of Brazilian metropolitan areas. Method: Data were collected through an online survey involving 2136 respondents from various Brazilian urban regions. The study used Welch's ANOVA and Games-Howell post hoc tests to analyze the impact of UGS naturalness on mental health, considering depression, anxiety, and stress levels. Results and conclusions: The findings revealed that higher degrees of naturalness in UGSs significantly correlate with lower levels of mental distress. These results underscore the necessity of integrating natural elements into urban planning to enhance public health. Practical implications: Urban planners and policymakers are encouraged to prioritize the preservation and creation of naturalistic UGSs in urban environments to improve mental health outcomes. Future directions: Further research should explore the specific attributes of naturalness that most contribute to well-being and examine the scalability of these findings across different cultural and environmental contexts.

Distribution patterns and environmental risk assessments of microplastics in the lake waters and sediments from eight typical wetland parks in Changsha city, China.

The quality of water in urban parks is closely related to people's daily lives, but the pollution caused by microplastics in park water and sediments has not been comprehensively studied. Therefore, eight typical parks in the urban area of Changsha, China, were selected, and Raman spectroscopy was used to explore the spatial distributions and compositions of the microplastics in the water and sediments, analyze their influencing factors, and evaluate their environmental risks. The results showed that the abundances of surface water microplastics in all parks ranged from 150 to 525 n L-1, and the abundances of sediment microplastics ranged from 120 to 585 n kg-1. The microplastics in the surface water included polyethylene terephthalate (PET), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), and fluororubber (FLU), while those in the sediments included polyvinyl chloride (PVC), wp-acrylate copolymer (ACR), and CPE. Regression analyses revealed significant positive correlations between human activities and the abundances of microplastics in the parks. Among them, the correlations of population, industrial discharge and domestic wastewater discharge with the abundance of microplastics in park water were the strongest. However, the correlations of car flow and tourists with the abundance of microplastics in park water were the weakest. Based on the potential ecological risk indices (PERI) classification assessment method, the levels of microplastics in the waters and sediments of the eight parks were all within the II-level risk zone (53-8,549), among which the risk indices for Meixi Lake and Yudai Lake were within the IV risk zone (1,365-8,549), which may have been caused by the high population density near the park. This study provides new insights into the characteristics of microplastics in urban park water and sediment.

The moderating effects of greenspace on the association between neighbourhood disadvantage and obesity among mid-to-older aged Australian adults.

This study examined whether the association between neighbourhood disadvantage and obesity was moderated by quantity and quality of greenspace. The sample included 2848 mid-to-older aged adults residing in 200 neighbourhoods in Brisbane, Australia from the HABITAT study. Self-reported height and weight were used to calculate body mass index (BMI), neighbourhood disadvantage was measured using a census-derived composite index and greenspace was measured geospatially. We found evidence of moderation by park quality: lower average BMI at higher levels of park quality was shown in the Q3 rather than the Q1 (least disadvantaged) neighbourhood disadvantage group. The findings suggest that, for reducing socioeconomic inequalities in obesity, the quality of greenspace is imperative.

How the ecological structure affects the aesthetic atmosphere of the landscape: Evaluation of the landscape Beauty of Xingqing Palace Park in Xi'an.

In landscape appreciation, what tourists directly perceive is the atmosphere of the landscape. This paper introduces the concept of "Ecological Structure" from Gernot Böhme's theory of atmospheric aesthetics into the assessment of landscapes, utilizing atmosphere as a bridge between horticultural ecology, aesthetics, and culture. It examines the relationship between the objective environment and subjective perception. This study conducted a field survey of Xingqing Palace Park and selected the waterside plant landscape that directly reflects the atmosphere of the royal garden as the research object. In the first stage of this study, Scenic Beauty Estimation was used to evaluate the overall beauty of 32 landscape units; in the second stage, the Delphi method and Analytic Hierarchy Process were used to evaluate the ecological structures that affect the garden landscape atmosphere; in the third stage, the two evaluation results of the Kendall's W concord coefficient test Analytic Hierarchy Process and Scenic Beauty Estimation have high consistency, which shows that the atmosphere is great value to the beauty of the landscape. This study provides designers with a means to create a garden atmosphere using ecological structures and provides new ideas for landscape design.

Origin and modern microbial ecology of secondary mineral deposits in Lehman Caves, Great Basin National Park, NV, USA.

Lehman Caves is an extensively decorated high desert cave that represents one of the main tourist attractions in Great Basin National Park, Nevada. Although traditionally considered a water table cave, recent studies identified abundant speleogenetic features consistent with a hypogenic and, potentially, sulfuric acid origin. Here, we characterized white mineral deposits in the Gypsum Annex (GA) passage to determine whether these secondary deposits represent biogenic minerals formed during sulfuric acid corrosion and explored microbial communities associated with these and other mineral deposits throughout the cave. Powder X-ray diffraction (pXRD), scanning electron microscopy with electron dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and electron microprobe analyses (EPMA) showed that, while most white mineral deposits from the GA contain gypsum, they also contain abundant calcite, silica, and other phases. Gypsum and carbonate-associated sulfate isotopic values of these deposits are variable, with δ34SV-CDT between +9.7‰ and +26.1‰, and do not reflect depleted values typically associated with replacement gypsum formed during sulfuric acid speleogenesis. Petrographic observations show that the sulfates likely co-precipitated with carbonate and SiO2 phases. Taken together, these data suggest that the deposits resulted from later-stage meteoric events and not during an initial episode of sulfuric acid speleogenesis. Most sedimentary and mineral deposits in Lehman Caves have very low microbial biomass, with the exception of select areas along the main tour route that have been impacted by tourist traffic. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that microbial communities in GA sediments are distinct from those in other parts of the cave. The microbial communities that inhabit these oligotrophic secondary mineral deposits include OTUs related to known ammonia-oxidizing Nitrosococcales and Thaumarchaeota, as well as common soil taxa such as Acidobacteriota and Proteobacteria. This study reveals microbial and mineralogical diversity in a previously understudied cave and expands our understanding of the geomicrobiology of desert hypogene cave systems.

Investigated the role of community based approaches for biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development in Bale Mountains National Park, Southeast Ethiopia.

Community based conservation approaches are the holistic way to ensure appropriate biodiversity conservation and livelihood improvement in many protected areas across the world. However involvement of local community in conservation activities and benefit sharing in many protected areas are not well implemented. The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of community based conservation approaches for biodiversity conservation and socio-economic development. To address the stated objectives, required data were gathered from both primary and secondary sources. The result of the study revealed that parks provide various benefits for the local communities which are found in and adjacent to the park. Regarding perceived benefits from park, there was significant difference among community based association and non-community based association at (X2 = 92.071, df = 1, P < 0.05) while no significant difference was observed across kebeles. In spite of variation in perception among local community on park conservation, it was revealed that the communities contribute towards conservation of the park by controlling outbreak of fire and informing wildlife attack. Regarding strengths and weakness of community based conservation approaches as the finding indicated that internal factors out weight the external factors which imply that implementing the approaches is crucial for successful conservation of the park.

Hindrance or facilitator? The economic consequences of national demonstration eco-industrial parks in China.

Many countries attach great importance to the green, low-carbon, and circular development of industrial parks. China is one of them and has entered an exploration journey of national demonstration eco-industrial parks (NDEIPs). However, the impact of the transformation of industrial parks into NDEIPs on local economic development still remains a mystery. To address this issue, we develop an empirical study using a combination of the multi-period difference-in-differences method and the propensity score matching method based on the panel data for 266 cities in China from 2001 to 2021. The results show that industrial parks becoming NDEIPs promotes cities' economic development. This conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests, such as the reverse causality test and the placebo test. Moreover, the park heterogeneity tests show that the economic consequences vary according to differences in levels, industry types, life cycle phases, and the degree of foreign firm agglomeration. The city heterogeneity tests show that the economic consequences differ based on administrative levels, innovation capabilities, technology industrialization, and environmental friendliness. The spatial heterogeneity tests show that the economic consequences differ according to geographical location and whether situated in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. The policy upgrading heterogeneity tests show that the economic consequences differ during the process of policy upgrading and transformation. In addition, the mechanism tests reveal that green innovation, human capital level, and firm attractiveness mediate the relationship between industrial parks becoming NDEIPs and cities' economic development. This study provides a new perspective for understanding the economic effects of the transformation of industrial parks into NDEIPs, and provides a reference for the government on how to maximize these economic effects.

Large walking and wellbeing behaviour benefits of co-designed sustainable park improvements: A natural experimental study in a UK deprived urban area.

There is little robust evidence of how sustainable park interventions impact on physical activity and other behaviours important for wellbeing. This controlled natural experimental study aimed to examine the effects of co-designing a sustainable park intervention, in a deprived UK urban area, on walking and other wellbeing behaviours. Behaviour observations were conducted at two intervention sites and two matched comparison sites (n = 4,783). Walking observations (primary outcome), wellbeing behaviours (vigorous, sedentary, social and take notice activities) and demographic characteristics were assessed at pre-intervention, and post-intervention (3 and 15 months). Outcomes were compared between intervention and comparison groups, controlling for pre-intervention using multilevel negative binomial regression models. Additional behaviour observations were conducted in two unchanged nearby sites to assess changes in general local activity. Intercept surveys (n = 623) assessed change in self-reported outdoor space usage at intervention and control areas. Post-intervention, walking increased 203 % at 3 months (IRR 2·03, 95 % CI 1·01-4·09) and 351 % at 15 months (IRR 3·51, 95 % CI 2·07-5·93), for intervention sites relative to comparison sites. Large increases for other wellbeing behaviours were also observed. The proportion of non-white persons increased substantially post-intervention, compared to comparison sites. Nearby unchanged sites showed little evidence of general increased activity. Self-reported outdoor usage increased more in the intervention sites (p=<0·001). Sustainable solutions can yield large increases in walking and wellbeing in deprived areas, especially where interventions are co-designed with residents. More collaborative and robust natural experimental studies like this are needed to better inform decision-makers how to maximise health and wellbeing outcomes from sustainable interventions.

Prevalence, genetic diversity and eco-epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira species in small mammal communities in urban parks Lyon city, France.

Rodents are recognized as the main reservoirs of Leptospira spp. Rats, in particular, serve as hosts for the widely predominant Leptospira interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae, found worldwide. Several studies have shown the importance of other reservoirs, such as mice or hedgehogs, which harbor other leptospires' serovars. Nevertheless, our knowledge of circulating Leptospira spp. in reservoirs other than rats remains limited. In this context, we proposed an eco-health approach to assess the health hazard associated with leptospires in urban green spaces, where contacts between human/small mammals and domestic animals are likely. We studied the prevalence, the diversity of circulating strains, and epidemiology of pathogenic Leptospira species in small terrestrial mammal communities (rodents and shrews), between 2020-2022, in two parks in Lyon metropolis, France. Our study showed a significant carriage of Leptospira spp. in small terrestrial mammals in these parks and unveiled a global prevalence rate of 11.4%. Significant variations of prevalence were observed among the small mammal species (from 0 to 26.1%), with Rattus norvegicus exhibiting the highest infection levels (26.1%). We also observed strong spatio-temporal variations in Leptospira spp. circulation in its reservoirs. Prevalence seems to be higher in the peri-urban park and in autumn in 2021 and 2022. This is potentially due to differences in landscape, abiotic conditions and small mammal communities' composition. Our study suggests an important public health relevance of rats and in a lesser extent of other rodents (Apodemus spp., Clethrionomys glareolus and Mus musculus) as reservoirs of L. interrogans, with rodent species carrying specific serogroups/serovars. We also emphasize the potential hazard associated between the shrew Crocidura russula and L. kirschneri. Altogether, these results improve our knowledge about the prevalence of leptospirosis in an urban environment, which is an essential prerequisite for the implementation of prevention of associated risks.

Nurturing future leaders for nature: the example of the UK's National Education Nature Park.

This piece reviews the evidence on the effect that engaging with nature has on school-age children's future attitudes and behaviour towards nature. It also looks into the impact engaging with nature has on children and young people's physical, mental and personal development and the evidence on how much time children in England are spending in natural environments. It then presents a UK Government project, the National Education Nature Park (NENP), intended to increase children in England's access to nature by developing nature spaces within the grounds of educational institutions. It concludes with suggestions for how the implementation of the NENP could be used to learn more about the effect that engaging with nature has on children alongside understanding how school-based nature projects could benefit the local environment. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'.

Optimal site selection strategies for urban parks green spaces under the joint perspective of spatial equity and social equity.

Urban park green spaces (UPGS) are a crucial element of social public resources closely related to the health and well-being of urban residents, and issues of equity have always been a focal point of concern. This study takes the downtown area of Nanchang as an example and uses more accurate point of interest (POI) and area of interest (AOI) data as analysis sources. The improved Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (G2SFCA) and spatial autocorrelation models are then used to assess the spatial and social equity in the study area, and the results of the two assessments were coupled to determine the optimization objective using the community as the smallest unit. Finally, the assessment results are combined with the k-means algorithm and particle swarm algorithm (PSO) to propose practical optimization strategies with the objectives of minimum walking distance and maximum fairness. The results indicate (1) There are significant differences in UPGS accessibility among residents with different walking distances, with the more densely populated Old Town and Honggu Tan areas having lower average accessibility and being the main areas of hidden blindness, while the fringe areas in the northern and south-western parts of the city are the main areas of visible blindness. (2) Overall, the UPGS accessibility in Nanchang City exhibits a spatial pattern of decreasing from the east, south, and west to the center. Nanchang City is in transition towards improving spatial and social equity while achieving basic regional equity. (3) There is a spatial positive correlation between socioeconomic level and UPGS accessibility, reflecting certain social inequity. (4) Based on the above research results, the UPGS layout optimization scheme was proposed, 29 new UPGS locations and regions were identified, and the overall accessibility was improved by 2.76. The research methodology and framework can be used as a tool to identify the underserved areas of UPGS and optimize the spatial and social equity of UPGS, which is in line with the current trend of urban development in the world and provides a scientific basis for urban infrastructure planning and spatial resource allocation.

The association of access to green space with low mental distress and general health in older adults: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Access to green space is considered beneficial to mental and physical health, though the causal pathways are not completely clear. Accordingly, the objective of this study was to examine how access to green space was associated with low mental distress and general health among older adults. METHODS: The data in our study stems from a survey from three Norwegian counties in 2015-16, n = 2937. The main exposure variable was self-reported access to green space, and the outcome variables were self-reported mental distress and general health. Logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, education, physical activity, functional disability, access to cultural/sports facilities and economic security was performed to assess the association between the exposure variable and the outcome variables. RESULTS: Access to green space was associated with both higher odds of low mental distress (Odds Ratio = 3.85**, 95% CI 2.04-6.02) and good general health (OR = 8.20**, 95%CI 5.88-11.49) compared to no access. In models adjusted for sex, age, and education, the ORs were only slightly changed (OR = 4.03**, 95%CI 2.52-6.45) and (OR = 7.91**, 95%CI 5.63-11.13). However, adjusting for general health with low mental distress as outcome, the association was no longer statistically significant; (OR = 1.28 95%CI 0.74-2.21). Adjusting for low mental distress with general health as outcome, the association remained statistically significant; (OR = 3.43** 95%CI 2.34-5.03). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the association between access to green space and mental health may be mediated by general health. This implies that studies of associations between access to green space and mental health must take general health into consideration.

Evaluation of ecotourism suitability based on AHP-GIS: Taking Xiaoxiangling area of the Giant Panda National Park and the surrounding communities as an example.

The primary goal of national parks is to protect ecological environment, but also with the functions of scientific research, education, and recreation. Aiming for the realization of universal sharing, we used the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to construct an ecotourism suitability evaluation system by selecting four factors, including landscape resources, ecological environment carrying capacity, recreation utilization capacity and social condition, taking Xiaoxiangling area of Giant Panda National Park and the surrounding communities as an example. We evaluated the ecotourism suitability based on GIS, and conducted a questionnaire survey of tourists, to propose suggestions on the functional zoning in terms of ecotourism suitability and subjective choice preferences of tourists. The results showed that the ecotourism suitability of the evaluation area could be classified into five levels. The most suitable areas were located nearby the natural landscape resources and far away from the core conservation area, and the least suitable areas distributed at the edge of the core conservation area. According to the results of suitability analysis, the evaluation area was divided into suitable development area, moderate development area, and restricted development area. Combined with the tourist preferences, we divided the recreational activities in the evaluation area into seven activities, namely, ecotourism, eco-camping, science education, leisure vacation, agricultural and animal husbandry culture experience, eco-education, and mountain adventure. These findings could help provide suitable services for different tourists and offer reference for the ecotourism developmental planning of the Xiaoxiangling area of the Giant Panda National Park.