Intruduction:We assessed recent trends in children's connection with nature over the period of 2000-2015,using indices of wildlife awareness that focus on changes in wildlife abundance and the level of apathy amon...Intruduction:We assessed recent trends in children's connection with nature over the period of 2000-2015,using indices of wildlife awareness that focus on changes in wildlife abundance and the level of apathy among children.We used data from a survey conducted in 63 junior high school districts in the city of Sendai in Japan.In these surveys,children were asked whether they had seen 12 species groups within the past year.To examine changes in children's connection with nature,we used observed frequencies as an indicator of both the abundance of the species and children's apathy toward it.Results and Discussions:Results indicated an increase in children's apathy toward species that had low popularity regardless of residential environment.Our results suggest that regular exposure to wildlife would be effective in preventing the loss of children's connection with nature,particularly by reducing children's apathy toward less-popular species.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science[JP16KK0053,JP17K02105]Kurita Water and Environment Foundation[17K010]+4 种基金Environment Research and Technology Development Fund[(S-15-2(1)(3)Predicting and Assessing Natural Capital and Ecosystem Services(PANCES))]Ecological Society of ChinaTohoku Regional Development AssociationResearch Institute for Humanity and Nature[No.14200126]Toyota Foundation[D17-N-0107]。
文摘Intruduction:We assessed recent trends in children's connection with nature over the period of 2000-2015,using indices of wildlife awareness that focus on changes in wildlife abundance and the level of apathy among children.We used data from a survey conducted in 63 junior high school districts in the city of Sendai in Japan.In these surveys,children were asked whether they had seen 12 species groups within the past year.To examine changes in children's connection with nature,we used observed frequencies as an indicator of both the abundance of the species and children's apathy toward it.Results and Discussions:Results indicated an increase in children's apathy toward species that had low popularity regardless of residential environment.Our results suggest that regular exposure to wildlife would be effective in preventing the loss of children's connection with nature,particularly by reducing children's apathy toward less-popular species.
