资源环境科技发展态势分析平台

In a rapidly urbanizing world, people are increasingly at risk of being disconnected from nature. Previous studies demonstrate that urban parks support contact of urban dwellers with "nature", urban foraging activities and contribute to human well-being. While the importance of biodiversity underlying ecosystem services is broadly acknowledged, the role of individual plant species in the interaction of park visitors with biodiversity has received less attention. By applying a mixed methods approach in two parks in Berlin (biodiversity analysis, observation, interviews), we aimed to (i) determine the importance of biodiversity interactionat the species level in relation to other park activities, (ii) identify the range of used and non-used plant species, (iii) determine purposes underlying the utilization of individual species, and (iv) analyze gender-related differences in these activities. Results indicated a considerable proportion of activities related to individual plant species (12%), compared to other activities in parks. In total, 26 cultivated or spontaneous species (ca 17% of the local species pools), were used for consumption (60%), decoration (21%) and biodiversity experience (17%). Native and non-native plants were utilized proportionally to local supply. More women (78%) than men interacted with plant species. Another 33 species were identified as being gathered in Berlin outside of gardens based on interviews of park visitors. Findings support approaches toward a biodiversity-friendly park design and management. Maintaining and facilitating biodiversity interactions for a broad range of park-users is a promising pathway to biodiversity conservation in cities and would help counteract the loss of experience in human-nature interactions. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.