
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown
Published: July 16, 2024
Abstract Amid ongoing urbanisation and increasing anthropogenic activities, domestic gardens, while they cannot replace undisturbed habitats, play a valuable role in enhancing urban biodiversity by supplementing green areas improving landscape connectivity. Moreover, biodiversity-friendly gardens also improve human well-being foster connections between nature people. To study these benefits, we distributed an online questionnaire 2022 2023, used scoring system to evaluate the ecological value of garden owners’ motivations, pesticide use habits. We machine learning explore how indices interact what sociodemographic factors drive them across nine Central Eastern European (CEE) countries. Additionally, explored differences similarities values gardening practices building high biodiversity. Our findings reveal significant variability both within countries, all three with Romania faring low Czechia reaching scores indices. Domestic was ubiquitous CEE largely unaffected factors. However, increased time spent associated reduced greater potential for fostering Garden owners over 55 tended follow uphold longstanding conventional thus lowered index scores. The local-scale observed emphasise need regionally tailored guidelines standardized regulations Europe. Optimal strategies effective environmental educational community programs can be developed based on local this study. maximize their impact meet needs, should educate about health effects pesticides offer comprehensive biodiversity-related information regions social strata. This is particularly crucial Europe (CEE), where such initiatives are currently underrepresented. Highlights enhance support well-being. Study conducted Significant countries practices. Improving needs scaled strategies. Reducing awareness key.
Language: Английский