Page - 457 - in Biodiversity and Health in the Face of Climate Change

457 groups, and therefore management should focus on providing safe and high-quality green spaces for all members of the community. For future research, the author sug- gests mixed methods approaches that employ both quantitative and qualitative investigations based on both empirical observations and experimental designs in order to disentangle the determining factors for urban green space and health relationships. For children, considered as an especially vulnerable group of health beneficia- ries, Payam Dadvand and co-authors show that even before birth, prenatal exposure of mothers to green space can improve pregnancy outcomes. Contact with green space may further aid cognitive and behavioural development in children, and has been reported to have some effects on reducing attention-deficit hyperactivity disor- der (ADHD) symptoms. The authors identify potential mechanisms including: stress reduction; a higher level of social contacts and increased physical activity; reduction of urban environmental stressors, including noise, heat and air pollution; and increased contact with environmental microbiota. The latter has been shown to increase immunoregulation in several studies. The evidence of the impact of green space contact on respiratory and allergic conditions is inconsistent, as green spaces can provide positive effects whilst they are also a source of fungal spores and pol- lens. Proactive green space management can help to reduce asthma through careful plant species selection, increasing species diversity and mitigating exposure to air pollution. Despite the opportunity for greater physical activity in green spaces, there was inconsistent evidence of a reduction in obesity and overall increase in physical activity, possibly as studies did not sufficiently account for the quality of green spaces. The authors recommend that investigations should be carefully designed in order to account for confounding factors, such as quality of green space. Overall, in their synthesis, the authors advocate that biodiverse natural areas, especially in urban settings, are important factors for child health and development. 20.3 Mental Health and  Spiritual Well-Being Benefits of  Biodiversity Biodiverse natural environments not only have physical health effects and climate change adaptation potential, they also offer mental health and spiritual well-being benefits. As an introduction to the second part of the book, Melissa Marselle provides an overview of the conceptual frameworks that provide a perspective into the ways that biodiversity can influence mental health and well-being. Coming mostly from the field of environmental psychology, the frameworks discussed are environmental preference (Biophilia Hypothesis, Preference Matrix and Fractal dimensions of nature), theories of restorative environments (Stress Reduction Theory and Attention Restoration Theory) and the Ecosystem Service Cascade Model. Each framework is 20 Biodiversity and  Health in  the  Face of  Climate Change: Perspectives for  Science…