Xuan Guo

Soundscapes can substantially influence human well-being, yet evidence regarding their contributions across different well-being dimensions remains fragmented. In this study, a systematic review of 194 studies and a meta-analysis of 66 studies comprising 1658 effect sizes across 28 sound sources were conducted to evaluate the contributions of soundscapes to environmental experience, health, behavioral responses, and social well-being. Natural sounds consistently showed positive effects for well-being-related outcomes (Hedges’ g range: 0.53–0.59), with particularly strong impacts on human health (Hedges’ g = 0.59, 95% CI [0.42, 0.76]). Human sounds showed more targeted benefits, particularly for behavioral responses (Hedges’ g = 0.60, 95% CI [0.24, 0.97]) and social well-being (Hedges’ g = 0.38, 95% CI [0.08, 0.68]). Contextual factors significantly moderated these relationships: the effects of natural sound remained robust across contexts, whereas those of human sound were more context-dependent. These findings highlight the importance of moving beyond conventional noise mitigation approaches by integrating beneficial soundscape elements into environmental planning. Incorporating soundscape planning and design into environmental development strategies can enhance human well-being, inform public health interventions, and support more sustainable and livable cities.

The acoustic environment of urban forests is indispensable for urban residents’ nature-based recreation opportunities and experience of green spaces, and the perceptual and physical sound features in time and space serve as determinants during this process. However, their spatiotemporal variation mechanisms and influential landscape characteristics are still underexplored in urban forests. Thus, this study aims to explore the spatiotemporal variability of perceptual and physical sound features and their relationship with landscape characteristics in urban forests. For this purpose, we measured perceptual sound features using the indicators of the sound harmonious degree (SHD) and soundscape pleasantness and eventfulness. The physical acoustic features were determined using sound-level parameters for measuring the sound level intensity (L_Aeq, L₁₀, L₉₀) and fluctuation (L_10–90). Perceptual and physical sound data collection was based on on-site questionnaire surveys and acoustic instrument measurements, respectively. The landscape characteristics were classified using the principal components of four main categories, including the terrain, area proportion of land cover types, distance to land cover types, and landscape patterns. The results showcase that significant spatiotemporal variation was found in most perceptual and physical sound features, whereas soundscape pleasantness and eventfulness did not vary significantly across time. In general, the variabilities of both perceptual and physical sound features were affected more by the types of spatial functions than by diurnal patterns. Human activities that generate sounds (e.g., hawking, playing, and exercise) may be the key drivers for spatiotemporal changes in physical acoustic features. The components of landscape patterns, including landscape structural diversity and shape complexity persistently, affected specific sound features in all periods. However, no landscape component had persistent cross-spatial influences on the sound features. This study offers critical insights into the spatiotemporal patterns of the acoustic environment and its relationship with landscape characteristics in urban forests. The findings underscore the practical importance and implications of integrating acoustic considerations into urban forest management. By providing a scientific foundation, these results can usefully inform dynamic resource management, functional zoning optimization, and sustainable landscape development in urban forests.

The restorative effects of soundscapes on human physical and mental well-being are widely recognized, but their effectiveness is influenced by various factors, including external environments and individual characteristics. Despite being a crucial element in environmental experience, the role of individual behavior in the restorative effects of soundscapes has been insufficiently studied. To address this research gap, we conducted a survey in five parks in Fuzhou, China, using questionnaires to assess visitors’ evaluations of soundscape characteristics, their soundscape restorative experiences, and behavioral characteristics. A total of 419 valid responses were collected. Using these data, we employed a structural equation model and conditional process analysis to explore the interaction between visitor behavior and soundscape experiences. The results show that soundscapes with pleasantness and eventfulness promote static behaviors to a certain degree, while dynamic behaviors are influenced solely by eventfulness soundscapes. In the process by which soundscape characteristics influence restorative experiences, static behavior is the only mediating factor, accounting for 8% of the total effect. Additionally, increased visit intensity enhances the impact of pleasantness soundscape on restorative experiences while weakening the mediating effect of static behavior. These findings provide strong support for relevant design considerations.

Soundscapes are important resources and contribute to high-quality visiting experiences in scenic areas. Based on a public investigation of 195 interviewees in the Kulangsu scenic area, this study aimed to explore the relationships between the harmonious degree of sound sources (SHD) and visiting experience indicators, in terms of soundscape perception, as well as the satisfaction degree of visual landscape and comprehensive impression. The results suggested that the dominating positions of human sounds did not totally suppress the perception of natural sounds such as birdsong and sea waves in the scenic area. Natural sound sources also showed a higher harmonious degree than other artificial sounds. Significant relationships existed between the SHD of most sound sources and the visiting experience indicators. Natural sounds were closely related to pleasant and comfortable soundscape perception, while mechanical sound sources were mainly related to eventful and varied soundscapes. The close relationships between certain sound sources and the satisfaction degree of the visual landscape and comprehensive impression evaluation indicated the effectiveness of audio-visual and even multi-sensory approaches to enhance visiting experience. The structural equation model further revealed that (1) natural sound was the most influential sound source of soundscape and visual landscape perception; (2) human sounds and mechanical sounds all showed significant positive effects on soundscape perception; and (3) indirect relationships could exist in the SHD of sound sources with comprehensive impression evaluation. The results can facilitate targeted soundscape and landscape management and landsense creation with the aim of improving visiting experience.