Understanding the Challenge
There is growing interest in how contact with nature can support mental health and wellbeing, yet much of the existing evidence relies on self-reported outcomes and broad measures of greenspace exposure. In particular, there is a lack of robust empirical data examining how specific ecological characteristics, such as floral biodiversity and the presence of pollinators, influence both psychological and physiological indicators of wellbeing. This limits our ability to design and justify targeted nature-based interventions that deliver measurable health benefits.
This project addresses this gap by focusing on the relationship between increased floral biodiversity, exposure to pollinators, and wellbeing among university staff and students. By integrating ecological assessment with psychobiological measures of stress and mood, the research will move beyond subjective experience alone to explore underlying physiological responses. The study will examine whether short periods of exposure to wildflower planters on campus are associated with improvements in heart rate variability, a key indicator of stress regulation, and positive changes in self-reported mood.
Our Approach
The project will use a repeated measures study design to assess the acute effects of exposure to wildflower planters on wellbeing. Wildflower installations will be placed in selected campus locations in collaboration with the university estates team. Participants will attend individual sessions and complete physiological and psychological assessments before, during, and after a 15–20 minute exposure period.
Physiological wellbeing will be measured using continuous ECG recording to derive heart rate variability indicators. Psychological wellbeing will be assessed using a validated short mood scale administered immediately before and after exposure. Biodiversity will be systematically documented through species richness, colour diversity, flowering coverage, and calculation of the Shannon Diversity Index.
This research will bridge natural science with health science to create novel insights into how ecological interventions affect the physiological and psychological responses that underpin human health and wellbeing.
Rebecca Giles
Project Lead
School of Geography and Natural Sciences
Email: rebecca.giles@northumbria.ac.uk
Project Themes
