An empirical study on the response of university students to viewing autumn secondary forest phytocommunities landscape via virtual reality in Northeast China

Secondary forests play a critical role in the natural environment and have the potential to provide significant benefits for human physical and mental well-being. The secondary forests in the Sanhu National Nature Reserve, located in Northeast China, have extremely high ecological value. In this study, we selected seven types of secondary forest phytocommunities in this region, measured ecological indicators at various sites, and captured panoramic photos on-site. Virtual reality (VR) technology was used to present and record participants' electroencephalogram (EEG) data for studying neural activity. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 26.0 to evaluate the data obtained from the study. The results showed that participants preferred landscapes predominantly consisting of mixed forests of Pinus koraiensis mixed broad-leaved forest (FP1.α and FP2.α: p = 0.001), featuring colorful and verdant scenery. Experiencing these seven types of secondary forest landscapes through virtual reality improved participants' mood and had a positive impact on them. Within a certain range (300–400 m, 0-30°), participants favored landscapes with higher elevations (FP1.β: p = 0.008, FP2.β: p = 0.001, F3.β: p = 0.006) and gentler slopes (F3.θ: p = 0.002, F4.θ: p = 0.031, F8.θ: p = 0.005). Additionally, participants showed a preference for secondary forest landscapes with a moderate canopy density ranging from 0.7 to 0.8 (FP1.θ: p = 0.015, FP2.θ: p = 0.014). The study also found that participants preferred landscapes with a greater abundance of trees and shrubs, as well as taller and narrower trees. Moreover, our study revealed that males favored autumn forest landscapes more than females, with graduate students showing a stronger preference compared to undergraduates. Urban residents also displayed a stronger preference for these landscapes over rural residents, and individuals from the Southern region expressed a higher inclination than their Northern counterparts (T3.δ: p = 0.002, p = 0.001 for others). These findings can provide reference for the design and plant arrangement of urban forest landscapes.