State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of the Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China.
PLoS One. 2013 May 9;8(5):e62486. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062486. Print 2013.
In this study, we explore the potential contributions of a risk perception framework in understanding public perceptions of unstable ecosystems. In doing so, we characterize one type of common ecological risk- harmful algal blooms (HABs)-in four of the most seriously eutrophicated freshwater lakes in China. These lakes include Chaohu, Dianchi, Hongze, and Taihu, where a total of 2000 residents living near these sites were interviewed. Regional discrepancies existed in the pilot study regarding public perceptions of ecological changes and public concerns for ecological risk. Comparing HABs and other kinds of risks (earthquake, nuclear, and public traffic) through the psychometric paradigm method, Knowledge, Effect, and Trust were three key factors formulating the risk perception model. The results indicated that Knowledge and risk tolerance levels had significant negative correlations in the higher economic situation while correlations in the lower economic situation were significantly positive. Effect and risk tolerance levels had significant negative correlations in the high and middle education situation while correlations in the low education situation were close to zero or insignificant. For residents from Taihu with comparatively higher economic and educational levels, more investment in risk prevention measures and stronger policies are needed. And for residents from Hongze and Dianchi with comparatively low economic and educational levels, improvement of the government's credibility (Trust) was the most important factor of risk tolerance, so efforts to eliminate ecological problems with the stepwise development of economic and educational levels should be implemented and gradually strengthened. In turn, this could prevent public discontent and ensure support for ecological protection policies.
在本研究中，我们探讨了风险感知框架在理解公众对不稳定生态系统的看法方面的潜在贡献。为此，我们对中国四个富营养化最严重的淡水湖中一种常见的生态风险——有害藻华（HAB）进行了特征描述。这些湖泊包括巢湖、滇池、洪泽湖和太湖，在这些地点附近居住的 2000 名居民接受了采访。在试点研究中，公众对生态变化的看法和对生态风险的关注存在地区差异。通过心理测量范式方法比较 HAB 和其他风险（地震、核和公共交通），知识、效应和信任是构成风险感知模型的三个关键因素。结果表明，在较高的经济情况下，知识和风险容忍水平呈显著负相关，而在较低的经济情况下，两者呈显著正相关。在高和中等教育情况下，效应和风险容忍水平呈显著负相关，而在低教育情况下，两者的相关性接近零或不显著。对于经济和教育水平相对较高的太湖居民来说，需要更多的风险预防措施投资和更强有力的政策。而对于经济和教育水平相对较低的洪泽湖和滇池居民来说，提高政府的可信度（信任）是风险容忍的最重要因素，因此，应该实施并逐步加强经济和教育水平逐步发展来解决生态问题的措施。这样可以防止公众不满，确保对生态保护政策的支持。
