Public perception of blue-algae bloom risk in Hongze Lake of China.
In this work we characterize the public perception of one kind of ecological risk-blue-algae bloom in Hongze Lake, China, based on the psychometric paradigm method. In the first survey of May 2008, 300 respondents of Sihong County adjacent to Hongze Lake were investigated, with a total of 156 questionnaires returned. Then in a second survey of July 2008, 500 respondents from the same research area were investigated, with 318 questionnaires collected. This research firstly attempted to explore the local respondents' degree of concern regarding ecological changes to Hongze Lake in the last ten years. Secondly, to explore the public perception of blue-algae bloom compared to three typical kinds of hazards including earthquake, nuclear power and public traffic. T-test was used to examine the difference of risk perception in these four hazards over time. The third part of this research, with demographic analysis and nonparametric statistical test, predicted the different groups of respondents' willingness to accept (WTA) risk of blue-algae bloom in two surveys. Using multiple linear regression analysis, the risk perception model explained 28.3% of variance in the WTA blue-algae bloom risk. The variables of Knowledge, Social effect, Benefit, Controllability and Trust in government were significantly correlated with WTA, which implied that these variables were the main influencing factors explaining the respondents' willingness to accept risk. The results would help the Chinese government to comprehend the public's risk perception of the lake ecosystem, inducing well designed communication of risks with public and making effective mitigation policies to improve people's rational risk judgment.
Huang
Lei
L
State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control & Resource Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People's Republic of China. huanglei@nju.edu.cn
Sun
Kai
K
Ban
Jie
J
Bi
Jun
J
D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000254:growth & development*; D005068:Eutrophication; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis*; D011050:Policy Making; D011594:Psychometrics; D011639:Public Opinion; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
Environ Manage. 2008 Aug;42(2):249-64
18414940
Risk Anal. 2001 Feb;21(1):189-98
11332547
Risk Anal. 2008 Jun;28(3):635-43
18643821
Risk Anal. 2008 Aug;28(4):1021-32
18627537
J Pers Soc Psychol. 1994 Mar;66(3):460-73
8169760
Science. 2007 Aug 31;317(5842):1166
17761862
Risk Anal. 2004 Apr;24(2):311-22
15078302
Environ Manage. 2006 Feb;37(2):200-8
16328676
Risk Anal. 2008 Dec;28(6):1763-7
18627543
Environ Manage. 2005 Nov;36(5):711-25
16206023
Risk Anal. 1995 Oct;15(5):575-88
7501876
Environ Manage. 2009 May;43(5):863-75
19294465
Risk Anal. 2008 Feb;28(1):203-12
18304117
Risk Anal. 2004 Jun;24(3):737-49
15209942
Science. 1987 Apr 17;236(4799):280-5
3563507
Risk Anal. 2005 Feb;25(1):211-22
15787770
Environ Manage. 2005 Nov;36(5):665-74
16215648
Risk Anal. 1994 Dec;14(6):1101-8
7846319
Environ Manage. 2004 Jun;33(6):899-910
15517686
Risk Anal. 2008 Apr;28(2):311-24
18419651
Risk Anal. 2000 Apr;20(2):195-203
10859780
Risk Anal. 2003 Dec;23(6):1271-85
14641900