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The Social Dimension of Stress: Experimental Manipulations of Social Support and Social Identity in the Trier Social Stress Test
Published on: November 19, 2015
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Exploring the social dimension of sandy beaches through predictive modelling
Elianny Domínguez-Tejo1, Graciela Metternicht1, Emma L Johnston2
1Pangea Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Biological Sciences Building (D26), Kensington 2052, NSW, Australia.
Journal of Environmental Management
|March 17, 2018
Summary
Understanding community values and preferred beach activities is crucial for managing sandy ecosystems. Demographic data, especially age, significantly predicts these preferences, aiding holistic beach management strategies.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Management
- Human Ecology
- Coastal Studies
Background:
- Sandy beaches are unique ecosystems facing increasing human pressures.
- Integrating social data into beach management is essential for a holistic approach.
- Understanding community values and preferences is key to the social dimension of beach environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the links between demographics and community values/preferred beach activities.
- To apply predictive models to understand social-ecological interactions in beach environments.
- To demonstrate how demographic models can support proactive beach management.
Main Methods:
- A mixed-methods approach using surveys in Manly, Sydney Harbour, Australia.
- Demographic variables (age, education, income, etc.) were used as predictors.
- Akaike's information criterion (AIC) was used to compare regression models; results visualized as heat maps.
Main Results:
- Social and restful activities are significant links between communities and beaches.
- Participant's age was a significant predictor across four demographic models.
- Predictive models quantified community responses to beach environments.
Conclusions:
- Demographic predictive models enhance understanding of social-ecological beach systems.
- These models support integrated and proactive beach management strategies.
- Findings align with international research on community-beach interactions.
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