Highlights
- Visitors initially perceived lampenflora positively
- Ecological information shifted visitors’ perceptions toward conservation
- Cave value and conservation awareness were associated with tourism evaluations
- Environmental education may support socially acceptable lampenflora management
- A social–ecological approach may support adaptive show cave management
Abstract
Artificial lighting in show caves promotes lampenflora growth, altering cave ecosystems and posing persistent management challenges. Although various control methods have been proposed, their effectiveness and social acceptance remain context dependent. This study investigated visitors’ perceptions of lampenflora through questionnaire surveys and semi-structured interviews to explore adaptive management strategies. Results indicated that visitors generally held positive impressions of lampenflora, but these impressions became more critical after receiving information about its artificial origin and ecological impacts. At the same time, support for conservation-oriented management, including willingness to contribute financially, tended to increase following information provision. Tourism-related evaluations were more strongly associated with perceptions of the cave’s intrinsic value and conservation efforts than with impressions of lampenflora itself. These findings highlight the importance of environmental education and stakeholder engagement as components of adaptive management strategies for lampenflora in show caves.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.ijs2607
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Ando, K., Nakajima, K., Watanabe, S., Komukai, M., Kuwahara, H., 2026. Exploring lampenflora management through an environmental–social combined approach: insights from Ryusen-do Cave, Japan. International Journal of Speleology, 55(3), ijs2607. https://doi.org/10.5038/1827-806X.ijs2607
Supplementary information
