Seasonal variation of cultural ecosystem services in urban blue-green spaces based on the SoLVES model and social media data

• Developed a dynamic CES assessment framework integrating SoLVES with social media photos. • Overcame platform-imposed spatial constraints by extracting photo geolocation data. • Identified clear seasonal preferences in public CES perception across blue-green space types. • Found that road accessibility strongly shapes CES spatial distribution patterns. • Revealed spring data dominance in annual CES assessments, masking seasonal variation. Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) are an essential component of ecosystem services, playing a key role in enhancing human well-being. However, conventional CES perception studies are often restricted by static frameworks, limiting their ability to capture spatio-temporal dynamics. Although social media data provide advantages for tracking CES dynamics, platform-imposed spatial boundaries hinder fine-scale analysis. To address these limitations, this study introduces an innovative approach that extracts geolocation information from social media photographs to overcome platform constraints. A dynamic CES assessment framework was developed based on the Social Values for Ecosystem Services (SoLVES) model and applied to the North Section of Shanghai Botanical Garden to examine seasonal variations in public CES perception. The findings reveal: (1) CES perception exhibits distinct seasonal preferences. Near-water areas record higher CES values in summer, while vegetated areas far from roads decline notably in winter. Scenic sites with spring and summer blooms show significantly higher CES values in those seasons than in autumn and winter. (2) Core landscape features, such as the Submerged Trestle, consistently maintain high CES values year-round. (3) Road accessibility plays a decisive role in shaping CES perception. (4) Annual CES assessments are strongly dominated by spring data, which may obscure seasonal spatial patterns. This study advances the understanding of seasonal mechanisms influencing CES in plant-themed urban blue-green spaces and provides a scientific basis for adaptive design and management strategies.