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Although there have been several methods for achieving multiscale effects in virtual environments (VEs), they cannot assist users in constructing more complete spatial cognitive maps and presenting multiscale information efficiently. This study proposes a hierarchical-structure-based MSVE construction method, which can effectively integrate multiscale information and ensure that the richness of details of information is gradually enhanced with the progression of the hierarchical structure. In addition, a spatial navigation study is conducted, considering the relationship between users\u2019 perspective changes and spatial cognition, and the effects of users\u2019 perspective changes on their spatial cognition in an MSVE are explored. A multiscale virtual wetland environment covering four levels is constructed to conduct a case study of a virtual environment of a wetland of Poyang Lake. The research results show that the proposed method is feasible. Moreover, the spatial navigation based on the change in the hierarchical perspective is in line with the spatial cognitive habits of users, which can satisfy the cognitive needs of users from the macro-region to specific wetland landscapes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijgi13070219","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,24]],"date-time":"2024-06-24T08:42:03Z","timestamp":1719218523000},"page":"219","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Study on Multiscale Virtual Environment Construction and Spatial Navigation Based on Hierarchical Structure"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0000-4612-8585","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chao","family":"Chen","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chaoyang","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangxi Protected Area Construction Center, Nanchang 330006, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Kai","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Jiangxi Protected Area Construction Center, Nanchang 330006, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hao","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8859-7240","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xin","family":"Xiao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chaoyang","family":"Fang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Geography and Environment, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"},{"name":"Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Wetland and Watershed Research, Ministry of Education, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang 330022, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,6,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1447","DOI":"10.1007\/s10055-023-00753-8","article-title":"Visualization in virtual reality: A systematic review","volume":"27","author":"Korkut","year":"2023","journal-title":"Virtual Real."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1080\/15248372.2022.2133123","article-title":"Studying the Development of Navigation Using Virtual Environments","volume":"24","author":"Nguyen","year":"2023","journal-title":"J. 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