Tourism and biodiversity dynamics in African conservation systems: gradual ecological change, social trade-offs and adaptive governance

Africa's diverse ecosystems play a central role in supporting biodiversity conservation, human wellbeing, and economic development through the provision of vital ecosystem services. Although biodiversity loss and ecosystem decline are increasingly documented, research and policy responses have largely focused on acute disturbances such as extreme climatic events, often overlooking the cumulative effects of gradual drivers. Among these, nature-based tourism represents a pervasive yet under-recognized pressure on African social-ecological systems (SES). This review synthesizes evidence on how tourism functions as a gradual driver of biodiversity change across diverse ecosystems. Drawing on studies and case examples primarily from savanna and forest ecosystems, this review synthesizes literature published between 2000 and 2026 to examine the mechanisms through which repeated tourism activities, including wildlife viewing, off-road vehicle use, trekking, and boating, alter wildlife behavior, degrade habitats, disrupt species interactions, and affect ecosystem functioning over time. These changes extend to ecosystem services and human wellbeing, generating trade-offs between short-term economic gains and long-term ecological integrity, particularly in tourism-dependent conservation systems. Using an SES and resilience lens, the review shows how tourism-related pressures interact with other stressors, including climate variability, land-use change, and governance constraints, amplifying ecosystem vulnerability and complicating management responses. It also identifies a set of adaptive and context-specific strategies aimed at reducing biodiversity loss while sustaining ecosystem services, including spatial planning and zoning, wildlife-sensitive operations, community-based natural resource management, strengthened governance frameworks, and learning-oriented approaches such as citizen science and environmental education. This review advances an integrated understanding of biodiversity change and governance responses to tourism in Africa. The analysis underscores the importance of cross-scale, adaptive, and inclusive approaches to managing tourism in ways that sustain both ecological integrity and tourism-linked livelihoods.