RESEARCH ARTICLE The effect of land use change and ecotourism on biodiversity: a case study of Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica, from 1985 to 2008 Eben N. Broadbent • Ange ´lica M. Almeyda Zambrano • Rodolfo Dirzo • William H. Durham • Laura Driscoll • Patrick Gallagher • Rosalyn Salters • Jared Schultz • Ange ´lica Colmenares • Shannon G. Randolph Received: 2 January 2011 / Accepted: 6 February 2012 / Published online: 21 February 2012 Ó Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012 Abstract Development in biodiversity rich areas is of global concern. While development may lead to socioeconomic benefits, this often comes concomitant with biodiversity loss and deforestation. Biodiversity rich areas present the opportunity for both improve- ments in socioeconomic conditions and conservation; however numerous challenges exist. Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park presents an ideal case study to investigate the balance between alternative forms of development which have contrasting envi- ronmental impacts. The Manuel Antonio region is a highly dynamic landscape experiencing deforestation, from agriculture, cattle ranching and oil palm planta- tions; and also reforestation from abandonment of land holdings and nature oriented tourism. Landscape dynamics are closely intertwined with the livelihoods and perspectives on biodiversity conservation of local communities, determining ecological sustainability. We use an analysis combining multi-temporal remote sensing of land cover dynamics from 1985 to 2008 with questionnaire data from local families on their socioeconomic status, perspectives on conservation, and perceived changes in local wildlife populations. Our results show that, while regeneration occurred and forest fragmentation in the area decreased from 1985 to 2008, Manuel Antonio National Park is rapidly becoming isolated. Decreasing ecological connectiv- ity is related to the rapid expansion of oil palm plantations adjacent to the park and throughout the lowland areas. Perceived decreases in wildlife abun- dance and compositional change are evident through- out the area, with local communities attributing this primarily to illegal hunting activities. Nature based tourism in the area presents an effective strategy for conservation, including reductions in hunting, through increased valuation of biodiversity and protected Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s10980-012-9722-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. E. N. Broadbent (&) Á A. M. A. Zambrano Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305, USA e-mail: eben.broadbent@gmail.com E. N. Broadbent Á R. Dirzo Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA A. M. A. Zambrano Á W. H. Durham Á L. Driscoll Á P. Gallagher Á S. G. Randolph Department of Anthropology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA W. H. Durham Á L. Driscoll Á R. Salters Á J. Schultz Center for Responsible Travel, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA J. Schultz Department of Anthropology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA A. Colmenares Universidad de Turismo de Costa Rica, San Jose ´, Costa Rica 123 Landscape Ecol (2012) 27:731–744 DOI 10.1007/s10980-012-9722-7