Passive recovery of small vertebrates following livestock removal in the Australian rangelands

Published source details Haby N.A. & Brandle R. (2018) Passive recovery of small vertebrates following livestock removal in the Australian rangelands. Restoration Ecology, 26, 174-182.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Cease livestock grazing: Forest, open woodland & savanna Action Link
	Cease livestock grazing: Grassland & shrubland Action Link

Cease livestock grazing: Forest, open woodland & savanna

A replicated, site comparison study in 1997–2007 in open woodland in south eastern Australia, Australia (Haby & Brandle 2018) found that following removal of domestic livestock, combined reptile and small mammal species richness, but not abundance, increased. Over 11 years, overall reptile and small mammal species richness increased after livestock removal in woodland (0.04 species/100 trap nights/year) compared to areas with livestock (0.01 species/100 trap nights/year). Over the same time period, livestock removal did not affect the change in overall reptile and small mammal abundance over time (no livestock: −0.40 individuals/100 trap nights/year; with livestock: −0.31). In 1997–2007, reptiles and small mammals were surveyed in two woodland sites (open mulga Acacia aneura woodland) with historical but no current domestic livestock grazing and two sites with livestock (sheep and/or cattle) grazing in the Flinders Ranges. Reptiles were surveyed using pitfall traps one–three times/year (23 surveys).

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)
Cease livestock grazing: Grassland & shrubland

A replicated, site-comparison study in 1997–2007 in shrub and woodland in south eastern Australia, Australia (Haby & Brandle 2018) found that ungrazed and grazed sites had similar combined reptile and small mammal species richness. Over 11 years, reptile and small mammal species richness remained similar in ungrazed (0.03 species/100 trap nights/year) and grazed shrubland (0.04 species/100 trap nights/year). Over the same time period, livestock removal did not affect the change in overall reptile and small mammal abundance over time in shrubland (no livestock: 0.02 individuals/100 trap nights/year; with livestock: 0.11) In 1997–2007, reptiles and small mammals were surveyed in two shrubland sites (degraded chenopod shrubland dominated by A. victoriae.) with historical but no current domestic livestock grazing and two sites with livestock (sheep and/or cattle) grazing. Reptiles were surveyed using pitfall traps one–three times/year (22 surveys).

(Summarised by: Katie Sainsbury)