Data from: Recent grazing reduces reptile richness but historic grazing filters reptiles based on their functional traits

1. Grazing by mammalian herbivores can alter vegetation structure and
composition. It can therefore affect critical habitat features used by
native wildlife for shelter, feeding and breeding. This can have variable
effects, which advantage or disadvantage particular species, depending on
habitat requirements. 2. We tested the relative effects of recent and
historic livestock grazing and recent rabbit and kangaroo grazing on all
reptiles, and on specific groups of reptiles based on three functional
traits: habitat preference (semi-arboreal, terrestrial, fossorial),
activity pattern (diurnal, nocturnal) and primary foraging habitat (tree,
litter, open). 3. We used structural equation modelling to assess the
direct and indirect impacts of mammalian herbivores (livestock, and
free-ranging kangaroos and rabbits) on reptile richness at 108 semi-arid
woodland sites in eastern Australia. We used a trait-based approach to
classify reptiles according to their: (1) habitat preference, (2) activity
pattern and, (3) foraging preference. 4. We recorded 42 reptile species
from 1736 specimens caught over 13,824 trap nights. Sites grazed by
rabbits were associated with greater richness of semi-arboreal species.
Kangaroo grazing had virtually no effects on total richness or richness
within trait groups. The effects of recent and historic livestock grazing
differed among reptile trait groups. Increasing intensity of recent
livestock grazing reduced the richness of most reptile groups directly,
and indirectly suppressed the positive effect of native plant richness on
reptile richness. The effects of historic livestock grazing, however,
filtered reptiles based on their traits, reducing the richness of
tree-shrub foraging reptiles only. Increasing woody cover had direct
suppressive effects on all reptiles, but particularly open foragers and
terrestrial species. Overall, the effects of recent livestock grazing were
stronger than those of plant richness or woody cover. 5. Synthesis and
applications. We therefore demonstrate how grazing by all herbivores, both
domestic and free-ranging, needs to be managed according to seasonal
conditions in order to meet the conservation needs of semi-arid reptiles
within landscapes dominated by livestock .