Grass seedling survival and microhabitat vegetation cover among herbivore exclusion treatments across grassland-shrubland ecotones at 3 sites, 2022 and 2023

The aim of this study is to reveal how mammalian herbivores differentially affect the survival of grass seedlings depending on herbivore taxa (cattle, oryx, lagomorphs, rodents) and microhabitat vegetation structure surrounding grass seedlings. This dataset includes data tracking the survival of grass seedlings among herbivore exclusion treatments across grassland, ecotone, and shrubland habitats. Seedling survival trials were established at 3 spatial blocks associated with the Ecotone Study: JER Pastures 9 and 12, and CDRRC Pasture 3. Survival trials were conducted on Pasture 12 in 2022, and on Pastures 3, 9, and 12 in 2023. Each spatial block contained 3 sites (grassland, ecotone, shrubland) that were further subdivided into 5 replicate plots (n = 45 plots). Two trays (1 control open to all herbivores, 1 caged allowing only rodent access) of 25 seedlings each were buried at ground level at each plot and their condition (i.e., alive & undamaged, alive & herbivore damaged, senesced or absent via herbivory, senesced due to environmental stress, resprouted following herbivory, unknown fate, or herbivory following senescence) recorded every 3 days for a total of 15 days. Microhabitat vegetation cover surrounding the seedling trays was collected using ocular estimates of cover across plant functional types (e.g., perennial grasses, forbs, sub-shrubs, shrubs, etc.) within 1 square-meter PVC quadrats placed on both the east and west face of seedling trays established in the field. Maximum height of vegetative (non-reproductive) plant tissue of each functional type was additionally recorded to gauge the level of grass seedling concealment.