Long-term livestock exclusion increases plant richness and reproductive capacity in arid woodlands.

Herbivore exclusion is implemented globally to recover ecosystems from grazing by introduced and native herbivores, but evidence for large-scale biodiversity benefits is inconsistent in arid ecosystems. We examined the effects of livestock exclusion on dryland plant richness and reproductive capacity. We collected data on plant species richness and seeding (reproductive capacity), rainfall, vegetation productivity and cover, soil strength and herbivore grazing intensity from 68 sites across 6500 km of arid Georgina gidgee (Acacia georginae) woodlands in central Australia between 2018 and 2020.