Wild and domestic savanna herbivores increase smaller vertebrate diversity, but less than additively

Cattle and other livestock graze more than a quarter of the world's terrestrial area are widely regarded to be drivers global biodiversity declines. Studies often compare effects presence/absence but, our knowledge, no studies have tested for interactive between large wild herbivores at varying stocking rates on small-bodied vertebrates. We investigated cattle (none/moderate/high) diversity wildlife 0.05–1,000 kg using camera traps long-term exclosure experiment within semi-arid savanna ecosystem in central Kenya. In addition, by selectively excluding ‘mesoherbivores’ (50–1,000 kg) ‘megaherbivores’ (>1,000 kg; elephant giraffe), we whether presence these two herbivore guilds (collectively, ‘larger herbivores’) mediates effect rate habitat use ‘smaller wildlife’ (mammals ranging 10 70 cm shoulder height birds). Our results show that enhance alpha smaller (with or without larger presence) all megaherbivore presence), altering vegetation structure. However, wildlife, this is less pronounced herbivores, which also shorten grass. absence cattle, mesoherbivore-accessible sites showed higher mesoherbivores. Smaller was increased high mesoherbivores other. Synthesis applications. findings imply grazing, can local diversity. The benefits localised increases herbivory likely due shortened grass associated visibility improvements (for predator avoidance/foraging). This suggests land managers increase shortening grass, with domestic (or both), least patches taller matrix.