Editing Nightcap National Park (section)

== Environmental threats ==

=== Pest animals ===
[[File:Cane Toad (Bufo marinus).jpg|thumb|Cane toad ''([[Bufo marinus]])'']]
Wild dogs ''([[Canis]] spp.)'', feral cats ''([[Felis catus]])'' and red foxes ''([[Vulpes vulpes]])'' are all predatory threats to native animals that live at the park, especially small mammals and ground-nesting birds and their eggs. These introduced predatory species can also outcompete native predators like the endangered spotted-tailed quoll.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":5">{{Cite book|title = Regional Pest Management Strategy 2012–17: Northern Rivers Region: a new approach for reducing impacts on native species and park neighbours.|publisher = Office of Environment and Heritage|year = 2012}}</ref> Black rats ''(Rattus rattus)'' are opportunistic feeders, eating both vegetation and animals such as large insects, lizards, birds and eggs. While rats have more of an impact on islands they still pose a threat to mainland habitats. By 2010 cane toads ''(Bufo marinus)'' started appearing around the outside region of the park but in lower numbers than at the nearby Borders Ranges NP. The cane toad is highly poisonous at every stage of its life, from egg to fully grown, and any animal that tries to eat it would likely die. Cane toads also prey upon and outcompete native endangered frogs for vital spawning habitats.<ref name=":5" />
[[File:Lantana camara (1).jpg|thumb|Lantana ''(Lantana camara)'']]

=== Weeds ===

Lantana ''([[Lantana camara]])'' is a weed of national significant that threatens the park, other weeds that are a significant threat include whiskey grass ''([[Andropogon virginicus]])'', crofton weed ''([[Ageratina adenophora]])'' and mistflower ''([[Ageratina riparia]])''. Weeds that are becoming a concern at the park include camphor laurel ''([[Cinnamomum camphora]])'', devil's fig ''([[Solanum torvum]])'' and Parramatta grass ''([[Sporobolus]] africanus).''<ref>{{Cite web|title = Parkvis redirector|url = http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/parkPestsWeeds.aspx?id=N0062|website = www.environment.nsw.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Weeds of National Significance (WONS)|url = http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/weeds/weeds/lists/wons.html|website = www.environment.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref>

=== Fire ===

Fire is not a requirement for rainforest species to germinate or to reproduce. If a fire did occur it would change habitat conditions and have an adverse impact on threatened rainforest species like the Nightcap oak.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Eidothea hardeniana – Nightcap Oak|url = http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=76351|website = www.environment.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref> A suspicious fire occurred in September 2014 near Minyon Falls Road at the park. Fortunately no one was harmed and it only burned dry sclerophyll forest.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Nightcap Oak - profile {{!}} NSW Environment & Heritage|url = http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedSpeciesApp/profile.aspx?id=10260|website = www.environment.nsw.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref> The park was devastated by the [[2019–20 Australian bushfire season|2019-2020 Australian brushfire season]], raising grave fears about the fate of its inhabitants.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|last1=Shoebridge|first1=Joanne|last2=Marciniak|first2=Catherine|date=2020-01-18|title=Gondwana-era nightcap oak devastated by unprecedented bushfire|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-01-18/gondwana-era-nightcap-oak-devastated-by-bushfire/11877770|access-date=2020-01-18|website=ABC News|language=en-AU}}</ref> However, many of the burned nightcap oak trees managed to regenerate after the fires, with only less than a fifth dying, and some of the inhabitants such as [[red-legged pademelon]] and [[long-nosed potoroo]] were shown to not be significantly affected, although others such as the [[golden-tipped bat]] were likely negatively affected.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-06-14|title=Precious nightcap oak survives the carnage of bushfire with show of uplifting resilience|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-06-15/ancient-nightcap-oak-natures-great-survivor/12353034|access-date=2021-08-24|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-02-06|title=Scientists on a mission to discover if threatened wildlife can survive intense bushfires|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-07/scientists-report-card-on-threatened-species/13113582|access-date=2021-08-24|website=www.abc.net.au|language=en-AU}}</ref>

=== ''Phytophthora cinnamomi'' ===
''[[Phytophthora cinnamomi]]'' is a microscopic soil-borne pathogen (a fungus), that causes root rot of plants and may eventually lead to the death of the plant. It has now spread across much of Australia primarily in areas of rainfall above 600mm and south of latitude 30°.<ref>{{Cite book|title = Statement of Intent, 1: Infection of native plants by Phytophthora cinnamomi|publisher = NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change|year = 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|title = Pathogen profile: Phytophthora cinnamomi|last = Hardham|first = A.R.|date = 2005|journal = Molecular Plant Pathology|doi = 10.1111/j.1364-3703.2005.00308.x|volume=6|issue = 6|pages=589–604|pmid = 20565682|doi-access = free}}</ref> On the EPBC Act the disease caused by this pathogen is listed as a key threatening process and has the potential to impact the Nightcap oak.<ref>{{Cite web|title = National recovery plan for the Nightcap Oak (Eidothea hardeniana) - 2. Legislative Context|url = http://www.environment.gov.au/node/15349|website = www.environment.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref>

=== Chytridiomycosis ===
[[File:Minyon Falls &amp; rhyolite.jpg|thumb|left|upright|Minyon Falls in the Nightcap National Park]]
[[File:Terania Rapids in Nightcap National Park, NSW (35363169706).jpg|thumb|left|Terania Rapids]]
[[File:View at Minyon Falls, Nightcap NP.JPG|thumb|View at Minyon Falls]]
[[File:Protesters Falls 2015.jpg|thumb|Protesters Falls in the Nightcap National Park]]
[[Chytridiomycosis]], caused by the chytrid fungus, is the world's worst disease affecting vertebrates. In Australia it is thought that the disease led to the extinction of four frog species and is threatening the survival of at least ten more frog species.<ref>{{Cite journal|url = http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:211140/UQ211140_OA.pdf|title = The distribution and host range of the pandemic disease chytridiomycosis in Australia, spanning surveys from 1956–2007.|last = Murray|first = K.|date = 2010|journal = Ecology|doi = 10.1890/09-1608.1|display-authors=etal |volume=91 |issue = 5|pages=1557–1558|hdl = 10072/37569|hdl-access = free}}</ref> Fifty species of frogs in Australia have been identified as being infected with the chytrid fungus.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Infection of frogs by amphibian chytrid causing the disease chytridiomycosis - profile {{!}} NSW Environment & Heritage|url = http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspeciesapp/profile.aspx?id=20009|website = www.environment.nsw.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref> The disease has been found throughout Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage area of the Northern-Rivers NSW.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = A project that designs and trials a pilot survey to map the distribution of chyridomycosis (caused by the amphibian chytrid fungus) in Australian frogs|last = Speare|first = R.|date = 2005|journal = The Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage|display-authors=etal}}</ref> The disease has been found in individuals of the [[giant barred frog]] and is a key threatening process to the endangered frog. Other frogs at the park are also threatened by the disease including the Fleay's barred frog and Loveridge's frog.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Mixophyes iteratus – Giant Barred Frog, Southern Barred Frog|url = http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=1944|website = www.environment.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Mixophyes fleayi – Fleay's Frog|url = http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=25960|website = www.environment.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title = Loveridge's frog - endangered species listing {{!}} NSW Environment & Heritage|url = http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/determinations/LoveridgesFrogEndSpListing.htm|website = www.environment.nsw.gov.au|access-date = 2015-05-20}}</ref>