Editing Porongurup National Park (section)

== Ecology ==

=== Flora ===
The Porongurup National Park contains over 700 native plant species and at least 300 macrofungi species.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Herford |first1=Ian |last2=Allan |first2=Jude |date=1999 |title=MANAGEMENT PLAN: Stirling Range National Park and Porongurup National Park 1999-2009 |url=https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/images/documents/parks/management-plans/decarchive/stirling-porongorup_nps.pdf |journal=National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority |publisher=Department of Conservation and Land Management |volume=Management Plan No 42 |page=19}}</ref> At least nine flora species are unique and found only in the park. Examples of plant groups present include: heaths ([[Ericaceae|Epacridaceae]]), especially beard-heaths ([[Leucopogon]]); peas ([[Fabaceae]]), notably flame-peas ([[Chorizema]]), bitter-peas ([[Daviesia]] and [[Bossiaea]]) and poison-peas ([[Gastrolobium]]); native myrtles ([[Myrtaceae]]); pimeleas ([[Thymelaeaceae]]), notably rice flowers ([[Pimelea]]); sundews and pitcher plants ([[Nepenthales]]); bloodroots, conostyles, [[kangaroo paw]]s and their allies (Haemodorales); and banksias and grevilleas ([[Proteales]]). It is also important for richness in lilies, orchids and allies ([[Liliales]]), notably native lilies (Anthericaceae), irises and allies ([[Iridaceae]]), and orchids ([[Orchidaceae]]).<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last=Australian Government |date=2008 |title=Porongurup National Park - National assessment |url=https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/porongurup.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220814095006/https://www.agriculture.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/porongurup.pdf |archive-date=2022-08-14 |url-status=live |journal=Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts |via=Australian Government}}</ref>

High granite peaks create their own micro-climates due to their altitude and their capacity to attract topographic rainfall. This maintains cooler and moister climate conditions than the surrounding low-lying plains.<ref name=":0" /> A remnant island of karri forest prevails here, hundreds of kilometres east of the cool southwest cape where they are more commonly found. They thrive in the granitic soils (known as "karri loam") and cool, moist air.<ref name=":1" />

On [[laterite|lateritic soils]] downslope, the predominant type of vegetation is a mixed forest of [[Eucalyptus marginata|jarrah]] and [[Corymbia calophylla|marri]], whilst on the highly exposed and frequently waterlogged summits, an open [[moss]]y herbland prevails.

=== Fauna ===
The mammal species in the National Park include the [[western grey kangaroo]] (Macropus fuliginosus), [[brushtail possum]] (Trichosurus vulpecular), [[pygmy possum]] (Cercartetus concinnus), [[Yellow-footed antechinus|mardo]] (or yellow-footed antechinus – Antechinus flavipes leucogaster), mooti (or bush rat – [[Bush rat|Rattus fuscipes fuscipes]]), [[Southern brown bandicoot|quenda]] (or southern brown bandicoot – Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) and [[honey possum]] (Tarsipes rostratus).<ref name=":1" />

Seventy-one bird species including the [[red-eared firetail]] (Emblema oculata) and [[Baudin's black cockatoo]] (Calyptorhynchus baudinii) are also found in the park.<ref name=":1" />

At least 17 reptile species are known to inhabit the park including [[King's skink]] (Egernia kingii), the southern heath monitor ([[Rosenberg's monitor|Varanus rosenbergi]]) and the marbled gecko ([[Christinus marmoratus|Phyllodactylus marmoratus]]).<ref name=":1" /> Several tree frog and southern frog species are also evident.

Invertebrates present in the National Park include [[Gondwana]]n relictual species such as the Porongurup Trapdoor Spider ([[Cataxia bolganupensis]]) and the [[Proshermacha]] trapdoor spider, land snails ([[Bothriembryon]] spp.) and giant earthworms (Megacolex sp.). Other invertebrates include [[Maratus|peacock spiders]] (Maratus sp), velvet worms ([[Onychophora]]) and the social crab spider (Diaea socialis).<ref>{{Cite book |last=Laurie |first=Victoria |title=The Southwest: Australia's Biodiversity Hotspot |publisher=UWA Publishing |year=2015 |isbn=9781742585000 |location=Crawley, WA}}</ref> [[File:Porongurup-karri.jpg|thumb|upright|Karri in the Porongurups]]