Editing Mole Creek Karst National Park (section)

===Tourism in the Mole Creek Karst National Park===

Tourism is somewhat of a double-edged blade in this national park. While tourism is an important form of revenue to ensure ongoing care and maintenance of the park, as well as an important aspect of education regarding the natural world, and conservation of the flora and fauna within the Mole Creek Karst National Park, it is also by far the greatest threat. Much of the touristic value of the Mole Creek Karst National Park comes from the cave systems. The environment within these cave systems is very stable and closed, and the impact that increase human activity has already had, and will continue to have could be devastating for the long-term survival and success for many flora and fauna species, and fantastic natural wonders present within these caves.<ref name=clarke1997>{{cite book|last1=Clarke|first1=A|title=Management Prescriptions for Tasmanian Cave Fauna|date=1997|publisher=Hobart Tasmanian RFA Environment and Heritage Technical Committee|location=Hobart}}</ref><ref name=clarke2013>{{cite journal|last1=Clarke|first1=D|title=The impact of cave lighting on the bioluminescent display of the Tasmanian glow-worm Arachnocampus tasmaniensis|journal=Tasmanian RFA Environment and Heritage Technical Committee|date=2013|volume=Journal of Insect Conservation|issue=17|pages=147–153|doi=10.1007/s10841-012-9493-0|url=http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:284770/UQ284770_post_print.pdf}}</ref><ref name=russel2008>{{cite journal|last1=Russel|first1=M|last2=MacLean|first2=V|title=Management issues in a Tasmanian tourist cave: Potential Microclimate impacts of cave modifications|journal=Journal of Environmental Management|date=2008|volume=87|issue=3|pages=474–483|doi=10.1016/j.jenvman.2007.01.012|pmid=17368916}}</ref>

Cave-dwelling species present in the cave systems are easily damaged or killed by cave visitors. People visiting the caves can crush, damage and destroy food sources and important habitats of cave-dwelling species, and also potentially kill rare and endangered species dwelling in the caves. Trampling of floors by large quantities of visitors also hard pack the dirt rendering it unsuitable as habitat for species.<ref name=eberhard2001>{{cite journal|last1=Eberhard|first1=S|title=Cave fauna monitoring and management at Ida Bay, Tasmania|journal=Records of the Western Museum|date=2001|issue=64|pages=97–104}}</ref>

One aspect that draws tourists every year are the fantastic formation of speleothems present in the cave, otherwise known as stalagmites and stalactites, well as the sparkling calcite that adorns many of the cave walls. However, these beautiful natural formations are delicate and easily damaged and destroyed. Visitors in Georgies Hall, Honeycomb 1 cave and Tailender Cave have already caused serious, and in some cases, irreparable damage to speleothems and calcite formations in the caves, by tracking mud and dirt across the delicate surfaces by not sticking to marked paths, or due to irresponsible cave exploring.<ref name=eberhard2001 />

Mud and dirt, deposits of hair, lint from clothing and skin follicles, and excess nutrients trekked in from the outside world build up in the caves due to them being cut-off from the outside world. These foreign objects can also destroy the fragile microclimate within the caves, as well as damage unique cave formations, flora, and habitat for fauna.<ref name=russel2008 />

A large aspect of tourism that effects cave environments is the need to build structures, and provide lighting in order to accommodate tourists and visitors.<ref name=russel2008 /> The building of infrastructure and installation of lights and ventilation necessary to accommodate tourists has been linked to severe changes in the delicate microclimates within caves. These changes in microclimate can be devastating, and in fact have been shown to adversely affect the organisms living in the caves. The Glow Worm cave in New Zealand was closed for 4 months, after approximately only four percent of the glow worm population in the cave had their lights on.<ref name=defreitas2010>{{cite journal|last1=de Freitas|first1=C|title=The role and importance of cave microclimate in the sustainable use and management of show caves|journal=Acta Carsologica|date=2010|volume=39|issue=3|pages=477–489|doi=10.3986/ac.v39i3.77|doi-access=free}}</ref> It was found to be caused by increased air flow causing a reduction in humidity and increased evaporation.<ref name=defreitas2003>{{cite journal|last1=de Freitas|first1=C|last2=Schmekal|first2=A|title=Condensation as a Microclimate Process: Measurement, Numerical Simulation and Prediction in the Glow-worm Cave, New Zealand|journal=International Journal of Climatology|volume=23|issue=5|date=2003|pages=557–575|doi=10.1002/joc.898}}</ref> This is an example of the fickle nature of a caves microclimate, and how important it is to the species who rely on it.

It has also been found the fluctuating light levels due to the inclusion of lighting systems in caves to aid in visibility for human access can have detrimental effects on the organisms within a cave.<ref name=clarke2013>{{cite journal|last1=Clarke|first1=D|title=The impact of cave lighting on the bioluminescent display of the Tasmanian glow-worm Arachnocampus tasmaniensis|journal=Tasmanian RFA Environment and Heritage Technical Committee|date=2013|volume=Journal of Insect Conservation|issue=17|pages=147–153|doi=10.1007/s10841-012-9493-0|url=http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:284770/UQ284770_post_print.pdf}}</ref><ref name=russel2008 /> It has been found that the exposure to light can cause glow worms to dim their display, which holds potential detrimental effects to tourism built on glow worm show caves.<ref name=clarke2013 /> Another detrimental effect of artificial lights is that they have been seen to cause algae and cyanobacteria to grow in places that they would not usually grow, and the organic acid produced when they grow can potentially damage speleothems and cave paintings.<ref name=russel2008 />

The presence of humans alone is enough to influence the microclimate of a cave. Carbon dioxide and water are expelled by groups of cave visitors, and as caves are closed systems, these gases accumulate. Banbury and de Freitas found that carbon dioxide builds up in caves over time, and can reach levels that are dangerous for humans.<ref name=russel2008 /> It was also found by Sarbu and Lascu that increased condensation due to increased water vapour has been shown to degrade speleothems.<ref name=russel2008 /> The temperature of a cave can also be greatly altered by the energy given off as body heat and from lights present in the cave system.<ref name=russel2008 />