Editing Mooloolah River National Park (section)

== Environmental threats ==
The Sunshine Coast region is experiencing rapid urban expansion adding to environmental pressures on the Park.  Urban development is encroaching on native bushland and reducing the effectiveness of the Park's buffer zones making it more isolated from surrounding natural areas.<ref name=":0" />  Heathlands once common across south east Queensland are experiencing pressures from urbanisation and fragmentation, and species occupying those habitats are now under threat.  Much of the habitat occupied by wallum dependent species such as the wallum rocketfrog, wallum sedgefrog and wallum froglet has been cleared for primary production, sand mining and residential development as these areas were once considered useless lands.<ref name=":10">Hero, J. C. Morrison, G. Gillespie. et al. 2006. Overview of the conservation status of Australian frogs. Pacific Conservation Biology. '''12''': 313-20.</ref>  The Park's southern bordering areas are used as pastureland and also support a number of introduced weed species.<ref name=":7" />

Multiple threatening processes affecting the Park suggest that management and observation of species numbers within the Park should be undertaken to ensure they do not decline unexpectedly, particularly if they already have certain specialized requirements.<ref>Lindenmayer, D.B., J.T. Wood, L. McBurney, et al. 2011. How to make a common species rare: A case against conservation complacency. Biological Conservation. '''144:''' 1663–1672.</ref>  Altered burning frequencies resulting from the need to protect property and prevent a reduction in living amenity for nearby residents can have a detrimental effect on fire dependent species.  The hydrological balance and water quality in the Park can be potentially altered by changes to surrounding drainage systems and for amphibians present in the Park this could put additional pressures for them in an environment that is already restricted, fragmented and in decline.<ref name=":10" /><ref name=":0" />

The Mt Emu Sheoak faces pressure from loss of suitable habitat, urbanisation and primary production outside the Park, and altered fire regimes and invasive species from within.<ref name=":11">Environmental Protection Agency. 2007. National recovery plan for the Mt Emu She-oak Allocasuarina emuina. Report to Australian Government Department of the Environment and Water Resources. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane.</ref>  The ''Acacia attenuata'' is also under threat from altered fire regimes, fragmentation and [[loss of habitat]] and, given its reliance on seasonally waterlogged areas, modified hydrological processes.<ref name=":5" /><sup>,</sup><ref name=":6" /> Similarly for the swamp stringybark the main threats are clearing, drainage works, the invasive groundsel bush (''Baccharis halimifolia''), exotic grasses and too frequent burning.<ref name=":4" />

Over the coming decades it is possible that species in the Park will be susceptible to the effects of climate change. Prolonged periods of drier conditions could mean less available water bodies for acid frogs and other amphibians to find refuge during fire events.<ref name=":8" />  Lack of rain also desiccates the Richmond Birdwing vine making it unusable for the Richmond Birdwing butterfly larvae as a food source.  Alternatively, increased flooding events or drier conditions in the Park may affect water quality and favour some plant species over others. This is a distinct scenario for the spread of lantana (''Lantana camara'') which as a result of climate change may experience conditions more conducive to its spread.<ref>Taylor, S., L. Kumar. 2013. Potential distribution of an invasive species under [[climate change scenarios]] using CLIMEX and soil drainage: a case study of Lantana camara L. in Queensland, Australia. Journal of Environmental Management. '''114:''' 414-422.</ref>

'''Invasive species'''

In addition to the cane toad, cats (''[[Cat|Felis catus]]'') and red foxes (''[[Red fox|Vulpes vulpes]]'') are present in the Park. Cattle using grazing areas in the south access the Park's southern borders and effect on native seedlings and trample vegetation.<ref name=":2" /><sup>,</sup><ref name=":0" />

Up to 22 invasive plant and weed species are recorded in the Park.  These include but are not limited to groundsel bush (''Baccharis halimifolia''), camphor laurel (''Cinnamomum camphora'') and [[Lantana camara|lantana]] (''Lantana camara'') which is listed as a Weed of National Significance. A variety of exotic grasses are also present.<ref name=":2" />