Mercantour National Park (France) is recognized as a highly heterogeneous region with extremely varied geology, geomorphology and climatology, resulting in an exceptional biodiversity. From a hydrogeological point of view, it is also an area organized into small and discontinuous aquifers, the obligate groundwater fauna of which (stygobionts) remains absolutely unknown. This work explores the species richness of groundwaters in the Mercantour National Park, using a sampling design at the catchment (six major valleys) and aquifer (aquifers in consolidated rocks and unconsolidated sediments) scales. A major finding of this study is the discovery of 44 species restricted to groundwater, of which 43 are new to the Park and ten are new to Science. Although a relatively small number of sites were sampled (53), the area may be considered as a new hotspot of groundwater biodiversity at the European level. The particular structure of the groundwater network, the high environmental heterogeneity of the region and its Mediterranean position may explain such a high biodiversity. The species rarefaction curve showed that many species have yet to be discovered in groundwater of the Mercantour National Park. With more than 78% of species collected in the hyporheic zone, this study also highlights the importance of porous aquifers in sustaining the groundwater biodiversity of mountainous regions.

Although recognized as an outstanding hotspot of biodiversity for both flora and fauna, the Mercantour massif remains almost totally unexplored in terms of its groundwater fauna. This work presents the first overview of groundwater oligochaete assemblages of the Mercantour National Park after a standardized exploration of both consolidated (fractured massif) and unconsolidated (porous) aquifers. About 40 species of oligochaetes were found at 49 stations representative of the main hydrogeological basins of the Mercantour National Park, from both spring and hyporheic zone habitats. Five stygobiont species are identified, probably all new to science, of which two are formally described: Aberrantidrilus stephaniae Martin n. gen., n. sp. (Naididae Ehrenberg, 1828, Phallodrilinae Brinkhurst, 1971) and Marionina sambugarae Schmelz n. sp., a species belonging to the widespread Marionina argentea (Michaelsen, 1889) species complex (Enchytraeidae Vejdovský 1879). The freshwater subterranean species formerly attributed to AbyssidrilusErséus, 1992 are transferred to Aberrantidrilus Martin n. gen., which means that Abyssidrilus is now restricted to its marine, abyssal species. A dozen of the Mercantour species can be considered as stygophiles. Most stygobiont species are recorded from hyporheic habitats, and stygophiles have a more balanced distribution between both kinds of habitats. The near absence of stygoxene species from the hyporheic zone suggests that this habitat is less affected by the epigean environment than springs. The dominance of enchytraeids among the groundwater oligochaete fauna is here confirmed, and the lumbriculid genus TrichodrilusClaparède, 1862 is also a characteristic faunistic element of the underground freshwater oligochaete communities. The possibility that Aberrantidrilus cuspis n. comb, sensu Sambugar et al. (1999) is a complex of cryptic species is discussed in the framework of recent progress in the knowledge of groundwater biodiversity.

Intensive livestock grazing is a major force in shaping ecosystems, especially where topography and soil features preclude other farmland practices. In subalpine landscapes, it may be the main disturbance agent. Nevertheless, information on the impact on some species, especially mammals, is lacking. Here, we investigate whether the abundance of rodents in subalpine grasslands of the Alps is related to the intensity of livestock grazing, determined according to the dominant pastoral types. Using Generalized Linear Models, we compared a site intensively grazed until recently (“formerly intensively grazed area”, Dactylis glomerata L. pastoral type), with an area that experienced little or no grazing in past decades (“lightly grazed area”, Carex sempervirens Vill. pastoral type). Data were collected during three trapping sessions during summer 2011, using a sampling design based on small trapping plots. Rodents (Apodemus spp. and Eliomys quercinus Linnaeus, 1766) were mainly trapped in the lightly grazed area. They were almost absent in the formerly intensively grazed area, where tail-herbs and megaforb locally prevail over other grassland species. Our results suggest that the abundance of rodents in grasslands is influenced by grazing history. Even adaptable rodents like Apodemus spp. are rare in the formerly intensively grazed site, despite its suitable vegetation cover. This result should encourage natural resource managers to carefully consider and act on the spatial distribution of grazing pressure.

Lors de l'Inventaire de la Biodiversité généralisé réalisé dans le Parc national du Mercantour, 36 espèces de Neuropterida, appartenant à trois familles de Neuroptera Linnaeus, 1758 (Coniopterygidae Burmeister, 1839, Hemerobiidae Latreille, 1802, Chrysopidae Schneider, 1851) et une famille de Raphidioptera Martynov, 1938 (Raphidiidae Latreille, 1810), ont été collectées. Trois espèces ont été trouvées pour la première fois en France pendant l'inventaire. Trois autres espèces ont été rarement collectées en France. Á partir des résultats de cette étude et de données bibliographiques, une liste faunistique des Neuropterida du Mercantour est proposée.

The current knowledge of the fauna of Cholevinae Kirby, 1837 is scarce and fragmentary. A synthesis of our knowledge of the Cholevinae fauna of the Maritime Alps is presented in the form of an annotated and updated checklist, based on both published and new records. Biogeographical and taxonomic remarks are provided, stressing the presence of five endemic species in the areas less impacted by the last glaciation.

Two new species of Empidinae Schiner, 1862, belonging to the tribe Empidini Collin, 1961, are described. Empis (Xanthempis) fusca n. sp. was collected as part of the All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory (ATBI) conducted in the Mercantour National Park between 2009 and 2011, while Rhamphomyia (Lundstroemiella) brevis n. sp. was collected in autumn 2013 at 2100 m in one of the highest passes in Europe (Col de la Bonette).

Only six species of Sciomyzidae Fallén, 1820, with 106 individuals, have been identified from Malaise traps installed during the ATBI at sites near 1400 and 2000 m in the Mercantour National Park, France. They belong to the subfamilies Phaeomyiinae Steyskal, 1965, represented by Pelidnoptera nigripennis (Fabricius, 1794) and the Sciomyzinae Schiner, 1862 for the other five species. The species are essentially characteristic of open, dry or wet meadows and forest macrohabitats. Pelidnoptera nigripennis larvae are parasitoids of millipedes, while the others are parasitoids or predators of terrestrial snails and slugs. The list given here includes three species (one Tetanocerini and two Sciomyzini Cresson, 1920) already reported from the National Park, where we captured eight specimens of one of them, subsequent to the ATBI period of study. Dichetophora finlandicaVerbeke, 1964 is cited for the first time in the Park. The altitudinal distribution of the species is discussed.

Examination of 14 plant families in the Alpi Marittime Alps Natural Park (Valdieri, Italy) resulted in the collection of 103 larvae of 28 geometrid taxa; these belong to three subfamilies, with Ennominae Duponchel, 1845 being the most representative (13 taxa = 46.4%). The final instar (L5) of two taxa in the tribe Gnophini Pierce, 1914, Gnophos furvata meridionalisWehrli, 1924 and Charissa pullata ([Denis & Schiffermüller], 1775) is described, including its chaetotaxy. Biological data and observations are provided for all taxa.

Au cours des dernières années, l'étude du Parc national du Mercantour s'est intensifiée afin de davantage cerner sa flore et sa faune. Dans le cadre de l'Inventaire biologique généralisé (ATBI), nous avons étudié les opilions du Parc. Ce travail a été élargi à toute la région méridio-alpine, correspondant aux départements des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (04), des Hautes-Alpes (05) et des Alpes-Maritimes (06), pour lesquels de nouvelles données sont également apportées. Un catalogue des opilions de ces départements est proposé. L'étude du matériel du Parc national du Mercantour a également permis de compléter les données et d'en confirmer d'autres. Ainsi, sur un total de 48 espèces inventoriées dans l'aire alpine considérée, 32 sont présentes sur le Parc du Mercantour dont 13 nouvelles pour celui-ci.

This paper summarizes the main results from taxonomic inventories drawn up as part of the ATBI of the Mercantour/Alpi Marittime parks in the French and Italian Alps. It compares the data on different groups of the invertebrate fauna published in the Zoosystema issues devoted to the ATBI with those recorded in the EDIT (European Distributed Institute of Taxonomy) and INPN (Inventaire national du Patrimoine naturel) ATBI databases. It also highlights the contribution of the ATBI inventory to a better knowledge of the biology and ecology of various animal taxa, as well as to the use of the data in conservation management. Overall, 927 animal taxa and 38 host plants are documented in the two special issues, of which 904 are recorded from both parks and 400 are new for one or both parks. Twelve species (ten terrestrial and two aquatic) and one genus (aquatic) are described as new for science, this increases to 30 the number of new invertebrate taxa described since 2006 from the Mercantour/Alpi Marittime parks. However, due to taxonomic uncertainty about material sorted to morphospecies and delays in species descriptions, these represent only a fraction of the taxa recognized as new during the ATBI. This faunal inventory, which includes 88% insect taxa, greatly enhances knowledge of Mercantour/Alpi Marittime biodiversity, notably for several poorly studied taxonomic groups. It also confirms the importance of the area as a European biodiversity hotspot, especially for arthropods and the groundwater fauna, by highlighting the remarkable percentage of endemic species, some of which are rare and poorly documented in the literature.