The EuropaBON Stakeholder Dashboard: A dynamic web application to map Europe’s biodiversity community

PLOS One | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0329390 August 13, 2025 2 / 16 Introduction In this paper, the term EuropaBON refers, depending on context, to (a) the Europ- aBON project and its associated aims and activities; (b) the integrated biodiversity monitoring system being developed by the project for Europe; or (c) the network of stakeholders and members engaged throughout the project. Where relevant, we specify ‘project’, ‘system’, or ‘network’ to distinguish between these closely related but distinct components. This distinction is important in light of the broader context in which EuropaBON operates. One of the main challenges facing global biodiversity research lies in the scarcity and uneven distribution or fragmentation of unbiased data across both temporal and spatial dimensions and taxa [1]. European biodiver- sity data, while plentiful, are dispersed among various organisations, projects and individuals, hindering a comprehensive and coherent understanding of ecological patterns. The necessity for robust and representative biodiversity data is underscored by the imperative to effectively implement and assess policies aimed at conserving biodiversity and ecosystems [2]. To address this challenge, a collaborative approach is essential. By uniting biodiversity stakeholders, the Europa Biodiversity Observation Network (henceforth EuropaBON) project aimed to collectively design a monitoring framework that not only integrated existing data but also addressed the gaps in cov- erage [3].

This joint effort has sought to build a unified and coherent biodiversity monitoring system for improving both the reliability and accessibility of biodiversity data – such as species occurrences, habitat condition, and population trends – ultimately enabling more informed conservation strategies and evidence-based policy decisions [4]. Sev- eral global and regional initiatives have emerged in recent years to coordinate biodiver- sity monitoring and foster data standardisation, with the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) playing a central role at the global level. GEO BON provides a strategic framework for the development of Biodiversity Obser- vation Networks (BONs) worldwide and promotes the use of Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) to enhance data interoperability and policy relevance [5]. EBVs are designed to monitor biodiversity status and trends across multiple spatial and temporal scales. They serve as an intermediate layer between raw biodiversity data and policy indicators, facilitating improved access to policy-relevant information [6]. Regional and national Biodiversity Observation Networks (i.e., BONs), such as the Asia BON [7], the Americas BON [8], and national efforts like SANBI in South Africa [9], contribute to this global vision. The EuropaBON network serves as the European regional BON under GEO BON, aligning its monitoring design and stakeholder engagement strat- egy with these broader objectives. With nearly 1,600 registered members from 704

organisations across 72 countries (as of 13/09/2024), the EuropaBON network is one of the largest and most influential biodiversity communities in Europe. Although not yet implemented, network members (henceforth “members”) have been involved in every step of making recommendations- and proposing a design for the new European biodiversity monitoring system, from identifying user and policy needs, assessing exist- ing European monitoring systems and identifying data gaps, to defining the Essential which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Data availability statement: The entire source code of the website is available in the EuropaBON GitHub repository (https://github. com/EuropaBON/stakeholder-dashboard), and an archived version of the code has been made publicly available on Zenodo (https://doi. org/10.5281/zenodo.10047342). Funding: This is a product of the EuropaBON project funded from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101003553. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript. Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.