Executive summary Introduction
The goal of the Deliverable is to provide direction for the data integration and interoperability work of the EU BON project. It makes recommendations on the design of the EU BON and GEO BON network as a system of systems, following the GEOSS agenda. It reviews state of the art in data standards, charting the way forward in integrating biodiversity and ecosystem data, and addresses better use of data standards by the various biodiversity monitoring networks.

Progress towards objectives
The objectives of EU BON work package 2 Data Integration and Interoperability are the following:

Establish an information architecture for the EU BON project that will be compatible with the global GEO BON, INSPIRE, other European projects, and the LifeWatch research infrastructure
Develop data integration and interoperability between the various networks, and, with the new generation of data sharing tools, enhance linking between observational data, ecosystem monitoring data, and remote sensing data
Develop new web service interfaces for data holdings using state-of-the-art standards and protocols. Register the networks on the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) using harmonised metadata
Develop a new portal to enable fast access to EU BON integrated data and products by researchers, decision makers and other stakeholders
Ensure global coordination of development efforts through an international data interoperability task force and adoption of the results through helpdesk and a comprehensive training programme
The current deliverable presents a review and design that form the basis for fulfilling each of these objectives.
Achievements and current status This document consists of two parts. The first part is concerned with review of the various biodi- versity e-infrastructures. Importance to EU BON of major European networks (e.g., ALTERNet, EBONE, LifeWatch, SeaDataNet, EModnet), and international ones (GBIF and DataONE), is summarised. As guiding use scenarios for user needs, the Essential Biodiversity Variables and EU and Aichi Targets are being used. Elements of the information architecture are then identified. Data sharing is already well advanced in the biodiversity domain, but the use of an enhanced repository infrastructure, data publishing, and development of a community specific portal are suggested as mechanisms to further advance data sharing.

With particular reference to the European context, the report outlines the reporting obligations relating to biodiversity under the INSPIRE directive and highlight key EU projects and frameworks relevant for EU BON. Taking a mixed thematic approach, a state-of-the-art summary is provided in several key areas, referencing appropriate standards from bodies such as TDWG, OGC, BioCASE, GBIF, LTER-Europe, and PESI. Gaps in the available standards are highlighted, and recommendations are made for their use in the platform under development by EU BON for integrating different data layers (e.g., genetic data, primary occurrence data, monitoring data, ecological measurements, remote sensing data). In the conclusion, we identify some of the main reasons for heterogeneity of biodiversity data and suggest how it may be overcome.

Future developments
This document will guide further work into detailed planning and construction of the biodiversity observation system of systems. Several milestones are due in the next 1-2 years to provide detailed construction plans. Outreach and training will be needed in order to promote wider use of data standards, in particular, in ecological research.