R&I activities should:

• prepare harmonised or standardised frameworks for the execution of biodiversity observations and apply state-of-the-art protocols of the utilised sampling techniques, in order to ensure the quality and interoperability and public access of the collected data. Particular attention should be paid to comprehensive and robust metadata. In particular a comprehensive coverage of the territory of EU Member States should be sought;
• undertake systematic large-scale in situ observations of biodiversity in order to a) record occupancy, richness and abundance of species and populations, b) map species, populations and habitats, and c) survey habitat composition and structure. In this regard, the activities should generate data of adequate spatial and temporal granularity spanning multiple geographical scales to capture the variability in biodiversity across different contexts. The activities should cover species and habitats in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems, including lesser-known taxa, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of biodiversity across diverse ecological and geographical settings;
• define the methodology for applying specific data quality checks;
• ensure that the collected data which is relevant for future projections are properly defined and fit for modelling (in particular in the context of the activities under HORIZON-CL6-2025-01-BIODIV-05);
• based on the undertaken observations:
  • assess the state, geographical distribution, phenology and trends of observed species populations;
  • assess the quality, structure, functions and geographical distribution of observed habitats;
  • fill species and habitat data gaps in terms of geographical coverage in the EU and in Associated Countries, as well as the data gaps in terms of taxonomic coverage.