European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) Handbook

The European Marine Omics Biodiversity Observation Network (EMO BON) is a European initiative from the European Marine Biological Resource Centre (EMBRC) to establish a coordinated, long-term biodiversity observatory. Currently there are many ongoing genomic observation stations in Europe. The goal for EMO BON is to support the individual marine biodiversity observatories within EMBRC and connect them under one centrally coordinated network, with shared protocols, data, and metadata standards. EMBRC provides the context and opportunity for partner institutions to participate and complement EMO BON by initiating biodiversity observation stations. EMO BON includes marine stations from Polar regions to the Red Sea that will sample for genomic marine biodiversity at frequent intervals. This network will contribute to the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and aims to be an important European component to the global ocean observation networks.Collection of marine water, sediment and organisms will take place at the EMBRC participating observatory stations according to the protocols described in this document – the EMO BON Handbook – setting a minimum standard for participation to the network. DNA extraction and sequencing will be performed at a centralised facility to reduce biases and ensure consistency in the high-quality of sequencing. The data generated within this initiative will follow the FAIR data principles. The life cycle of the EMO BON data will be described in detail in the EMO BON Data Management Plan. Overall, EMBRC aims to build a long-term genomic observatory, generating cost-effective, high-quality, baseline genomic biodiversity data that will be produced in the long term.This Handbook contains all the guidelines and procedures from sampling to sequencing that will be followed within EMO BON. The purpose of this document is not only to ensure the rigorous adhesion to the appropriate protocols within EMO BON, but also to provide all the necessary information to potential external participants from the wider scientific community