Reference Site

{
  "id": "MLC-T-ENV-023510",
  "term": "Reference Site",
  "field": "Environment",
  "definition": "1. A relatively uncontaminated site used for comparison to contaminated sites in environmental monitoring studies, often incorrectly referred to as a control.\n\n2. Specific locality on a waterbody which is unimpaired or minimally impaired and is representative of the expected biological integrity of other localities on the same waterbody or nearby waterbodies.\n\n3. A location or waterbody selected for comparison with the impaired location or waterbody being assessed. The type of sites selected and the type of comparative measures used will vary with the purpose of the comparisons. References that lack a source, stressor, or impairment are termed negative or clean references; references that have well-defined and elevated levels of a stressor or well-characterized sources or impairments are referred to as positive or dirty references.\n\n4. One of a population of bench mark or control sampling locations that, taken collectively, represent an ecoregion or other large biogeographic area; the sites, as a whole, represent the best ecological conditions that can be reasonably attained, given the prevailing topography, soil, geology, potential vegetation, and general land use of the region or clearly subnominal condition.\n\n5. A minimally impaired site that is representative of the expected ecological conditions and integrity of other sites of the same type and region.",
  "subject": "Science and research",
  "references": [
    "Waste and Cleanup Risk Assessment Glossary",
    "Aquatic Biodiversity Glossary; Biocriteria Glossary",
    "CADDIS Glossary",
    "Environmental Modeling and Assessment Program (EMAP) Master Glossary",
    "Glossary of Wetland Bioassessment Terms"
  ],
  "url": "https://mlchart.com/terminology/environment/reference-site/"
}