Reference Site

The best example of possible reef state on the island or region. Sets the species composition, morphological diversity, and coral cover targets that nurseries and outplants should aim toward.

Reference sites are scoped to the branch — one reference site can anchor targets for several Restoration Sites in the same region. They are not paired 1:1 with outplants the way control sites are.

Role in the Three-Site Model: Every restoration programme operates with three site roles:

1. Restoration area — the degraded area being restored (the outplant site within a Restoration Site)
2. Control site — a similar degraded site left unrestored for scientific comparison
3. Reference site — the natural benchmark that defines what "success" looks like

What the reference site determines:

• Species diversity targets for nursery propagation
• Morphological diversity goals for outplanting
• Baseline fish/invertebrate/recruit community composition
• Coral cover benchmarks

Monitoring: Ecosystem-level transects (fish, invertebrate, recruit, and benthic cover) are conducted at the reference site annually, at the same time as restoration area monitoring.

See also: Control Site, Outplant Site, Shannon Diversity