The paleoecology of the Keyser limestone: a re-evaluation

Makurath (1977), in studying the Keyser Limestone, concluded that brachiopods were distributed randomly, casting doubt over the validity of using recurrent communities as a paleoenvironmental tool. However, a re-evaluation of the Keyser fauna, utilizing cluster analysis, polar ordination, and detrended correspondence analysis, reveals that the fauna can be arranged along a gradient, according to distance from the shore. Recurrent communities do exist within the Keyser Limestone. With the aid of coenocorrelation curves, they can be traced along the entire Appalachian basin.

The most nearshore community, belonging to Benthic Assemblage 1 of Boucot (1975), is the Stromatolite Community, followed by the Tentaculites-Meristella-Cupularostrumgordoni Schuchertella and Meristella Communities of Benthic Assemblage 2, the Stromatoporoid-Coral, Crinoid, and Gypidula communities of Benthic Assemblage 3, the Dalejina -Atrypa-Rhynchospirina Community of Benthic Assemblage 4, and the Eccentricosta-Cupularostrum Assemblage 5.