Reconstruction of a Miocene kelp-associated macrobenthic ecosystem

Abstract

Orginal-ecological structure of a Miocene; macrobentic, mostly mollusk, assemblage of Łychów, southwestern part of the Lublin Upland, Central Poland, is restored. The paleoecosystem is recognized for a kelp bed, with browsing and epifaunal suspension feeding animals forming two dominant subsystems. Loose shelly substrate is recognized for the keystone abiotic factor determining the ecological structure. Paleoecosystem reconstruction is in terms of system analysis which are proposed for a standard descriptive language for community paleoecology.