geology question about sedimentary environments?

Question

In older textbooks, the Pennsylvanian age sedimentary rocks of the “Coal Measures” in WV were spoken of as reflecting the Cyclothems of the coal deposits in the Illinois Basin. The brief pattern would include a marine limestone at the base (identified by the presence of marine invertebrate fossils) other sedimentary rocks, then a coal bed, then other sedimentary rocks on top of the coal and finally another marine limestone. What does this sedimentary sequence suggest to you as to the sedimentary environments through time which led to the preservation of this sequence of rocks?

Answer 1

I'm guessing that the other sedimentary rocks would be (limestone) mudstone going to sandstone (coal measures)
This sequence would suggest that there was a warm shallow sea (limestone) which due to changes in sea level became shallower leading to your other sedimentary rocks until the area came up out of the sea and became the swamp that produced the coal. Then the sea began to rise again depositing the next layers of sand and mud stones as it got deep enough for the other layer of limestone to form. These sequences can happen several times forming huge deposits. By cyclothers i would say they ment the ice ages etc that caused the changes in sea level.

Answer 2

It sounds like a shallow sea, followed by a swampy shoreland, followed by whatever sedimentary rocks covered the coal, and finally the return of a shallow sea. This sequence suggests the rise and fall of sea level, something that has been demonstrated throughout Geologic History.