The siliciclastic succession of the late Neoproterozoic Vendian Group in the White Sea area demonstrates a wide range of lithofacies, some recurring in a vertical succession. Significantly, each lithofacies contains a distinct assemblage of Ediacaran fossils that represents in situ benthic paleocommunities smothered in life position. These lithofacies define (1) a monospecific Inaria as-semblage, restricted to the lower-shoreface muds; (2) a Charnia assemblage, within the middle-shor-eface graded siltstone-shale couplets; (3) a Dickinsonia-Kimberella assemblage, confined to the in-terstratified sandstone and shale of prodelta; and (4) a Onegia-Rangea assemblage, preserved within channelized sandstone beds of the distributary-mouth bar. In the White Sea area a strong correlation exists between taxonomic composition, biostratinomic features, and paleoecological context of the Ediacaran fossil assemblages. Facies-controlled distri-bution is also evident in other Ediacaran localities, demonstrating the recurrence of similar facies relationships on a global scale. This pattern is interpreted as representing Ediacaran biofacies with Avalon-type biotas distributed in deep marine habitats, Ediacara-type biotas inhabiting microbial biofilms in shallow marine prodeltaic settings, and infaunal Nama-type biotas found in distribu-tary-mouth bar shoals. This in turn reveals a marked degree of environmental sensitivity and eco-logical specialization. Correspondence between depositional environment and taxonomic compo-sition speaks against any obvious biogeographic provinciality of the Ediacaran biotas, and also casts doubt on claims of substantial evolutionary change.