Through a comparison of sedimentation rates between the Guanyinqiao Member and modern deep-sea deposits and analyses of paleoecology, paleobiogeography, sea-level changes and comprehensive geological characteristics of the Guanyinqiao Member, the authors hold that the Guanyinqiao Member was formed in a deep-sea environment and should belong to the deep-sea contourites. In addition, the authors suggest that the extensive volcanic events frequently occurred at the turn of Ordovician-Silurian may be the main and direct cause for organism extinction and that the coupling of volcanic events, iridium and carbon isotopic abnormality events and the anoxic event in the early stage of the Silurian at that time may be the main cause for the extinction of the Hirnantia-Dalmanitina fauna.