Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259 – 269

www.elsevier.com/locate/palaeo

PTB mass extinction and earliest Triassic recovery overlooked? New

evidence for a marine origin of Lower Triassic mixed
carbonate–siliciclastic sediments (Rogenstein Member), Germany
Oliver Weidlich ⁎
Earth Science Department, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 36, Al Khoud, PC 123, Sultanate of Oman
Accepted 30 November 2006

Abstract

The Central European Permo-Triassic basin was land-locked with occasional connections to the North Pangaea shelf and
Tethys. A thick sequence of siliciclastic fluvial and floodplain sediments separates the Late Permian marine carbonate–evaporite
cycles of the Zechstein Basin from marine Middle Triassic marls and carbonates of the Germanic Basin. Within this Latest
Permian–Middle Triassic siliciclastic interval, the location of the Permian–Triassic Boundary (PTB) is difficult to recognize. The
first limestones after the PTB are Induan mixed carbonate–siliciclastic oolites and microbialites of the Bernburg and Calvörde
Formations (Untere Buntsandstein Group). Consensus emerged after a long-lasting controversy that the carbonates of the so-called
Rogensteine are the relics of an alkaline playa lake. The idea of the marine genesis was finally rejected, because of the obvious lack
of calcified metazoans. The existing depositional playa lake-model will be tested using previously unconsidered data, such as
currently discussed Early Triassic recovery scenarios of marine benthic communities after the Permian–Triassic mass extinction,
global patterns of Early Triassic carbonate production, Permian–Triassic tectono-sedimentary evolution of northern Pangaea and
stable oxygen and carbon isotope data. The Rogenstein is interpreted as marine carbonate, showing the characteristic features of
marine carbonates of the Early Triassic recovery period:

– Calcified invertebrates are rare in many marine settings during the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction. Thin shells
of the oolites resemble opportunistic bivalves flourishing in marine Early Triassic oceans.
– The oolites and microbialites are the product of abiotic and biotically-induced carbonate precipitation following the Permian–
Triassic mass extinction while biomineralisation is insignificant; Rogenstein microbialites look like marine Early Triassic
microbial reefs.
– The extraordinary size of the Rogenstein ooids resembles marine Neoproterozoic ooids. The term “anachronistic” has been used
in the literature to describe the similarities in the fabric and composition of Early Triassic and Early Palaeozoic/Neoproterozoic
marine carbonates.
– Stable carbon isotopes of least altered Rogenstein ooids and stromatolites exhibit trends similar to the composition of Triassic
seawater.
– The presence of flat pebble conglomerates and sediment structures similar to herring-bone cross stratification confirm the marine
genesis.

⁎ Tel.: +968 24142285; fax: +968 24141405.

E-mail addresses: weidlich@squ.edu.om, o_weidlich@squ.edu.om.

0031-0182/$ - see front matter © 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2006.11.046
260 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269

I propose that cool seawater transgressed during a global rise of Late Permian–Early Triassic base-level from the Barents shelf
southward along reactivated extensional graben structures and flooded the Central European Permo-Triassic basin. There, the
extremely hot and arid climate of the megacontinent Pangaea caused increased evaporation of seawater and subsequent
supersaturation with respect to calcium carbonate. Insignificant biomineralisation and high water energy in the shallow sea give rise
to largely abiotic and biotically-induced carbonate precipitation which resembles lake sediments at first sight. Benthic tropical
carbonate production started with the next transgression during the Röt Formation, leading to the sedimentation of marls and
limestones during the Spathian (late Olenekian).
© 2007 Published by Elsevier B.V.

Keywords: Early Triassic recovery; Oolites; Microbialites; Germanic basin; Germany

1. Introduction most severe Phanerozoic bioevent. The recovery period

The so-called Rogenstein Member of the Bernburg
Formation is a key locality to study carbonate
sedimentology because the terms oolite and stromatolite
have been defined by Kalkowsky (1908) in a modern
sense using samples from outcrops in the vicinity of the
Harz Mountains, Germany (see also Paul, 1982; Flügel,
1982; Paul and Peryt, 2000; Flügel, 2004), Fig. 1. The
Induan oolites and microbialites of the Rogenstein are
not pure carbonate, rather they represent a complex
system of mixed carbonate–siliciclastic sediments.
Probably, it is the complexity of the sedimentary
environments of the red beds which has attracted the
interest of sedimentologist for the last 100 years. Since
the work of Kalkowsky, many aspects of the Lower
Buntsandstein Group and the Rogensteine have been
investigated and more than 40 peer-reviewed publica-
tions have been published, focusing on petrography,
carbonate and siliciclastic sedimentology, paleontology
and the nature of the obvious cyclicity of the sediments.
A recent summary has been done by Paul and Peryt
(2000) with emphasis on the re-investigation of the
classic stromatolites of the Rogenstein Member. In this
paper, preference is given to the nomenclature of Burne
and Moore (1987) who regard “organosedimentary
deposits formed from interaction between benthic
microbial communities and detrital and chemical
sediments” as microbialites. Laminated structures,
including Kalkowsky's stromatolites, fulfil the defini-
tion criteria and, therefore, the term is applied to them.
Despite a rapidly growing body of literature dealing
with the PTB – more than 300 publications have been
dedicated to this subject since 1980 – little attempt has
been made to interpret the Rogenstein carbonates in the
light of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction and the
Early Triassic recovery period. The Permian mass
extinction encompasses the end-Guadalupian (Middle
Permian) and end-Lopingian (Late Permian) crises (e.g.,
Stanley and Yang, 1994), the latter being certainly the
of marine ecosystems following the mass extinction was
extraordinarily prolonged and for metazoan reefs took
until the early Middle Triassic (Flügel, 2002; Weidlich,
2002; Weidlich et al., 2003). The impact of the Permian
mass extinctions on biodiversity and ecosystems has
been analyzed in detail (Erwin et al., 2002 and further
references herein). Lopingian sponge microbial and
dendroid coral reefs persisted until the end of the
Permian. After the PTB probably during the late
Griesbachian, the microbialites flourished in an area
comparable to the latest Permian reef domain, including
marine settings of the Tethys and Panthalassa Transcau-
casus, China, Iran, Afghanistan, Turkey, Oman, Mexico,
USA (Weidlich, 2002; Weidlich et al., 2003; Baud et al.,
2005; Pruss and Bottjer, 2005), see Fig. 1. Metazoan
reefs started to colonize the shelves not before the
Anisian (Middle Triassic) in an extended equatorial
zone (Figs. 1, 2).
The main objective of this paper is to re-interpret the
depositional environment of the carbonates of the Lower
Buntsandstein Group in the light of the end-Permian
mass extinction and the Early Triassic recovery period.
Samples studied were collected at Harlyberg (near
Vienenburg). Details of the study area have been already
published (study area: Paul and Peryt, 2000, Fig. 1,
location Harly; location of samples: Paul and Peryt,
2000, Fig. 14, upper part of section).
2. Geological setting
THE Central European Permo-Triassic basin reflects
the evolution from the Southern Zechstein basin (or
Southern Permian basin) during the Permian to the
Germanic basin during the Triassic. The latter basin
reflects, at least at its beginning, the paleogeography of
the precursor basin which extended from the southern
North Sea to Lithuania and Belarus and from Denmark
to southern Germany and eastern Poland (Ziegler,
1990), Fig. 1. During the Permian–Triassic, seawater
 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269 261

Fig. 1. Late Permian–Early Triassic paleogeography. (1) Map showing the location of Early Triassic marine microbialites. Rectangle shows position
of the Germanic basin (Central European Triassic basin). Dark gray = land masses, light gray = flooded shelves; data from Weidlich et al. (2003), Haas
et al. (2004) and Weidlich and Bernecker (2007). (2) Close-up view of the Germanic basin. Carbonates of the Altmark–Eichsfeld High have been
investigated for this paper. Other locations are discussed in the text and simplified logs are presented in Fig. 2. MNS-RF High = Mid North Sea-
Ringköbing-Fyn High.

Fig. 2. Chronostratigraphy and lithologic logs of a cross section from the southeastern Germanic basin (locations 1–4) to the northern Barents
gateway. Carbonate production is restricted to the Germanic basin; note the obvious change in the Triassic from biotically-induced to biotically-
controlled carbonate precipitation. The area of investigation is the Altmark–Eichsfeld High; su = Lower Buntsandstein Group, sm = Middle
Buntsandstein Group, so = Upper Buntsandstein Group; z = Zechstein; Vol.–Det. = Volpriehausen and Detfurth Formations; sea level curve from Jin
et al. (1994); the asterisk highlights the position of the study locality Harlyberg.
262 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269
occasionally flooded the land-locked continental depres-
sion along reactivated rift structures from the north
(Barents gateway), the southwest (Hessian–Burgundian
gateway) and the southeast (East Carpathian and
Silesian–Moravian gateways). The exact position of the
PTB is difficult to locate, because of poor outcrops. Early
Triassic clay-rich sandstone of the Calvörde Formation
(Lower Buntsandstein Group) conformably overlies
sandy silt- and claystone of the Late Permian Bröck-
elschiefer. The position of the PTB is based on
sporomorph and conchostracan associations (Kozur,
1998; Bachmann and Kozur, 2004); distinct sedimento-
logical changes have not been reported (Menning, 1995).
During the Early Triassic, the Germanic basin was
almost completely land-locked, except for some short-
lived rift-induced phases with connections to the North
Pangea shelf and probably the Tethys (Fig. 1).
Buntsandstein red beds exceeding 1200 m thickness
were deposited under terrestrial, lacustrine and to some
extent shallow-marine conditions in the center of the
basin. Up to 450 m of siliciclastic sediment intercalated
with carbonate accumulated during the Lower Bunt-
sandstein Group (Ziegler, 1990; Aigner and Bachmann,
1992). Carbonate siliciclastic intercalations have been
interpreted as fining-upward cycles (Szurlies et al.,
1998), high-frequency cyclicity is probably related to
base-level fluctuations and climate instability. Whether
or not orbital forcing directly or indirectly controlled the
cyclicity of the Lower Buntsandstein sediments is
beyond the scope of this contribution. However, it has
been reported that that short eccentricity cycles are
important (Bachmann and Kozur, 2004). The ideal cycle
comprises the transition from sandstone to carbonate
and finally to siltstone with sandstones representing a
fluvial environment (Paul and Peryt, 2000). It has been
argued that during wet periods, lake level transgressed
over fluvial deposits and, after a lag time, oolites with
varying siliciclastic input and stromatolites precipitated
from the probably alkaline lake. The carbonates in turn
are commonly overlain by reddish mudstones with
desiccation and/or syneresis cracks, which are attributed
to the shift from a permanent to an ephemeral lake
system and indicate falling lake level.
Predominantly oolites and microbialites with vary-
ing percentages of siliciclastic grains form an approx-
imately 200 km wide belt extending from the southern
North Sea to Lithuania. This unit reaches a maximum
thickness of 100 m in the southern North Sea (Rhys,
1975) and developed a thickness of 45 m near the
Altmark–Eichsfeld high (Fig. 2, AEH). The AEH is
the key area of carbonate precipitation with carbonate
beds reaching a maximum thickness of 3.5 m. Here,
stromatolites occur frequently and ooids reach ex-
traordinary sizes with maximum diameters up to
20 mm. These carbonates have been called “Rogen-
steine” (roestone) by Kalkowsky (1908) who pre-
sented the first detailed description of oolites and
stromatolites.
Two stratigraphically different carbonate units of
have been recognized in the Germanic basin on the basis
of lithostratigraphic correlations. The first unit of oolitic
limestone encompasses the Griesbachian Lower Bunt-
sandstein Group (Fig. 2, su: Unterer Buntsandstein) and
the Bunter Shale Formation (Beutler and Schüler, 1987;
Röhling, 1991). It consists of basal thin carbonates of
the Calvörde Formation and of the thicker succession of
the Rogenstein Member of the lower Bernburg Forma-
tion. The second unit of oolites has been found in the
Middle Buntsandstein Group (Fig. 2, sm: Mittlerer
Buntsandstein), notably the Volpriehausen, Detfurth,
and Solling Formations. Investigations of this paper
focus on unit 1, notably the Rogenstein of the Bernburg
Formation at the Harlyberg locality.
The genetic processes, which led to the deposition of
mixed carbonate–siliciclastic sediments of the Lower
Buntsandstein Group, have been discussed. Although
there has been the idea of a marine origin of the
carbonates (e.g., Usdowski, 1962; Langbein, 1985), the
suggestion of a closed lacustrine depositional system
has been widely accepted because of the lack of marine
biota (e.g., Paul, 1982; Paul and Peryt, 2000; Hauschke
and Wilde, 2000; Becker, 2005; Knaust and Hauschke,
2005; Korte and Kozur, 2005). In addition, conchos-
tracans from fine-grained siliciclastic sedimentary rocks
were used to confirm a non-marine genesis of the
Rogenstein.
3. Local data favoring a re-interpretation
3.1. Mode of carbonate production
The scarcity of bioclasts indicates that biomineralisa-
tion was minor despite the presence of carbonate-
secreting metazoans. From the quantitative point of
view, calcified metazoans were insignificant for car-
bonate production, while ooids and microbialites were
dominant. Paul and Peryt (2000) who revisited Kalk-
owsky's “stromatolites” provided valuable data on their
formation. The growth started on ripples of oolitic
grainstone, which had been already stabilized by
cementation. Characteristic of the microbialites are
sponge-fenestrate and fan-like microfabrics, which
may reflect different microbe populations (Paul and
Peryt, 2000). Sediment texture of oolites ranges from
 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269
packstone to float/rudstone, locally with strong bimod-
ality in ooid size. Oolite groundmass contains varying
percentages of detrital quartz, micas and carbonate
cement. Ooid types comprise normal ooids, regenerated
ooid fragments, superficially incrusted ooid clasts and
cerebroid ooids. The latter probably resulted from
Fig. 3. Photomicrographs of a microbialite of the Rogenstein Member,
Harlyberg, Lower Buntsandstein (The sample is from the upper part of the
Harly section, see Paul and Peryt, 2000, Fig. 14). See Fig. 1 for location
and Fig. 2 for chronostratigraphy. 3.1 Overview, showing bivalve
bioclasts which have been trapped within the microbialite. Scale
bar = 10 cm; 3.2 Close-up view of the bivalve bioclasts. 3.3 A cerebroid
ooid becomes part of the microbialite. Scale bar = 0.5 cm.
263
microbial activity because of their asymmetric layers
(Figs. 3.3, 4.1–2). The cortex of ooids consists of
concentric and radial-fibrous microfabrics with changes
within one individual ooid. The proposed textural and
compositional heterogeneities within individual ooids as
well as within oolite beds suggest rapid changes of water
energy and chemistry over short periods of time.
The mode of carbonate production of the Rogen-
steine has to be re-evaluated in the light of the end-
Permian mass extinction and the Early Triassic recovery
period. Generally, marine carbonate precipitation repre-
sents a continuum of processes with (quasi-)abiotic
(spontaneous mineralization), (non-enzymatic) bioti-
cally-induced and (enzymatic) biotically-controlled
precipitation as end members (Webb, 2001; Schlager,
2003). Gradational boundaries exist especially between
biotically-induced and -controlled carbonate precipita-
tion exist. Environmental perturbations may cause a
change in carbonate production from biotically-con-
trolled to biotically-induced or even abiotic carbonate
production. This change is typical of the Early Triassic
recovery period following PT mass extinctions and
controls the deposition of so-called “anachronistic”
sediments (e.g., Lehrmann et al., 1998, 2001) which are
similar in appearance to Early Paleozoic or Neoproter-
ozoic sediments. Interestingly, “anachronistic” Early
Triassic carbonates from the Great Bank of Guizhou are
similar, because of the lack of bioturbation and the
presence of flat pebble conglomerates (Lehrmann et al.,
1998, 2001). Early Triassic microbialites known from a
variety of marine settings of the Tethys and Panthalassa
(Fig. 1) are a convincing testimony of changed
carbonate production during the aftermath of the PTB.
Oolites and microbialites of the Rogenstein Member
coincide with biotically-induced carbonate production.
The information presented here sheds new light on the
oolites and microbialites of the Lower Buntsandstein
Group and makes a marine genesis very likely.
3.2. Calcified shells of metazoans
Remains of vertebrates and invertebrates are rare in the
Lower Buntsandstein Group, only conchostracans, notos-
tracan triosids, xiphosurans, limulids and fish remains
have been reported (Kozur, 1998; Hauschke and Wilde,
2000). No calcified shells of metazoans have been
described or figured. However, within microbialites
(Fig. 3.1–2) and oolites (Fig. 4.1, 3–5), shell debris of
skeletal metazoans has been preserved under favorable
conditions (e.g., rapid cementation). Bioclasts of shells
have been trapped within microbialites, which resemble
opportunistic bivalves despite micritization of the shell
264 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269

Fig. 4. Photomicrographs and polished slab of oolites of the Rogenstein Member, Harlyberg, Lower Buntsandstein (The sample is from the upper part
of the Harly section, see Paul and Peryt, 2000, Fig. 14). See Fig. 1 for location and Fig. 2 for chronostratigraphy. 4.1 Polished slab with bimodal size
of ooids. The large ooids are cerebroid ooids (see text for details). Note the skeletal fragment (arrow). Scale bars in centimeter. 4.2 Close-up view of a
partly recrystallized cerebroid ooid. Scale = 1 cm. 4.3 Overview of a bimodal oolite containing bioclasts. The dark rectangles show the exact position
of Figs. 4.4–5. Scale bar = 2 cm. 4.4 Ooid with a bivalve fragment as nucleus. Scale bar = 1.0 mm; 4.5 Groundmass with ostracods. Scale
bar = 0.5 mm.

microstructure. In addition, shells of bivalves and/or 3.3. Stable isotopes

brachiopods or ostracods may form nuclei of ooids. Also,
ostracods may be even preserved in the siliciclastic-rich
matrix of oolites. Bivalves and ostracods have been
reported from marine and lacustrine environment since
the Paleozoic, however, no published data of Early
Triassic lacustrine bivalves and ostracods exist. During
the aftermath of the Permian–Triassic mass extinction,
opportunistic bivalves are a widespread phenomenon of
marine environments. Considering this issue, a marine
environment is much more likely than a playa lake.
Stable carbon and oxygen isotopes have been
measured from least altered ooid cortices and micro-
bialite laminae (Fig. 5). With the exception of one data
point, all δ18 O and δ13 C measurements are concen-
trated in a narrow field. Values of δ13 C vary between
+ 0.77 and − 1.44 and are within the lower field of
marine δ13 C measurements (e.g., Baud et al., 1989;
Veizer et al., 1999 (68% sample interval), Payne et al.,
2004, Korte et al., 2005; Corsetti et al., 2005). Korte
 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269
Fig. 5. Cross plot of δ18O and δ13C data of the Rogenstein Member (black dots) in comparison with a selection of published data (Baud et al., 1989;
Veizer et al., 1999; Payne et al., 2004; Corsetti et al., 2005; Korte et al., 2005). See text for interpretation. Least altered samples have been selected on
the basis of petrography.
and Kozur (2005) provided bulk rock data of the
Lower Buntsandstein carbonates and recognized
trends similar to marine sections. Their values of
δ13 C vary between + 1 and − 2. However, they support
the playa like hypothesis.
The interpretation of δ18O data is ambiguous (Veizer
et al., 1999) and not used to interpret primary signals.
Comparison with published data shows that the δ18O
values of the Rogenstein samples plot within the field of
marine seawater of Veizer et al. (1999). Comparison
with recently published data (Korte et al., 2005),
however, indicate that diagenetic overprint of ooids
and microbialites cannot be ruled out.
3.4. Sedimentary structures and trace fossils
A large number of sedimentary structures has been
described from the red beds of Lower Buntsandstein
Group. Sedimentary structures of siliciclastic sediments
comprise horizontal, cross, lenticular and wavy bedding
and ripples; mud cracks and syneresis cracks are typical
of clay- and siltstones. Sediment structures described
from the oolites comprise oscillation ripples, cross
bedding and flat pebble conglomerates (Paul and Peryt,
2000). Flat pebble conglomerates have been regarded as
typical sediments of the aftermath following the
Permian–Triassic mass extinction (Wignall and Twitch-
ett, 1999; Pruss et al., 2005) and they thought to form in
strom-dominated shelf environments in the western US
(S. Pruss, pers. communication). During field work,
sediment structures resembling herring-bone cross
265
stratification were discovered. They were observed
within a thick, mixed carbonate–siliciclastic oolite at
Harlyberg (Fig. 6.1–2). The bimodal flow direction of
tidal currents which is indicated by the different orien-
tation of the foreset laminae is favored as interpretation
despite the fact that trough cross bedding cannot be
excluded.
The ichnofauna of the Lower Buntsandstein Group
consists of a variety of genera, including Planolites,
Skolithos, Fuersichnus, Phycodes, Diplichnites, Ruso-
phycus, Cruziana, Diplopodichnus, Tambia and Gyro-
chorte. The interpretation of trace fossils is challenging,
because some sedimentary structures easily might be
misinterpreted as trace fossils (Knaust and Hauschke,
2004). No trace fossils were discovered within the
oolites. Fine-grained siltstone yields trace fossils similar
to the ichnogenus Planolites (alternatively Gyrochorte
isp. has been suggested as ichnotaxon, A. Goetz, pers.
communication). In cross section the epirelief is
cylindrical and has no walls. The diameter of the tubes
is 0.8–1.1 cm. The trace fossil is parallel to bedding and
consists of slightly bent tubes which are simple and lack
bifurcations or branches (Fig. 7.1). The tubes resemble
with respect to size and morphology Planolites from the
marine Myophoria beds of the Röt and Muschelkalk
(Fig. 7.2; see Fig. 2 for Germanic Triassic stratigraphy).
It is crucial that morphologically similar trace fossils of
the Lower Buntsandstein Group and the Röt siltstones
have a similar size and did not undergo a dramatic
reduction of size (Lilliput effect), a phenomenon
observed from Early Triassic trace fossils (Twitchett
266 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269

influence is questioned. More likely, the Rogenstein

units represent marine carbonate deposited during short-
lived marine transgressions, as they show the charac-
teristic features of Early Triassic anachronistic carbo-
nates described from many marine settings:

– The oolites and microbialites are the product of abiotic

and biotically-induced carbonate precipitation while
biomineralisation is insignificant; Earliest Triassic
reefs of the Tethys and Panthalassa are very similar.
– The sometimes extraordinary size of the Rogenstein
ooids resembles marine Neoproterozoic ooids. The
term “anachronistic” has been used in the literature to
describe the similarities in the fabric and composition
of earliest Triassic and Early Palaeozoic/Neoproter-
ozoic carbonates.

Fig. 6. Sediment structure regarded as herring-bone cross stratification

(HBCS), Harlyberg, Lower Buntsandstein (The sample is from the
upper part of the Harly section, see Paul and Peryt, 2000, Fig. 14). See
Fig. 1 for location and Fig. 2 for chronostratigraphy. 6.1 Outcrop
photograph, HBCS is part of the lower part of a massive oolite bed at
Harlyberg. Scale = 10 cm. 6.2 Photomicrograph, HBCS is overlain by
low-angle cross stratification. Scale = 1 cm.

and Barras, 2004; Pruss et al., 2004). Early Triassic

terrestrial trace fossils have been described in the
literature (Bromley and Asgaard, 1979; Gradzinski
and Uchman, 1994). These ichnocoenoses, which
contain Planolites-like trace fossils, are restricted to
both marine and terrestrial siliciclastic sediments and
have not been described from carbonates.

4. Regional and global perspectives — PTB mass

extinction and earliest Triassic recovery overlooked?

Considering (i) currently discussed Early Triassic
recovery scenarios of marine benthic communities, (ii)
global patterns of Early Triassic carbonate production,
(iii) Permian–Triassic tectono-sedimentary evolution of
northern Pangaea, (iv) new outcrop and microfacies data
and, finally, (v) stable oxygen and carbon isotope data,
the existing depositional playa lake-model has been
tested. The current understanding of a lack of marine
Fig. 7. Photographs of trace fossils similar to Planolites isp., Lower
Buntsandstein (the sample is from the upper part of the Harly section,
see Paul and Peryt, 2000, Fig. 14) and Röt Formation. See Fig. 1 for
location and Fig. 2 for chronostratigraphy. 7.1 Bedding plane with
trace fossil resembling Planolites, Harlyberg. Note that two genera-
tions of trace fossils (arrows) overlap despite their scarcity. Scale
bar = 2 cm; 7.2 Bedding plane with Planolites isp. from the marine Röt
Formation. Note the increase in density and the variation in diameter.
Scale bar in centimeters.
 O. Weidlich / Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 252 (2007) 259–269
– Newly found debris of thin shells resembles opportu-
nistic bivalves flourishing in Early Triassic oceans.
– Stable carbon isotopes of least altered Rogenstein
ooids and stromatolites exhibit trends very similar to
the composition of Triassic seawater.
– The presence of flat pebble conglomerates and
sediment structures similar to herring-bone cross
stratification confirm marine conditions.
– Trace fossils of fine-grained clastic sediments of the
Rogenstein show striking similarities to marine Pla-
nolites of the Middle Triassic Muschelkalk (it is
important to mention that Planolites is not necessar-
ily an indicator of marine conditions).
This body of data supports the idea of a shallow
marine environment in the area of the Altmark–
Eichsfeld high and suggests that most of the Rogen-
stein carbonates are the product of short-lived marine
transgressions. The absence of marine biota is not a
useful criterion. In addition, spirorbids, gastropods and
rare foraminifers found within microbialites and oolites
have been interpreted as marine indicators in the
eastern Germanic Triassic basin (western Poland:
Peryt, 1974, 1975). The marine re-interpretation is
backed by a global rise in sea level during the Late
Permian–Early Triassic (Fig. 2) and Early Triassic
transgressive successions in the realm of the Barents
gateway, notably East Greenland (Stemmerik et al.,
1992; Wignall and Twitchett, 1996; Twitchett et al.,
2001), southern Barents shelf (Mork, 1998), see
Figs. 1, 2. Unfortunately, unequivocal criteria of Early
Triassic marine sediments are absent from the northern
North Sea because of local erosion. The presence of
reactivated graben structures (Fisher and Mudge,
1998), however, makes marine ingressions from the
north very likely.
In conclusion, the following model is proposed: Cool
water transgressed during a global rise of Late Permian–
Early Triassic sea level from the Barents shelf
southward along reactivated extensional graben struc-
tures and flooded the Central European Permo-Triassic
basin. There, the extremely hot and arid climate of the
megacontinent Pangaea caused increased evaporation of
seawater and subsequent supersaturation with respect
to calcium carbonate. Insignificant biomineralisation
and high water energy in the extremely shallow sea
gives rise to rapid and discontinuous abiotic and
biotically-induced carbonate precipitation. Benthic
tropical carbonate production started with the next
transgression during the Röt Formation, causing the
sedimentation of marls and limestones during the
Spathian (late Olenekian).
267
Acknowledgments
This study was partly financed by the German
Science Foundation (project We1804/8-1,2). I thank
Michael Weiss (Freie Universität Berlin) for guidance in
the field, thin sections and fruitful discussion. Michaela
Bernecker (Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg) and Manfred
Menning (GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam) improved
with their comments the manuscript. The help and
enthusiasm of the editors of this volume is greatly
acknowledged. Reviews of Tom Algeo, Carl Brett,
Annette Götz and Sara Pruss improved the manuscript.
Annette Götz provided additional literature.
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