Genese des mitteleuropäischen Buntsandsteins

The continental Buntsandstein red beds represent the parastratigraphically subdivided germanotype facies of the Lower Triassic in Middle Europe. Fluvial deposits are widespread in proximal and medial parts of the sedimentation area. Additionally, aeolian dune sands, alluvial-fan deposits, mud-flow sediments, palaeosols, lacustrine, deltaic, tidal, lagoonal, brackish, marine and evaporitic deposits are present. Numerous isolated occurrences and several concentrations of faunal and floral elements in the generally poorly fossiliferous sequence reflect a diversified and partially rich biosphere of the Buntsandstein. Evolution and zoning testify the control of tectonics on depositional history. The depositional history leads from the end of the saline Zechstein period via predominantly silty-clayey and oolitic shallow-water sediments to a mainly fluvial series which is characterized by the intercalation of aeolian dune sands in its upper part, before by another fluvial sequence in the marginal areas and precipitation of thick halite layers in the basin centre the marine terminal stage is reached which passes into the carbonate Muschelkalk succession.