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TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITÄT BERGAKADEMIE FREIBERG
Institut für Geologie
Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen
46
Freiberg
2014
CPC-2014 Field Meeting on Carboniferous
and Permian Nonmarine – Marine Correlation
July 21st – 27th, Freiberg, Germany
Excursion Guide
Herausgeber:
Jörg W. Schneider, Stanislav Opluštil, Frank Scholze
2 Beiträge, 121 Seiten, 101 Abbildungen, 1 Tabellen, 273 Literaturstellen
Wissenschaftliche Mitteilungen
Herausgeber
der Reihe
Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg
Institut für Geologie
Förderkreis Freiberger Geowissenschaften e.V.
Internet
http://www.geo.tu-freiberg.de/publikationen/wiss_mitteilungen.html
Redaktion und
TU Bergakademie Freiberg
Manuskriptannahme Institut für Geologie
Dr. Volkmar Dunger
Gustav-Zeuner-Straße 12
09599 Freiberg
Tel.
+49(0)3731/39-3227
Fax
+49(0)3731/39-2720
[email protected]
Vertrieb
Akademische Buchhandlung
Inh. B. Hackel
Merbachstraße
PF 1445
09599 Freiberg
Tel.
+49(0)3731/22198
Fax
+49(0)3731/22644
Das Werk, einschließlich aller seiner Teile, ist urheberrechtlich geschützt. Jede Verwertung ist ohne die Zustimmung
des Verlages außerhalb der Grenzen des Urheberrechtsgesetzes unzulässig und strafbar. Das gilt insbesondere für
Vervielfältigungen, Übersetzungen, Mikroverfilmungen und die Einspeicherung und Verarbeitung in elektronischen
Systemen. Für den Inhalt sind allein die Autoren verantwortlich.
© Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, 2014
Gesamtherstellung: Medienzentrum der TU Bergakademie Freiberg
Printed in Germany
ISSN 1433-1284
WELCOME TO
Field Meeting on
Carboniferous and Permian Nonmarine – Marine Correlation
AT FREIBERG UNIVERSITY
(July, 21st – 27th 2014, Freiberg, Germany)
Dear participants,
we, the members of the Department of Palaeontology of Freiberg University are very
delighted to welcome you to this international meeting at our faculty! We are pleased to
welcome colleagues from eleven countries of five continents and we hope that you enjoy the
scientific programm and excursion, but also the hospitality in our small mediaeval silvermining town and during the field trip!
The intension and the embracing topic of this meeting is bringing together colleagues
interested in the correlation of Carboniferous, Permian and Early Triassic continental deposits
with the global marine scale, to develop cooperative research in various related aspects, and to
represent the kickoff of a newly installed joined international working group on such a global
correlation project.
Although nearly all marine stage boundaries of the Carboniferous and Permian are ratified or
close to ratification, nearly nothing is known about the correlation of the system and stage
boundaries into the vast continental deposits on the CP Earth. However, the Late
Carboniferous and Permian was a time of extreme continentality due to an exceptional low
sea level. So, the huge landmass of Gondwana on its own covered an area of about 73 million
km2 (what is more than seven-times the size of Europe), but was covered by epicontinental
seas for only about 15%. This means that most of the preserved deposits of this time with
many natural resources (mainly coal, natural gas, salt and other minerals) are enclosed in
continental successions. It was the time of full terrestrialisation of life, but also the time when
the most severe mass extinction in both the marine and the terrestrial ecosystems occurs by
the end of the Middle and Late Permian. However, to fully understand the processes and their
interrelations in the geo- and biosphere of this time, an exact stratigraphic control and detailed
correlation of marine and nonmarine deposits is essential.
To approach this big project, during the 2013 International meeting on the Carboniferous and
Permian Transition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the chairs of the Subcommission on
Carboniferous Stratigraphy (Barry Richards) and the Subcommission on Permian
Stratigraphy (Shuzhong Shen) agreed to organize a joined international working group.
Together with the Sino-German Cooperation Project the Freiberg Field Meeting likes to give
a platform for this working group and for all related workers from various regions and
continental basins to put in their detailed local and regional knowledge. Let us use the
meeting to discuss models and to develop new ideas for the solution of global problems.
We wish interesting sessions, a successful excursion and a very pleasant stay at the world’s
oldest montanous university Bergakademie.
Jörg W. Schneider & Olaf Elicki
Content
The town Freiberg
TU Bergakademie Freiberg. The University of Resources. Since 1765.
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Time schedule for the excursions
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Maps of the excursion route and overnight stays
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Stratigraphic tables
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Part I. The Carboniferous – Permian basins of Central and Western Bohemia,
the Krkonoše Mt. foreland and the Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic
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Introduction: overview of the Late Paleozoic basins in the Czech Republic
1st Day: Central and Western Bohemian basins – typical continental Pennsylvanian
successions of Europe
1. Late Paleozoic continental basins in Central and Western Bohemian
2. Formation of the Late Paleozoic basins in the central and western Bohemia
3. Lithostratigraphy of the Late Paleozoic basins in the central and western Bohemia
3.1 Kladno (Lower Grey) Formation
3.2 Týnec (Lower Red) Formation
3.3 Slaný (Upper Grey) Formation
3.4 LínČ (Upper Red) Formation
Stop 1: Carboniferous-Permian LínČ Formation
Stop 2: Open cast mines of the NýĜany Member
Stop 3: Refractory claystone and Z-tuff of the Radnice Member
Stop 4: Classical exposures of the Klobuky lake horizon
Stop 5: Cliffs of the NýĜany Member
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2nd Day: Krkonoše Piedmont Basin – Carboniferous-Permian transition in
continental deposits
1. Late Paleozoic continental basins in the Sudetic area
2. Krkonoše Piedmont Basin
Stop 1: The flora of the Rudník Member
Stop 2: Early Permian lacustrine black shales
Stop 3: Lacustrine Stephanian C in the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin
Stop 4: The cliffs of the Vrchlabí Formation
Stop 5: Gemstones Museum
Stop 6: Fluvial facies of the Kumburk Formation
References
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Part II. The Carboniferous – Permian basins in Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt
of East Germany
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1. Introduction: Geology, stratigraphy and palaeontology of the excursion area
2. The Carboniferous – Permian Erzgebirge Basin
2.1 The Early Permian Chemnitz Basin
The Permian Petrified Forest of Chemnitz - general information
Stop 1: Early Permian Zeisigwald caldera and tuff
Stop 2: “Window to the past”, excavation Sonnenberg, Zeisigwald tuff
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Stop 3: Museum of Natural Science Chemnitz
3. The Permian Gera Basin
Stop 4: Märzenberg, classical outcrop of the Zechstein transgression sediments
4. The Late Permian – Triassic Thuringian Basin
4.1 The Germanic Triassic
Stop 5: Caaschwitz quarry, continuous Permian to Triassic profile
5. The Late Carboniferous - Permian Thuringian Forest Basin
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Basin development and basin fill
Stop 6: Manebach, Late Carboniferous/Early Permian coal bearing grey facies, classical
palaeobotanical outcrop since Mylius 1709 and Schlotheim 1804
Stop 7: Schleusingen - Museum of Natural History in the Bertholdsburg Castle
Stop 8: Oberhof, typical late Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian/Artinskian, lake horizon in the
level of last perennial lakes in Central Europe
Stop 9: Friedrichroda; Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian, lake and alluvial fan deposits
Stop 10: Cabarz quarry, Lower Goldlauter Formation, Sakmarian alluvial plain to temporary
lacustrine deposits in red and grey facies
Stop 11a. Tambach Formation, Early Permian Wadi fill
Stop 11b: Bromacker, Tambach-Dietharz, singular Early Permian tetrapod locality
Stop 12. Eisenach Formation, Wartburg castle, late Early to early Late Permian dry
red beds of alluvial fan to evaporitic playa deposits
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6. The Carboniferous – Permian Saale Basin
6.1 Introduction
Stop 13: Kyffhäuser Mountain, Late Carboniferous Stephanian wet red beds
Stop (optional): Rothenburg, Late Carboniferous Stephanian red bed deposits
Stop 14: Rothenschirmbach, Middle Permian playa deposits
Stop 15: Type locality of the "Saalian Phase" of Stille 1924
7. The Southern Permian Basin
7.1 Introduction Southern Permian basin
Stop 16: Bebertal, southern border of the Southern Permian basin (SPB) –
the only surface outcrop of this giant mega-playa system
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8. Synthesis of the excursion
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References
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The town Freiberg
The town lies on the northern slope of the Ore Mountains with the majority of the
borough west of the Freiberg Mulde river. Parts of the town nestle in the valleys
of the Münzbach and Goldbach streams and its centre is about 412 m above
NHN. Its lowest point is the Münzbach river on the town boundary at 340 m
above NHN; its highest point is on an old mining tip at 491 m above NHN.
Freiberg lies within a region of old forest clearances that were used by the
mining industry that has left its mark on the landscape, and is surrounded to the
north, southeast and soutwest by woods, and in the other directions by fields and
meadows. Population: 40.100.
The town was founded in 1186 and has been a center of the mining industry in the Ore Mountains for
centuries. A symbol of that history is the Technical University Bergakademie (Mining Academy)
Freiberg, established in 1765 and therefore the oldest university of mining and metallurgy in the world.
Freiberg also has a notable cathedral containing two famous Gottfried Silbermann organs. The
medieval part of Freiberg stands under heritage protection. The nucleus of the town, the former
medieval forest village of Christiansdorf lies in the valley of the Münzbach stream. The unwalled town
center grew up on its two slopes and on the ridge to the west. This means inter alia that the roads
radiating outwards east of the old main road axis (today Erbische Straße and Burgstraße running from
the former Erbisch Gate (Erbischer Tor) on Postplatz to Freudenstein Castle), some of which run as
far as the opposite side of the Münzbach valley, are very steep. The area located east of the main
road axis is called Unterstadt ("Lower Town"), with its “Lower Market” or Untermarkt. The western area
is the Oberstadt ("Upper Town") where the Obermarkt or "Upper Market" is situated. The town center
is surrounded by a green belt running along the old town wall. In the west, this belt, in which the ponds
of the Kreuzteiche are set, broadens out into an area like a park. Just north of the town center, is
Freudenstein Castle as well as the remnants of the town wall with several wall towers and
Schlüsselteich pond in front of them. The remains of the wall run eastwards, in sections, to the Donats
Tower. This area is dominated by the historic moat.
Until 1969, the town was dominated for around 800 years by the mining and smelting industries. In
recent decades it has restructured into a high technology site in the fields of semiconductor
manufacture and solar technology, part of “Silicon Saxony”.
TU Bergakademie Freiberg
The University of Resources. Since 1765.
Profile
Four core fields – geo, material, energy, environment – thereby give the oldest existing mining science
university in the world a unique and unmistakable profile as the university of resources. Scientists and
students from all research areas actively work together in these four areas. Strong partners from the
industry are always by their side. Therefore, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg also ranks amongst the
ten strongest research universities in Germany due to third-party funding per professor and occupies
the top position in the new federal states and ranks among the top ten in Germany as a whole.
As the University of Resources, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg extensively takes the saving of raw
material in particular into account, according to the sustainability concept which was coined by the
Freiberg head mining administrator Carl von Carlowitz in 1713. In the process the university covers
everything from the exploration of new as well as local deposits to the development of alternative
power engineering, from recycling to research into new materials.
Facts & Figures
5,600 Students, 6 Faculties, 86 Professors and 2 Collaborative Research Centers. In 2013, Freiberg
professors attracted 58.4 million euros in third party funds. This is clearly more than the amount the
university receives for its basic budget to cover ongoing expenses.
History
In the front line for society’s current developments – the TU Bergakademie Freiberg has pursued this
ideal since its establishment in 1765. Alexander von Humboldt, Michail Lomonossov and Novalis
studied in Freiberg. Abraham Gottlob Werner founded scientific mineralogy here and gives in 1799 the
first lecture in Palaeontology in the world. Bernhard von Cotta, Professor for Geognosie (Geology) and
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Petrefactenkunde (Palaeontology) was renowned for his PhD thesis on petrified wood, his concepts
on evolution of organisms (before Darwin!), and for his famous books on worldwide ore deposits as
well as for his geological maps of Saxony and Thuringia. The chemist Clemens Winkler discovered the
element Germanium in the mining town, while Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymus Theodor Richter
discovered the element Indium. And it was in Freiberg, too, where Wilhelm Lampadius installed the
first gas lamp on the European continent.
In present days, applied resource research in Freiberg can be exemplified by numerous projects. So,
material scientists look into new production technologies to combine steel and ceramics into a material
of better performance and higher energy efficiency. At the German Centre for Energy Resources
(DER) researchers develop upcoming and future concepts for the non-energetic and energetic use of
fossil and renewable energy resources for the post-oil era. At the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for
Resource Technology, founded by TU Bergakademie Freiberg in collaboration with the HelmholtzZentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, researchers aim to develop new sources of high-tech metals such as
Gallium or Indium.
Scientific collections
Indispensable for research and a unique attraction for visitors – this is in brief the importance of the
some 40 scientific collections of TU Bergakademie Freiberg. To add to the renowned Mineralogical
Collection already in place, in 2004 the university was donated one of the finest and most important
mineralogical collections owned privately. Now the most breath-taking samples from all over the world
can be marveled at in the permanent exhibition "terra mineralia" in the renovated castle Schloss
Freudenstein. Nearby, after restoration of the ‚Krügerhaus' the ‚Mineralogical Collection Germany' was
opened in October 2012. In this way, the TU Bergakademie Freiberg has managed to establish an
ensemble of mineralogical museums that is unequalled in Europe.
The Faculty of Geosciences, Geoengineering and Mining unites a unique and wide range of
competences, resulting in linked teaching and research activities. The combination of the geodisciplines with physics, chemistry, mathematics, (micro)biology, mechanical engineering, process
engineering, material science and economics is distinctive. Our profile, particularly in Applied
Geosciences, results in a wide international recognition. The German Science Foundation (DFG)
entrusts Freiberg with its reference libraries for geology, mineralogy, petrography, and soil science
and for mining, smelting, and geodesy, making it Europe’s most powerful Geo-reference library. With
the Saxon Mining Authority (Oberbergamt), the State Agency for Environment, Agriculture and
Geology (LfULG), the Geo-Competence Centre (GKZ), and about 50 geo-consultants and enterprises,
Freiberg houses an exclusive array of science, administration and enterprises.
The Faculty currently has about 1,400 full time students with 400 new inscriptions (2013) and a fine
teacher-to-student ratio. We are known for a competitive and successful study environment that allows
ambitious students to finalize their studies within the standard study periods.
Find more under: http://tu-freiberg.de/fakult3/pdf/Fakultaet_3_ENGL_www.pdf
And: http://tu-freiberg.de/en/geo/palaeo-en
Research and education ore mine of the TU BAF "Rich Mine" and the historical silver mine
"Old Elisabeth"
“Old Elisabeth” was first mentioned in 1511 but is much older. The mine was overhanded together with
the “Riche Mine” 1919 to the Bergakademie as a training and education mine. In 1969 the last ore
mine was closed at Freiberg. Between 1975 and 1981 the “Old Elisabeth” and the “Riche Mine” were
reconstructed and serve since them both together as education and research mines.
Students underground course, Rich Mine.
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Historical silver mine Old Elisabeth
Drawings: O. Wagenbreth
Freudenstein castle, mineral exhibition “terra mineralia” of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg, one of the most valuable and significant
private collections worldwide.
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Otto Meisser Building, GustavZeuner-Street 12.
Place of the Freiberg
Meeting 2014
Institute of Geology,
A. von Humboldt Building,
TU Bergakademie,
Bernhard von Cotta Street 2.
Collection of Palaeontology
and Stratigraphy, Institute
of Geology. The collection
bears some original fossil
specimens, used by A. G.
Werner, first professor of
the 1765 founded Mining
Academy Freiberg, for the
worldwide first lecture in
palaeontology in 1799.
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Modern sea star from Werner´s teaching collection of the 18 century. He used
modern animals to demonstrate the students the relationships to fossil animals.
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Thursday
24.07.2014
Wednesday
23.07.2014
Day
Carboniferous-Permian
transition in continental
deposits
Krkonoše-Piedmont
Basin,
Bohemian Massif
Czech Republic
Typical continental
Pennsylvanian
successions
of Europe
Central and Western
Bohemian basins
Czech Republic
Region / Topic
Excursion Program
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8.00 start in Vrchlabi to the Krkonoše-Piedmont Basin
8.30 – 9.30 Vrchlabí road-cut, very long exposure of Rudník
member, Vrchlabí Fm., Early Permian - Asselian, lacustrine black
shales and carbonates, geochemistry; paleontology;
30 mins transfer
10.00 – 10.30 KošĢálov – KováĜĤv mlýn, large outcrop of
Rudník member, Vrchlabí Fm., Early Permian - Asselian,
lacustrine black shales; paleontology;
15 mins transfer
10.45 – 11.40 Ploužnice railway-cut, Ploužnice member,
Semily Fm., Stephanian C (late Gzhelian), lacustrine facies,
17.20 – 18.00 Kralupy nad Vltavou – Lobeþ – outcrop along
the river Moldau: NýĜany Member, late Westphalian/early
Stephanian (latest Moscovian/early Kasimovian), fluvial cycles
with mudstone intercalations, paleontology, paleoecology;
2.15 h transfer to the town of Vrchlabi located in SW corner
of the Krkonoše-Piedmont Basin;
20.15 – accommodation and dinner in a local hotel in Vrchlabí
(this locality will be included only if time permits!)
8.00 start in Freiberg to Central and Western Bohemian
basins
8.00 – 10.00 Bus transfer from Freiberg, Germany to Kryry
near PodboĜany, Czech Republic
10.00 – 11.30 Kryry – brick pit: LínČ Fm., Stephanian C (late
Gzhelian), alluvial plain red beds with palaeosols;
1.20 h transfer to Horní BĜíza (or KaznČjov)
12.50 – 13.50 KaznČjov (or Horní BĜíza) – large kaolin opencast
mines. Base of the Týnec Fm. and/or top of the NýĜany Member
(Kladno Fm.), early Stephanian (Kasimovian), fluvial succession
with silicified tree trunks, alluvial plain mudstones with paleosols;
60 mins transfer to Lubná (or Pecínov) near Rakovník
14.50 – 15.30 Lubná (or Pecínov) - kaolinitic refractory
claystone opencast mines: Radnice Member (Kladno Fm.),
Bolsovian (middle Moscovian), fluvial cycles with paleosols, tuff
beds, palynology, palaeontology, coal petrology;
50 mins transfer to Klobuky north of the town of Slaný
16.20 – 16.40 Klobuky – small road cut: Klobuky Horizon (LínČ
Formation), Stephanian C (late Gzhelian), lacustrine to palustrine
sediments, palaeontology (plants, vertebrate and invertebrate
fauna);
40 mins. transfer to Kralupy nad Vltavou – Lobeþ
Time schedule for the excursions
Hotel Gendorf
in Vrchlabí
Accommodation
Karel Martínek,
ZbynČk ŠimĤnek,
Jaroslav Zajíc,
Richard Lojka,
Stanislav Opluštil,
Stanislav Štamberg
Stanislav Opluštil,
Richard Lojka,
Jaroslav Zajíc,
Karel Martínek
Guides
Remarks
Saturday
26.07.2014
Friday
25.07.2014
Carboniferous–Permian
Thuringian Forest basin
Thuringia
Germany
Permian/Triassic
boundary profile
Late Permian marine
transgression
Continental
Carboniferous-Permian
basins
Saxony and Thuringia
Germany
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8.00 start to the Thuringian Forest basin
8.30 – 9.10 Oberhof - Lochbrunnen excavation site, typical
Asselian/Sakmarian lake deposits, level of last perennial lakes in
Central Europe flora, fauna;
40 mins transfer
9.50 – 10.40 Friedrichroda - Gottlob quarry: late Asselian lake
profile with pyroclastic horizon and fan deposits, flora, fauna;
8.00 start to the Chemnitz basin, Early Permian
9.00 – 9.40 Chemnitz - caldera of the Zeisigwald tuff eruption
(Asselian/Artinskian);
10.00 – 12.00 Chemnitz Petrified Forest (Asselian/Artinskian) scientific excavation, Museum Petrified Forest;
1 h transfer
13.00 – 13.40 Gera - basal conglomerate of Late Permian
Wuchiapingian Zechstein transgression, Copper slate, marine
limestones;
30 mins transfer
14.10 – 15.00 Caaschwitz quarry - best exposed continuous
Late Permian marine Zechstein – continental Early Triassic
Buntsandstein section in Europe, problem of the PTB in the
European continental profiles;
2 h transfer trough the Thuringian basin (Triassic)
17.00 – 17.50 Manebach - Variscian basement (intraCarboniferous weathered granite); Manebach Fm., Early
Asselian - classical type locality of Euramerian Permian plants
( e.g., SCHLOTHEIM), alluvial plain with swamps;
40 mins transfer across Thuringian Forest Mountain
18.30 Schleusingen - Museum of Natural History,
Bertholdsburg Castle - exhibition of Carboniferous to Triassic
fossils, reconstructions of the respective environments (ancient
forests, lakes, seas etc.); Barbecue in the castle courtyard.
paleosols, palaeontology;
20 mins transfer
12.00 – 13.00 Stará Paka railway station, long outcrop of the
Vrchlabí Fm., early Permian - Asselian, fluvial facies and
architectures, provenance, ichnology;
13.20 – 14.30 The Municipal Museum Nová Paka (Treasury of
Gemstones) – exhibition from the Late Pennsylvanian to
Cisuralian deposits, volcanites and paleontology of the
Krkonoše-Piedmont Basin; summary to the KP Basin;
14,40 – 15.00 optional stop (if there is enough time) Nová Paka
– Zlámaniny, Asturian – Barruelian fluvial deposits, volcanic
dyke
15.00 start back to Freiberg, Germany, via Prague;
4 h transfer to Freiberg (without airport stops)
Arcadia hotel in Suhl
arrival at hotel Kreller
in Freiberg
at 19.00
J.W. Schneider
Ralf Werneburg
J.W. Schneider
Ronny Rößler
Frank Scholze
Ralf Werneburg
Sunday
27.07.2014
Middle to Late
Permian
Southern Permian basin
Carboniferous
Saale basins
Thuringia and
Saxony-Anhalt
Germany
8
8.00 start to the Saale and Southern Permian basins
8.30 – 9.40 Kyffhäuser Mountain with ruins of a castle from
medieval times – Late Pennsylvanian (Stephanian) red bed fan
deposits with petrified tree trunks;
40 mins transfer
10.20 – 11.00 Rothenschirmbach – late Middle Permian
(Wordian/Capitanian) playa deposits, vertebrate and invertebrate
tracks, conchostracans;
40 mins transfer
11.40 – 12.30 Hettstedt, Valley of the Heilige Reiser, type
locality of the Saalian phase, discordance between late
Pennsylvanian wet red beds and late Permian dry red beds;
1.30 h transfer
14.00 – 15.30 Bebertal, Middle Permian wadi and playa deposits
with dune sandstones at the border of the Southern Permian
basin
1.30 h transfer
17.00 Leipzig airport (if requested)
1.30 h transfer
18.30 Dresden airport (if requested)
1.00 h transfer
19.30 arrival in Freiberg (without airport stops at 18.30)
20 min transfer
11.00 – 12.30 Cabarz quarry - middle Asselian alluvial plain to
lacustrine deposits, red and grey facies, meso- to xerophile flora,
invertebrates, amphibians, fishes, tetrapod tracks, etc.
30 min transfer
13.00 – 14.00 Tambach - Artinskian red beds, profile from
palaeo-wadi mouth fan to flood basin deposits, best European
locality of Permian tetrapod skeletons and tracks; invertebrates
and their traces, flora
1 h transfer
15.00 – 16.30 Wartburg castle in Eisenach town (best
preserved German Romanic castle, UNESCO World Heritage) late Early to Middle Permian alluvial fan and playa deposits;
1.50 h transfer to Bad Frankenhausen
hotel Kreller in
Freiberg
Residenz hotel in
Bad Frankenhausen
(overnight to
Monday - if needed not included in the
excursion fee)
J.W. Schneider
Ronny Rößler
Frank Scholze
Ralf Werneburg
Sebastian Voigt
Stefan Brauner
Ronny Rößler
Frank Scholze
- after 18.30
from Dresden
airport
- after 17.00
from Leipzig
airport
Flight
connections
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Fig. 1. Map of the overnight stays during the excursion in Czech Republic and Eastern Germany. The red point north of Magdeburg marks the northernmost stop of the excursion route.
Maps of the excursion route and overnight stays
Fig. 2. Map of the excursion stops in the Czech Republic.
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Fig. 3. Map of the excursion stops in Eastern Germany.
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Fig. 4. Correlation of Late Carboniferous, Permian and Early Triassic basins in France and Germany based on Roscher & Schneider (2006), Schneider & Werneburg (2012)
as well as Schneider et al. (2013) and the therein cited literature; grey bars indicate wet phases, for details see Schneider et al. (2006) and Roscher & Schneider (2006).
Stratigraphic tables
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Fig. 5. Correlation of Late Carboniferous, Permian and Early Triassic basins in the Czech Republic, Morocco and Southern Africa based on Roscher & Schneider (2006), Schneider &
Werneburg (2012) as well as Schneider et al. (2013) and the therein cited literature; grey bars indicate wet phases, for details see Schneider et al. (2006) and Roscher & Schneider (2006).
Part I
The Carboniferous – Permian basins of Central and Western Bohemia, the
Krkonoše Mt. foreland and the Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic
Stanislav Opluštil1, Karel Martínek1, Richard Lojka2, Nicholas Rosenau3,
Jaroslav Zajíc4, ZbynČk ŠimĤnek2, Jana Drábková2 & Stanislav Štamberg5
1
Institute of Geology and Paleontology, Charles University, Albertov 6, 128 43 Praha 2, Czech
Republic; [email protected]
2
Czech Geological Survey, Klárov 3, 118 21 Praha, Czech Republic
3
Dolan Integration Group, 2520 55th Street, Suite 101, Boulder, CO. 80303, United States
4
Institute of Geology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i., Rozvojová 269, 165 00
Praha 6 –Lysolaje, Czech Republic
5
Museum of Eastern Bohemia in Hradec Králové, Elišþino nábĜeží 465, 500 01 Hradec Králové,
Czech Republic
Introduction: overview of the Late Paleozoic basins in the Czech Republic
The territory of the Czech Republic consists by major part of the Bohemian Massif, which is a complex
tectonic collage of formerly individual peri-Gondwanian-derived terranes including Saxothuringicum,
Teplá-Barrandian and Moldanubicum, which amalgamated between Middle Devonian and early
Mississippian times and subsequently collided with the Brunovistulicum during the late Viséan (e.g.,
Linnemann et al., 2004; Mazur et al., 2006; Franke, 2006; Kalvoda et al, 2008; Žák et al., 2014).
Orogenic processes as well as post-orogenic relaxation and re-organization of stress-field resulted in
formation of a complex of basins of different geotectonic and paleogeographic positions. Although
stratigraphic ranges of individual basins vary significantly, together they span nearly the whole
Carboniferous and Permian with overlap into the Triassic.
The stratigraphically oldest Carboniferous strata were deposited in the synorogenic foreland MoravoSilesian Basin (Tournain-Viséan) and its successor, the Upper Silesian Coal Basin (Serpukhovianearly Kasimovian) located along the Czech/Polish border (Fig. 6). These basins are situated along the
eastern periphery of already amalgamated Moldanubicum, Teplá-Barrandian and Saxothuringicum
terranes called Lugodanubicum and western margin of the Brunovistulicum terrane. The MoravoSilesian Basin was developed as fully marine during Devonian times. In the Tournaisian and Viséan it
was a deep marine basin with siliciclastic turbidites and gravity flow deposits of culm facies (Pešek et
al., 1998; Kalvoda et al., 2008; Kalvoda & Bábek, 2010). However, since Serpukhovian times
(Pendlein – Arnsbergian) it became shallow enough to allow coal-forming paralic deposition (Fig. 7) on
a delta plain that underwent frequent marine incursions recorded in about 80 marine bands (ěehoĜ &
ěehoĜová, 1972; Havlena, 1982). These fossiliferous, paralic and highly coal-bearing sediments
reaching thickness up to 3 km are assigned to the Ostrava Formation (Paralic Series in Polish part of
the basin). The Mid-Carboniferous eustatic event coinciding probably with tectonic activity related to
the ´Erzgebirge Phase´ (e.g., Havlena, 1982; Kotas, 1995), interrupted the deposition until the middle
Namurian (Kinderscoutian), when purely continental coal-bearing sedimentation started. In the Czech
part of the basin this deposition continued into the end of the Bashkirian (Langsettian) and consists of
the up to 1 km thick Karviná Formation (Fig. 7). In the NE part of the basin on the Polish territory coalbearing deposition continued with several interruptions until the end of the Moscovian. This was
replaced by deposition of fluvial red beds (Kwaczala Arkose) during early Kasimovian times (Kotas,
1995). Another sedimentary basin developed along the Elbe lineament during the Late Devonian and
early Mississippian. Slightly folded and metamorphosed siliciclastic sediments of this age crop out only
in the northern part of the Czech Republic in the JeštČd Hills, where a trilobite fauna indicates a
Tournaisian age. Further SE of this area, a more than 300 m thick and subhorizontally lying
succession was encountered in deep boreholes (e.g., Nepasice near Hradec Králové). The base of the
Tournaisian succession is dominated by micritic limestones with the Siphonodella sulcata conodont
biozone followed by bioclastic crinoid limestones (Chlupáþ & Zikmundová, 1976). Around the
Tournaisian/Viséan boundary the carbonate deposition started to be gradually replaced by
siliciclastics. Sediments of both areas are interpreted as deposits of the same sedimentary basin
formed along the Elbe Fault Zone. Palaeogeographically it was probably a narrow SE striking bay of
the sea located between Saxothuringicum and Teplá-Barrandian zone (Pešek et al., 1998).
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In the interior of the Bohemian Massif, the collisional processes in Mississippian times resulted in
crustal thickening, fast uplift and exhumation of Variscan granites and high-grade metamorphic rocks
(e.g., Kukal, 1984; Kotková & Parrish, 2000; Schulmann et al., 2009). It is therefore assumed that
during that time the Bohemian Massif (especially its southern part) was mostly a few kilometers high
plateau, with no significant deposition except its NE periphery, in the Lower Silesia, Poland, where the
Intra-Sudetic Basin was established in late Viséan times (Turnau et al., 2002). In the interior of the
massif, however, formation of continental basins began in the early Moscovian when the uplift
substantially decreased and waning orogenic processes allowed for development of fault-related
extensional and/or strike-slip basins in western, central and NE part of the Czech Republic (Pašek &
Urban, 1990; Pešek, 2004). In the Gzhelian and Cisuralian re-adjustment of the stress-field resulted in
the formation of the NNE-SSW to NNW-SSE striking narrow half-grabens (Fig. 6).
Fig. 6. Distribution of Carboniferous and Permian sediments in the Czech Republic and their basic characteristics.
The position of the Late Paleozoic continental strata on various terranes of the Bohemian Massif is
reflected by differences in the stratigraphic range of deposition, basin geometry, and thickness of the
strata. The largest occurrences are in western and central Bohemia (= western and central parts of the
Czech Republic), which consists of the western and central Bohemian basin complex (e.g. Pešek
1994) where the deposition spans the interval from early middle Moscovian (early Bolsovian) to the
latest Gzhelian and possibly early Asselian (Fig. 7). Further east, in the NE Czech Republic and the
adjacent part of Poland, the western and central Bohemian basin complex is connected with a similar
complex of so-called Sudetic basins (Fig. 6) situated on the Saxothuringicum basement. Here, the
stratigraphic range strongly varies between individual basins but in whole covers an interval from the
late Viséan to the ?Early Triassic. Together with the central and western Bohemian basins they once
formed a single continental basin, about 300 km long and 70 km wide. The present-day erosional
remnant covers an area of about 10,000 km2. Apart from these major occurrences of the Late
Paleozoic continental strata there are several other smaller basins of similar age situated in Krušné
hory (Erzgebirge) Mountains (Saxothuringian Zone) around the Czech-German border including the
Teplice-Altenberg volcanic complex containing locally thin sedimentary intercalations and the Brandov
“Basin”, which is an about 3 km2 large outlier of coal-bearing Westphalian strata covered by
Stephanian fluvial red beds (Figs. 6, 7). In the southern part of the Czech Republic are the NNE-SSW
striking Boskovice and Blanice half-grabens situated.
The sedimentary fill of the continental basins is characterized by alternating units of grey coal-bearing,
and red coal-barren strata that are hundreds of meters in thickness and of basin-wide extent. This
alternation is commonly explained in terms of climatic changes (Opluštil & Cleal, 2007; Opluštil, 2013)
characterized by a series of alternating wetter and drier periods, with each drier interval becoming
15
more severe than the previous ones, whereas the wetter intervals gradually became shorter and less
pronounced. This trend first becomes apparent in the late Moscovian and grades during the Late
Pennsylvanian and Permian.
Paleogeographically the Bohemian Massif and its basins were located near the eastern margin of the
equatorial Pangea. Paleomagnetic measurements indicate that this part of Pangea underwent a
northward drift from 0° paleolatitude during the middle Pennsylvanian to 2° – 4° N latitude in the Early
Permian (Krs & Pruner, 1995). This northward shift is connected with an aridization trend (Tabor &
Poulsen, 2008) recorded in equatorial Pangea including the Bohemian Massif. However, the Late
Pennsylvanian – Early Permian transition was not gradual. Instead, it was characterized by climatic
fluctuations between moist sub-humid conditions, with the dominance of hygrophyllous flora and
hydrologically open lacustrine systems, and dry sub-humid conditions, with the dominance of „drytype“ floral assemblages, hydrologically closed lacustrine systems, and abundant carbonate deposition
(e.g., Schneider et al., 2006; Opluštil & Cleal, 2007; Martínek et al., 2006). These climatic oscillations
had a profound effect on composition of the flora in basinal lowlands, although only plant remains from
wetter periods are relatively well represented in otherwise poorly fossiliferous strata.
Fig. 7. Stratigraphic ranges of the Late Paleozoic basins of the Czech Republic and the character of their basement.
1st Day: Central and Western Bohemian basins – typical continental
Pennsylvanian successions of Europe
1. Late Paleozoic continental basins in Central and Western Bohemian
Pennsylvanian strata in central and western Bohemia cover about 6,000 km2, of which 3,500 km2 are
exposed and the rest is covered by younger, mostly Cretaceous sediments. The complex of
continental strata is formally subdivided into PlzeĖ, ManČtín, Žihle, Radnice, Kladno-Rakovník and
Mšeno-Roudnice basins (Fig. 6), reflecting mostly the historical subdivision of the area into coalfields
separated either by non-coal-bearing parts of the basin or by a younger sedimentary cover, but which
originally formed a single depositional basin located on the Teplá-Barrandian Zone. The basement
consists mostly of late Proterozoic weakly metamorphosed shales and greywackes with volcanic and
chert intercalations, and subordinate medium metamorphic rocks cut by Cadomian and Variscan
granitoids or unmetamorphosed but folded Early Paleozoic sediments (Pešek, 1994).
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2. Formation of the Late Paleozoic basins in the central and western Bohemia
Various opinions have been published to explain the formation and tectonic evolution of these basins.
Pešek (1994) characterized this basin complex as a simple asymmetric mega-graben formed on the
Teplá–Barrandian block, subsiding along the SW-NE striking Central Bohemian and LitomČĜice fault
zones (terrane boundaries). Pašek & Urban (1990) stressed the role of strike-slip movements on
especially NW-SE and also NNE-SSW trending faults. These faults are not only characteristics of the
central and western Bohemian basins but of the whole Bohemian Massif and the European Variscides
(e.g., Arthaud & Matte, 1977; Ziegler, 1986; Martínez Catalán, 2011). They are generally interpreted
as a result of intraplate tectonics related to the continental collision between the southern margin of
Laurussia and the north edge of Gondwana, which generated dextral strike-slip movements on a
broad intracontinental shear zone (Pašek & Urban, 1990; Martínez Catalán, 2011). Pašek & Urban
(1990) distinguished three periods of tectonic history of these basins corresponding to early
Moscovian (Bolsovian), Late Moscovian to early Gzhelian (Asturian – Stephanian B) and late Gzhelian
(Stephanian C) times. These periods in turn correlates with the main sedimentary phases separated
by basin-wide gaps in deposition (Pešek, 1994). During the Bolsovian times the main tectonic
compression was oriented approximately N-S resulting in dextral strike slip faulting on NW-SE faults
and associated normal faulting on about NNE-SSW conjugate faults. The latter generated local
depocentres with maximum thickness of the Radnice Member. During the Asturian – Stephanian B
period, the tectonic compression rotated to a NNW-SSE position. As a consequence, the activity of
NW-SE strike-slip faults and N-S conjugated normal faults decreased, while normal faulting on NW-SE
conjugated faults became dominant. During the hiatus between the Stephanian B and Stephanian C
boundary the orientation of the principal compression changed into the NW-SE direction. As a result,
sinistral strike-slip movements on NNE-SSW faults became dominant accompanied by normal faulting
on NW-SE conjugate faults. Some of these lines were reactivated during the Saxonian tectonics in
Cenozoic times (Pašek & Urban, 1990).
3. Lithostratigraphy of the Late Paleozoic basins in the central and western Bohemia
The deposition in the basins of central and western Bohemia began around the Duckmantian–
Bolsovian boundary, and with several hiatuses lasted till the end of the Carboniferous, and possibly to
the beginning of Permian times (Figs. 7, 8) as indicated by yet unpublished U-Pb radiometric ages of
zircons from volcaniclastic beds intercalated in stratigraphically youngest basin strata. However,
unequivocal palaeontological evidence for Early Permian (Asselian) strata is still lacking (Pešek,
1994). The up to 1440 m thick sedimentary fill is characterized by a basin-wide alternation of grey
coal-bearing strata and coal-barren fluvial red beds, some of them with intercalated grey lacustrine
horizons (Opluštil et al., 2013; Pešek, 1994). This alternation served as a base for subdivision of the
basin fill into principal lithostratigraphic units (Weithofer, 1898, 1902; Pešek, 1994) now called in
stratigraphic order the Kladno, Týnec, Slaný and LínČ Formations, where the Kladno and Slaný
Formations are grey coal-bearing units further subdivided into members (Fig. 8). The complete
succession is, however, preserved only in centers of large “basins”, whereas in outliers or small
“basins” only oldest units are present.
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Fig. 8. Lithostratigraphic subdivision of the continental basins of the central and western Bohemia.
18
3.1 Kladno (Lower Grey) Formation
The Kladno Formation is comprised of the Radnice and NýĜany Members. The stratigraphically older,
the Radnice Member (Bolsovian = ~middle Moscovian) is interpreted as the fill of an incised or
tectonically formed system of river valleys (Fig. 9), with a depocentre palaeotopography up to 200 m
(Opluštil, 2005a, b). As a result, sediments of this up to nearly 300 m thick unit are irregularly
distributed across less than half of the present-day basin extent. Reconstruction of the early
Moscovian palaeotopography and drainage system before the onset of the deposition in the KladnoRakovník Basin indicate that this area was less than 1000 m above sea level, based on the gradient of
the main river courses draining the depocentre (Opluštil, 2005a). Deposition of the unit was driven by
tectonically induced base-level changes, which generated the accommodation and together with
paleotopography controlled the amount of clastics delivered into particular valleys and their dispersal
within the depocentre. Valleys are mostly filled by coal-bearing fluvial sediments intercalated with
subordinate lacustrine to lacustrine delta and colluvial deposits. Coal seams are concentrated in the
Pilsen, Radnice and Lubná groups. The Radnice group is the most important, and consists of the
Lower and Upper Radnice Coals separated by volcanoclastics of the Whetstone Horizon bearing in
situ preserved peat-forming flora at the base (Opluštil et al., 2007, 2009a,b; Libertín et al., 2009). The
Upper Radnice Coal, which is locally more than 10 m thick, is economically the most important seam
of the Radnice Member. Some red-beds occur along the basin margin, probably derived from
reworking of lateritic weathering crusts (Skoþek & Holub, 1968). Some widespread volcanoclastic
horizons pass in the northern part of the Kladno-Rakovník Basin into rhyolite/ignimbrite effusions of a
cumulative thickness of over 100 m. Lacustrine and lacustrine delta sediments are much less common
and quite thin, being represented mainly by laminated mudstones in the roof of some coal seams. Rich
macroflora of the Radnice Member is concentrated mainly in mudstones in the roof of the coals and
fossiliferous tuff beds. Opluštil & Cleal (2007) noted that 139 whole plant species have been recorded.
The flora is dominated by lepidodendrid lycopsids, calamites and by stratigraphically more important
free-sporing plants and pteridosperms including Sphenophyllum cuneifolium, S. myriophyllum,
Alloiopteris essinghii, Zeilleria avoldensis, Z. frenzlii, Annularia radiata, Eusphenopteris nummularia, E.
obtusiloba, Mariopteris muricata, M. nervosa, Alethopteris missouriensis, A. serlii, Laveineopteris
loshii, L. tenuifolia, Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri and the index species Paripteris linguaefolia.
Palynomorphs are also diverse. Listed are over 140 species dominated by lycospores, densospores,
calamospores and genera Leiotriletes, Lophotriletes, and Apiculatisporites (Pešek, 2004).
Stratigraphically most important are, however, some species of the genera Anapiculatisporites,
Pustulatisporites,
Acanthotriletes,
Knoxisporites,
Punctatisporites,
Microreticulatisporites,
Convolutispora, Reticulatisporites, Savitrisporites, Dictiotriletes, and Cristatisporites. The fauna of the
Radnice Member is represented only by invertebrates and dominantly by arthropods. Most common
and diverse are arachnids and insects are, unfortunately, mainly of limited stratigraphic importance.
Vertebrate remains are represented only by a single scale of actinopterygian fish (Zajíc, 2008).
The NýĜany Member (Asturian – Cantabrian, i.e. late Moscovian – early Kasimovian) is separated from
the Radnice Member by a basin-wide hiatus, related to the Leonian phase (Opluštil & Pešek, 1998)
and spread out quickly over most of the basin complex. The member is of fluvial origin, and is
characterized by a predominance of coarse- to medium-grained arkoses with pebble admixture over
fine-grained sandstone and mudstone intercalations. Sediments are arranged into 10 to 20 m thick
upward fining cycles, terminated occasionally with thin and only locally mineable coal seams. These
seams are divided into the Touškov, NýĜany, Chotíkov and the youngest NevĜeĖ groups (Pešek,
1994). Sediments of the NýĜany Member represent deposits of a large braidplain supplied with clastics
mainly from a source area located south of the basin, in the Central Bohemian Pluton (Pešek, 1994).
The fossil record of the NýĜany Member is concentrated in the roof shales of local coals and frequent
mudstone layers alternating with fluvial channel deposits. Rich macrofloras which involve about 50
whole-plant taxa, indicate a late Asturian age for the lower part of the NýĜany Member (up to the lower
part of the Chotíkov group of coals), whereas in the upper part of the unit presence of Sphenophyllum
oblongifolium already indicates an early Stephanian age (Wagner, 1977; Pešek, 2004; Opluštil &
Cleal, 2007). Palynomorphs are also diverse and include about 160 taxa. Famous vertebrate and
invertebrate faunas have been described from a sapropelitic coal forming a few decimeters thick
bench in the Main NýĜany Coal in the NýĜany and TĜemošná coalfields, in the Pilsen Basin. The
ichthyofauna includes acanthodians (Pseudacanthodes pinnatus, Traquairichthys pygmaeus),
xenacanth sharks (Orthacanthus bohemicus, Xenacanthus parallelus), shark egg capsules
(Palaeoxyris bohemica), actinopterygians (Pyritocephalus sculptus, Sceletophorus bisserialis,
Sceletophorus verrucosus), and dipnoans (Sagenodus sp.). They are assigned to the PyritocephalusSceletophorus local bio/ecozone, which corresponds to the lower part of the Branchiosaurus
19
salamandroides – Limnogyrinus elegans-Zone amphibian biozone of Werneburg (1989). Invertebrate
fauna is represented mostly by arthropod of lesser stratigraphic importance.
Fig. 9. Paleogeography of the Radnice Member depocentre during the deposition of the Upper Radnice Coal (modified from
Opluštil, 2005b). 1 – Current extend of the basins, 2 – Source area, 3 – Extent of the Radnice Member depocentre during the
deposition of the Upper Radnice Coal, 4 – Dominantly channel fill sediments, 5 – Upper Radnice Coal – proved extent, 6 –
Upper Radnice Coal – assumed extent, 7 – Acid volcanic to subvolcanic bodies, 8 – Presumed extent of the Radnice Member, 9
– Town, 10 – State border.
3.2 Týnec (Lower Red) Formation
The character of the deposition typical for the NýĜany Member continued in the overlying Týnec
Formation (Barruelian, i.e. Kasimovian), as indicated by similar facies and architecture. The main
difference between the two units is the red color of the fine-grained sediments and absence of coal
seams in the Týnec Formation, interpreted as a response to climatic change from humid to drier and
more seasonal conditions (Pešek, 1994; Opluštil & Cleal, 2007). Quite rare plant remains are
concentrated into intercalations of grey mudstones. The most common are remains of conifers and
cordaitaleans. Stratigraphically important species Lilpopia raciborskii, Nemejcopteris feminaeformis,
Mixoneura subcrenulata and Barthelopteris germari have the first occurrence in this formation and
indicate its Barrualian age and position within Lobatopteris lamuriana biozone (Šetlík, 1977; Wagner,
1977). The generally poor palynological record lack Vestispora fenestrata, a species typical of the
underlying NýĜany Member. The most common taxa are Cadiospora spp., Verrucosisporites sinensis,
V. grandioverrucosus, Endosporites formosus, Cyclogranisporites jelenicensis and C. densus (Pešek,
2004). Faunal remains have not been found in this formation.
3.3 Slaný (Upper Grey) Formation
The following Slaný Formation is of early Gzhelian age (Stephanian B; Šetlík, 1977) and consists of
fluvial, lacustrine and deltaic strata. The lower part of the unit is represented by coal-bearing fluvial
deposits containing the economically important MČlník group of coals, which indicate a climatic shift to
more humid conditions. This member is sharply overlain by a more than 100 m thick, upward-
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coarsening lacustrine to lacustrine delta sequence traceable over the whole basin complex up to the
Polish part of the Intra-Sudetic Basin, and represents deposits of one of the largest Stephanian lakes
in Euramerica (Skoþek, 1990; Lojka et al., 2009). A dark laminated claystone (Mšec Member) at the
base is interpreted in term of a seasonal climate (Skoþek, 1990; Lojka et al., 2009, 2010). Laminites
are overlain by prodeltaic heterolites, passing upward into ripple-bedded sandstones (HĜedle
Member), and then to medium- and coarse-grained arkosic sandstones occasionally with scattered
pebbles, interpreted as fluvial sediments (Ledce Member). The upper part of the Slaný Formation
consists of fluvio-lacustrine strata (Kounov Member) containing laterally persistent the Kounov Coal
with a decimeter thick sapropelic claystone in its roof (so-called Švartna), which has provided rich
vertebrate fauna (e.g., Zajíc, 2012). The top of the formation is represented predominantly by fine
grained sandstones of the Kamenný Most Member. A very rich but more or less uniform macroflora
throughout the formation indicates a Stephanian B age (Wagner, 1977; Pešek, 2004). Typical species
are Sigillaria brardii/ichthyolepis, Asolanus camptotaenia, Annularia stellata, A. sphenophylloides,
Sphenophyllum emarginatum, S. oblongifolium, S. longifolium, Lilpopia raciborskii, Etapteris pinnata,
Nemejcopteris feminaeformis, Pecopteris lepidorachis, P. polymorpha, Diplazites emarginatus,
Dicksonites plueckenetii, Pseudomaripteris rybeironii, Alethopteris bohemica, A. zeilleri, Mixoneura
subcrenulata. Stratigraphically this formation belongs to the Alethopteris zeilleri biozone, which
corresponds to the informal “Saberian” stage proposed in NW Spain (Wagner & Álvarez-Vázquez,
2010). The fauna of the Slaný Formation is predominantly concentrated to the lacustrine sediments of
the Mšec Member and the Švartna in roof of the Kounov Coal (Zajíc, 2012). The Mšec Member
sediments contain mostly disarticulated vertebrate remains indicating the Elonichthys local
bio/ecosubzone. The ichnofauna consists of acanthodians (Acanthodes fritschi), xenacanth sharks
(Plicatodus plicatus, Orthacanthus kounoviensis), shark egg capsules (Palaeoxyris appendiculata),
actinopterygians (Acrolepis gigas, Elonichthys krejcii, Progyrolepis speciosus, Sphaerolepis
kounoviensis, Spinarichthys dispersus, and Zaborichthys fragmentalis), and dipnoans (Sagenodus
sp.). The Kounov Member lake belongs to the Sphaerolepis local bio/ecosubzone and includes the
following fish taxa: acanthodians (Acanthodes fritschi), xenacanth sharks (Orthacanthus kounoviensis,
Orthacanthus pinguis, Plicatodus plicatus, Xenacanthus ovalis, Brachyacanthus semiplanus,
Platyacanthus ventricosus, Tubulacanthus sulcatus), euselachian sharks (Sphenacanthus vicinalis),
shark egg capsules (Palaeoxyris appendiculata), actinopterygians (Acrolepis gigas, Elonichthys krejcii,
Progyrolepis speciosus, Setlikia bohemica, Sphaerolepis kounoviensis, Spinarichthys dispersus,
Zaborichthys fragmentalis), dipnoans (Sagenodus barrandei), and osteolepids (Megalichthys nitens).
The fossil content already indicates an onset of the transition between the Stephanian B and C.
Amphibian biozones have not been identified but this stratigraphic level should correspond to the
Branchiosaurus fayoli-zone of Werneburg (1989). Insect remains found in the HĜedle Member
indicates a position within the insect biozone Sysciophlebia grata-zone and suggests Kasimovian
(Stephanian A/-B) age (Schneider & Werneburg 2006, 2012; Schneider et al., 2013).
3.4 LínČ (Upper Red) Formation
Late Gzhelian to early Asselian sediments of this youngest unit are separated from the underlying
Slaný Formation by a basin-wide erosional surface with a prominent topography (Skopec et al., 2000),
which together with a floristic break (Šetlík, 1977) indicate the existence of a hiatus between these two
units. The deposition of the LínČ Formation took place on an extensive alluvial plain (Fig. 10) in
generally drier, probably seasonally-wet climate (Fig. 11) comparing to more humid one of the
previous unit (Opluštil & Cleal, 2007). That is why sediments of the LínČ Formation, especially the
mudstones, are predominantly red with frequent horizons of pedogenic carbonate nodules or
calcretes. The presence of lacustrine horizons composed of grey or mottled mudstones a few tens of
meters thick, locally with cherts, volcanoclastics, lacustrine carbonates or even thin coal seams may
indicate periods of temporarily increased humidity. Three, up to several tens of meters thick lacustrine
horizon are of wider lateral extent and are assigned to the ZdČtín, Klobuky and Stránka horizons
(Pešek, 1994, 2004) and provided the most important fossil record including plant impressions,
palynomorphs and a fresh-water to terrestrial fauna, both vertebrates and invertebrates (ŠimĤnek et
al., 2009; Opluštil et al., 2014; Zajíc, 2012; Schneider & Werneburg 2006, 2012). In contrast,
mudstones of fluvial red beds contain only very scarce plant impressions of cordaitalean, conifer and
rare pteridosperm (Šetlík, 1977). The most diverse and stratigraphically important macroflora is,
however, known from the ZdČtín and Klobuky lacustrine horizons from where about 40 whole plant
species were determined (ŠimĤnek et al., 2009; Pešek, 2004; Opluštil et al., 2013). Typical species
are Calamites gigas Brongniart, Sphenophyllum oblongifolium (Germar) and, S. thonii Mahr, S.
angustifolium (Germar) Goeppert, Pecopteris densifolia Goeppert, P. arborescens (Schlotheim) Stur,
21
P. cyathea (Schlotheim), Sphenopteris cremeriana Potonié, S. cf. mathetii Zeiller, Callipteridium
pteridium Gutbier, Alethopteris zeilleri (Ragot) Wagner, Odontopteris brardii (Brongniart) Sternberg, O.
schlotheimii Brongniart, Neuropteris nervosa Šetlík, Taeniopteris jejunata Grand 'Eury,
Ernestiodendron filiciforme (Schlotheim) Florin, Walchia piniformis Schlotheim ex Sternberg. The
assemblage was assigned by Šetlík (1977) to the Stephanian C (or Stephanian B sensu Wagner &
Álvarez-Vázquez, 2010) and belongs to the Sphenophyllum angustifolium floristic biozone. The same
part of the LínČ Formation has provided about 60 palynomorph species belonging to 37 genera
dominated by the genus Cyclogranisporites, Laevigatosporites, Latosporites and Punctatisporites,
whereas representatives of the genera Convolutispora, Microreticulatisporites, Leiotriletes and
Verrucosisporites,
Calamospora,
Cadiospora,
Cirratriradites,
Florinites,
Potonieisporites,
Schopfipollenites, Vesicaspora, Wilsonites, and Vittatina are rare to very rare. Assemblages isolated
from thin coals are locally dominated by lycospores (Kalibová, 1970). Fauna of the LínČ Formation
includes pelecypod Anthraconaia sp., abundant ostracods assignable to Carbonita sp.,
conchostracans Lioestheriidae indet. and rare insect wings. Vertebrates are mostly represented by
isolated teeth, scales and other skeletal remains. In the ZdČtín and Klobuky lakes the most abundant
and diversified are actinopterygian fish remains (Elonichthys krejcii, Progyrolepis speciosus,
Sphaerolepis kounoviensis, Spinarichthys dispersus and Actinopterygii indet.). Common are
acanthodians, xenacanthid sharks, including Orthacanthus sp. Infrequent but characteristic are
remains of hybodontid sharks (Sphenacanthusvicinalis, Lissodus lacustris) and the dipnoan fish
Sagenodus sp.. Tetrapods, mostly amphibians, are represented by isolated bones and some rare
articulated specimens described by Zajíc et al. (1990) as Branchierpeton cf. saalensis. This
stratigraphically important taxon was originally described from the Wettin Member (Stephanian C) in
the Saale Basin (Germany). A change in fauna occurs at the level of the Stránka Horizon, the
youngest lacustrine interval, or slightly below it (Zajíc, 2012). Its faunal remains include thin-walled
pelecypods Anthracosiidae indet., ostracods Carbonita sp., conchostracans Lioestheriidae indet.,
xenacanthid sharks Xenacanthida indet., and indeterminable smooth actinopterygian scales
Actinopterygii indet. The unmistakable thin cycloid scales of Sphaerolepis kounoviensis, the hallmark
of the local bio/eco sub-zone Sphaerolepis, which are very abundant in underlying lacustrine intervals,
have not been found in the Stránka Horizon sediments and is therefore assigned to the Acanthodes
gracilis local bio/ecozone. This suggests that the majority of the LínČ Formation, including the ZdČtín
and the Klobuky horizons, is doubtless of Stephanian C age, whereas the stratigraphically highest
Stránka lacustrine horizon is more probably of Asselian (Early Permian) age (Zajíc, 2012) based on
local vertebrate biozones. The boundary between local biozones lies about 30 m below the Stránka
lacustrine horizon. Concerning amphibian, the LínČ Formation corresponds to the Apateon intermedius
- Branchierpeton saalensis biozones (Werneburg, 1989; Schneider & Werneburg, 2012) and to the
insect Sysciophlebia rubida – Syscioblatta lawrenceana biozone (Schneider & Werneburg, 2006).
Fig. 10. Paleogeography
of the Czech Republic
around the CarboniferousPermian boundary
(Opluštil et al., 2013). 22
Fig. 11. Late Gzhelian landscape in the Central and Western Bohemia during the deposition of the red beds of the LínČ
Formation and other stratigraphically equivalent units in the Sudetic basins. Patchy distribution of vegetation adapted to various
habitats is typical. Wetland assemblages colonized only small refugees situated mostly along river courses. Dominant
assemblages were composed of cordaitaleans and walchian conifers. Painted by J. Svoboda under supervision of J. Bureš
(West Bohemian Museum in Pilsen).
Stop 1: Carboniferous–Permian LínČ Formation
Stratigraphy: middle part of the LínČ Formation, approximately topmost Stephanian C.
Location: Kryry brick-pit south from PodboĜany (Fig. 12), western Bohemia; exposure of alluvial
plain red beds with Calcisols and volcanic ash falls.
The LínČ Formation (late Gzhelian–Asselian) represent the uppermost part of the basin fill and is
comprised of a fluvial to alluvial dominantly red bed succession that unconformably overlies the
Stephanian B Slaný Formation and in the western parts even overlaps the crystalline basement. The
Stephanian B/C unconformity marks a prominent change in sedimentary and drainage basin tectonics
accompanied by a north-wards shift of the centres of subsidence and an increase in volcanic activity.
Newly established north-western and north-eastern subsidence centres accumulated an up to 1 km
thick series of continental red-beds. The lower part consists of mainly sandy channel fill deposits with
subordinate alluvial plain fines. Proportion of fine-grained alluvial plain deposits increase upward to the
mid of the formation, where thick series of distal crevasse splay and ephemeral lake deposits are
rarely intercalated by several meters thick units of coarse-grained ribbon sandstones.
The north-eastern subsidence centre comprise in the middle to upper parts of the LínČ Formation up to
three lacustrine horizons locally accompanied by a thin coal seam (Klobuky Coal) that can be
correlated with lacustrine units of the adjacent Sudetic basins (mainly Krkonoše Piedmont and
Mnichovo HradištČ Basins). Based on such a correlation, the upper part of the LínČ formation is of
Early Permian (Asselian) age (Zajíc, 2004). The north-western subsidence centre is represented by a
fault-bounded graben-like structure with north-eastern orientation that is also called the Žatec subbasin and that accumulated mostly fluvial and distal alluvial plain deposits with common volcanic ash
layers. Well sorted and mature sandstones in fluvial channels from the upper part of the formation,
23
which is of Early Permian age, may indicate at least partial draining of dune fields in uplands (Holub et
al., 1981). Basic to andesitic lava flows were locally observed at the top of the formation.
Fig. 12. Location of excursion stops in the Central and Western Bohemian basins.
Outcrop: The red coloured mudstones exposed in the brick pit represents the middle part of the LínČ
Formation from the north-western subsidence centre, which is characterized by fine grained
sedimentation in a distal alluvial plain rarely interbedded by usually thin sandy beds of crevasse splay
or ribbon channel origin. Fine grained alluvial plain deposits can preserve primary sedimentary
lamination, which is often overprinted by bioturbation, or with increasing time of surface exposition, by
pedogenesis producing usually thinly developed Vertisols and Calcisols. Interplay of these three
features indicates a relative depositional rate in the alluvial plain and the proximity to the river
channels.
Vertical and lateral variation in preservation of primary lamination, intensity of bioturbation, and
pedogenic overprint display cyclic arrangement (Fig. 13) starting by laminated mudstones to finegrained sandstones, that became upward increasingly massive and disturbed by bioturbation
gradually containing rhizoliths, calcic-dolomitic nodules and greenish mottling at the tops. These
several meters thick cycles probably reflect periods of alluvial plain flooding and/or variation in watertable that controlled the amount of accommodation space on the alluvial plain. Condensed horizons at
the tops comprise a variety of paleosols ranging from Calcisols to Vertisols, depending probably on the
local groundwater regime and the paleogeomorphology rather than different climatic conditions during
periods of their formation. Locally, volcanic ash layers can be preserved as a partial paleosol horizon
that usually differs in mineral composition and structure (Fig. 13B). The most mature paleosol P1 at
the base of the section displays angular blocky structure, green mottles and contains dolomitic
nodules and rhizoliths typical for Calcisols. The topmost horizon is formed by a volcanic ash layer with
well-developed slickensides and a fine-medium wedge shape aggregate structure and is dominated by
Fe-smectite, while the lower three horizons consist mainly of illite/smectite mixed-layer minerals and
illite. Described features indicate exposition under highly seasonal climate with initially prolonged
periods of evaporation exceeding precipitation that lead to pedogenic carbonate formation in a shallow
subsurface. The topmost volcanic ash paleosol horizon was exposed to a number of wetting and
drying cycles but possibly with less intense evaporation.
24
Fig. 13. Deposits of the LínČ Formation south from Kryry; A) simplified sketch of the outcrop with signified prominent surfaces,
note the coexistence of P1 paleosol and floodplain channel/lake; B) horizonation and clay mineralogy of P1 paleosol with a red
tuff horizon at the top, large vertical dolomitic rhizoliths are common in the overlying P2 paleosol.
Stop 2: Open cast mines of the NýĜany Member
Stratigraphy: Uppermost part of the NýĜany Member, Kladno Formation, Cantabrian (Wagner, 1977).
Location: KaznČjov and Horní BĜíza kaoline open-cast mines north of Pilsen (Fig. 12), western
Bohemia; exposures of coarse fluvial clastics and alluvial plain paleosols.
A correlation to neighboring boreholes suggests that the succession exposed in the kaolin opencast
mines represents a stratigraphic equivalent of the interval associated with the NevĜeĖ Coal, which is
developed southwards, at the top of the member and contains plant communities with diversified ferns
of Cantabrian age. Population of zircons from the tonstein in the NevĜeĖ Coal was recently dated to
305.97±0.08 Ma (Opluštil, per. comm.), which suggests that this stratigraphic level already
corresponds to the early Kasimovian age.
The NýĜany Member represents the upper unit of the Kladno Formation that reaches a thickness of
~350 m in the Pilsen Basin. It overlaps the valley-fill Radnice Member of the lower part of the Kladno
Formation, and spreads over a Neoproterozoic and lower Paleozoic sedimentary and granitic
basement. Strata accumulated on a broad alluvial plain of mainly braided but variable fluvial styles that
blanketed an incompletely peneplained plateau with low ridges of emergent basement (Havlena &
Pešek, 1980; Pešek, 1994; Pešek et al., 1998; Bashforth et al., 2011). In the area of the Pilsen Basin,
most detritus was supplied from the north to north-west and east to south-east. Initially, the lacustrinewetland deposition with a number of coal seams and organic-rich lacustrine mudstones prevailed in
central parts of the basin. Historical open coal mine exposures provided exceptionally diverse faunal
community rich in tetrapod remains (Friþ, 1879–1901; Milner, 1980). The middle and upper parts of the
NýĜany Member are dominated by fluvial and alluvial plain series arranged into a numerous
amalgamated high-frequency fining-upward cycles with thickness ranging from 4 to 15 m. They
comprise alternating braid bar and channel-fill conglomerates and sandstones with numerous
erosional surfaces at lower parts and alluvial plain mudstones at upper parts containing more than 10
local coal seams that rather in higher stratigraphic levels may grade laterally to high-chroma Vertisols
occasionally with pedogenic carbonate nodules. The generally lower degree of preservation of alluvial
plain mudstones varies spatially but tends to decreases upwards and towards basin margins.
Outcrop: The open cast mines expose about 50 m thick series of quartz dominated, coarse-grained
fluvial channel deposits. The sediment packages are generally poorly defined, because of low
proportion of the fine-grained floodplain sediment, and partial channels and braid bars are difficult to
recognize. Lower parts of the cycles represent thick and continuous lenticular units of pebble to cobble
grade conglomerates that laterally and vertically pass to channel-fill conglomerates and sandstones
with multi-story and multi-lateral arrangement. Channels are divided by inclined to sub-horizontal and
concave-up erosion surfaces (Fig. 14A). The upper channel-fill stories tend to be finer grained and
preferentially contain silicified tree trunks up to 18 m long and <1 m wide oriented perpendicular or
parallel to the paleoflow. Locally preserved alluvial plain mudstones at the tops of the cycles may
contain up to 4 m thick red coloured paleosols classified as Vertisol and vertic Protosol with common
slickensides and iron-oxide concentrations (Fig. 14B).
25
Fig. 14. The uppermost NýĜany Member at the KaznČjov and Horní BĜíza open cast mines; A) sketch of the western outcrop site
at the KaznČjov showing architecture and bounding surfaces of the exposed fluvial strata with distribution of fine grained facies
bearing silicified tree trunks; B) paleosol sections plotted with chemical alteration indexes and inferred MAP; C) proposed
depositional model of channel belt development controlled by variation in regional base-level for proximal parts of the upper
NýĜany Member in the northern part of the Pilsen Basin.
Observed alluvial fining upward cycles are interpreted to represent individual channel belts that
developed in response to base-level fluctuations, most probably controlled by mean annual
precipitation and seasonality (Fig. 14C). Channel belts are divided by laterally continuous subhorizontal composite erosion surfaces to extended sheet like and flat lenticular channel belt bodies
that are stacked vertically and partly laterally. Large-scale erosion surfaces formed during low baselevel periods are associated with a basin ward expansion of the coarse clastics. A base-level rise lead
to a sediment storage in well-defined sand-bed braided channels migrating across the channel belt
that gradually became more fixed as the base-level reached its maximum that lead to flooding of the
channel-belt and a deposition of fine-grained clastics on the extensive floodplains. In the basin
marginal setting, periods of high base-level were characterized by a high, but fluctuating, water-table,
which resulted in Vertisol formation, and extensive leaching of feldspars, kaolinite precipitation, and
tree trunk silicification even in the shallow subsurface.
Stop 3: Refractory claystone and Z-tuff of the Radnice Member
Stratigraphy: Upper part of the Radnice Member (lower Kladno Formation), Bolsovian (middle
Moscovian).
Location: Lubná/Pecínov refractory claystone opencast mines (central Bohemia) with welldeveloped profiles of vertic paleosols with gley overprint.
These opencast mines extract a horizon of kaolinitic claystones and mudstones with refractory
properties that is developed near the top of the Radnice Member. The refractory claystone horizon in
both studied areas is between 1 and 12 m thick complex of kaolinite-rich claystone/mudstone, siltstone
26
and embedded sharp based sandstone lithosomes of tabular to lenticular shape and interpreted as
crevasse or overbank splays deposits. Mineralogically distinct horizon of the refractory claystones are
laterally traceable discontinuously over a distance of about 25 km along the southern margin of the
Kladno-Rakovník Basin. The unusual mineralogical and petrographical composition as well as the
narrow stratigraphic extent and the geographic distribution suggests that unique conditions were
required for their genesis, related probably to intensive chemical weathering of syndepositional acid
volcanites (mainly pyroclastics) outside the current basin margin. Subsequent re-sedimentation of
weathered products separated quartz-rich clastic residuum from kaolinite suspension and deposited
them separately; quartz in the fill of the channels and the kaolinite-rich mud in distal parts of the
floodplain (Orlov, 1942, Mašek & Kollert, 1969). The refractory mudstones are dominantly grey with
variations from black to pale grey. Red and rusty mottles and siderite spherules are locally common. It
has a blocky or wedge shaped structure and common slickensides. Locally present are also clastic
dikes filled by sandy and silty material. All these indices suggest that this horizon underwent strong
pedogenic overprint under an oscillating ground water table as indicated by slickensides developed by
shrinking and swelling of clay minerals in the floodplain strata (Fig. 15). Modern equivalents of such
paleosols are Vertisoils, which are typical of climates that experienced prominent seasonality and
annually variable precipitation. Presence of redoximorphic features (red and rusty mottling vs. siderite
spherules) and predominantly grey color of the Lubná and Pecínov paleosols, however, suggest that
they were later gleyed and could be interpreted as gleyed Vertisols. This polygenic development may
be explained in terms of possible changes in the intensity of precipitation. This is a topic of the
currently running study of paleosols of the Lubná and Pecínov localities. Their chemical composition is
used as a proxy for the estimation of the annual precipitation (Fig. 15). The flora of the refractory
claystones is rare and poorly preserved due to pedogenic overprint and is restricted mostly to
Stigmarian rhizomorphs and appendices. Only rarely, in less pedogenically modified parts of the
horizon fragments of identifiable plant remains occur. These include mostly various organs of
arborescent lycopsids.
The architecture and cyclic pattern of the Radnice Member strata have been studied mainly in the
opencast mine east of the village of Lubná, where about 30 m of the stratigraphy is exposed. In this
locality the channel facies association predominates in the exposed section (Figs. 16, 17). Strata are
arranged into several units separated by a prominent bounding surfaces traceable across the whole
opencast mine over a distance of about 100 m. Neighboring surfaces are between 5.5 and 11 m apart.
All the three major bounding surfaces cut into the floodplain strata. The sediment packages separated
by these prominent bounding surfaces consist of upward finning units (cycles). Lower order surfaces
can be recognized within the channel facies association in lower and middle parts of the upward
finning cycles and are always traceable only across part of the exposure.
The exposed succession starts at the base of the refractory claystone horizon marked by an about 50
cm thick Z-tuff bed (Fig. 15A). The refractory claystone horizon is about 10 m thick and is mostly
composed of claystones to siltstones with benches of carbonaceous claystone and dirty coal of the
Lubná group. Individual cycles separated by major bounding surfaces exposed in the opencast mine
can be correlated with similar cyclic units in adjacent boreholes up to a distance of about 800 m.
Although paleosols of the refractory claystone horizon exposed in the opencast mines are very poor in
identifiable plant remains, quite rich fossil flora has been collected in previous times from laminated
mudstones in the roof of locally developed coals (NČmejc, 1933). These mudstones contain typical
wetland flora of the Radnice Member. Special attention was paid to the volcaniclastic partings. The
thicker ones, which are associated with coal seams, often contain an in situ buried flora. The best
example is the so-called Z-tuff in lower part of the refractory claystone horizon, which bears either a
clastic swamp to peat swamp plant association including upright or prostrate stems of lepidodendrid
lycopsids and sub-arborescent lycopsid Omphalophloios feistmantelii (Fig. 18). Among other typical
Radnice Member floras also more “exotic” species have been found. These include Saaropteris
guthoerlii, Rhacopteris elegans, Palaeopteridium macrophyllum and Dicranophyllum sp. (Opluštil et
al., 2007). Palynology of the Lubná horizon was studied mostly from boreholes drilled in the foreland of
the opencast mines. Most samples of coals provided two contrasting types of associations. One is
dominated by densospores produced by Omphalophloios feistmantelii and is typical for medium to
high ash dull coals rich in inertinite. The second association is typical for banded coals. It is more
diverse and dominating elements are trilete lycospores produced by lepidodendrid lycopsids.
27
Fig. 15. Radnice Member sediments with the refractory claystone exposed in the Lubná and Pecínov opencast mines; A)
Refractory claystone (=paleosol P0) with the Z-tuff bed at the base, Lubná opencast mine; B) Paleosol P2 is a Vertisol gleyed in
its lower part, Lubná opencast mine; C) Paleosol P1 is a well-developed Vertisol, Lubná opencast mine; D) horizonation and
clay mineralogy of Pec1-Pec2 paleosols from the Pecínov opencast mine; E) Silty-sandy dike in refractory claystone, crossed
pollars, Pecínov; F) kaolinite matrix showing birefringent fabric. For stratigraphic location of the Lubná paleosols see the Fig. 17.
28
Fig. 16. Lubná opencast mine in
2013 (northern wall). Above the
bottom exposed is the refractory
claystone horizon divided by a
crevasse splay into to parts
(Paleosol P0 and P2 – see Fig. 17).
Note the prominent bounding
surfaces (numbered 1 – 3) which
divide the succession into units
(cycles) traceable in boreholes far
behind the limit of the opencast
mine. The lower part of each unit
consists of amalgamated
gravel/sand channel bedforms with
local erosions passing upward into
fine grained sandstone to mudstone
accumulations.
Fig. 17. Lithology and
sedimentology of the section
exposed in the Lubná opencast
mine (left column). Right:
interpretation of the sedimentary
environment of the cyclic units
exposed in the Lubná opencast
mine: A) landscape during the
deposition of th mudstone “member”
of cyclic units – increased
precipitation enhanced chemical
weathering producing fine-grained
detritus and vegetation cover that
stabilised the landscape against the
erosion. B) landscape during the
deposition of coarse-grained lower
parts of the cyclic units – it is
assumed that pronounced
seasonality reduced density of the
vegetation cover and intensity of
weathering resulting in a change of
the fluvial style being dominantly
braided.
29
Fig. 18. Omphalophloios feistmantelii, a fertile
apex with sporangia of sub-arborescent
lycopsid preserved in the Z-tuff. Stop 4: Classical exposures of the Klobuky lake horizon
Stratigraphy: middle part of the LínČ Formation (late Gzhelian).
Location: Klobuky village – Small roadcut to the local sugar factory exposing lacustrine and
palustrine sediments of the Klobuky Horizon.
This small roadcut and similar-scale outcrops elsewhere in the vicinity of the village represent classical
exposures of the Klobuky lake horizon and classical paleontological localities which have provided a
relatively rich flora and fauna (e.g., Feistmantel, 1883; NČmejc, 1946; Obrhel, 1959, 1965a; JindĜich,
1963; ŠimĤnek et al., 2009). An about 5 m thick lacustrine to lacustrine delta succession exposed in
the roadcut represents only a small part of the whole Klobuky lake horizon. Even a 30 m deep
borehole situated just at the edge of the locality slope did not penetrate the whole thickness of the
horizon.
The succession is dominated by grey or greenish mudstones to fine grained sandstones alternating in
centimeters to few decimeters thick or even thicker beds. Subordinate are beds of lacustrine
limestones usually with a siliciclastic admixture, cherts, altered tuff beds, coal, and medium- to coarsegrained feldspatic sandstone (Figs. 19, 20). From a sedimentological point of view the Klobuky
Horizon is interpreted as a record of lacustrine to lacustrine delta successions recording both, lake
level oscillations and variations in sediment supply due to river avulsion, delta progradation and/or
delta lobe switching. This is indicated by alternating laminated offshore lacustrine mudstones and
nearshore sand bodies or even coals. Zircons obtained from the tonstein intercalated in the Klobuky
Coal provided radiometric age (unpublished data) falling into the Carboniferous/Permian boundary as
currently accepted (Gradstein et al., 2012).
Fig. 19. Klobuky road cut exposures: A) part of the Klobuky lacustrine horizon showing the Klobuky Coal with chert and faunabearing limestone bed in its overburden; B) nearshore sediments below the Klobuky Coal containing isolated plant fragments.
Plant fossils occur throughout the exposed section, however, in variable quantity and preservation.
Most of them were collected in mudstones beneath the coal, whereas in thinly bedded ochre limestone
and mudstones above the coal plant fossils were less common to rare. In all, 47 morphotaxa, which
represent about 36 natural plant species, are known from the Klobuky locality so far (Fig. 21). The
plant association is dominated by marattialean tree ferns and P. cyathea and Pecopteris arborescens
30
are the most common species. Co-dominant to ferns are calamites represented mostly by Calamites
gigas and C. multiramis. Medullosan pteridosperms are fragmentary and rare with exception of
relatively common Odontopteris schlotheimii, Alethopteris zeilleri and Callipteridium pteridium in the
mudstone beneath the coal. Only one species of Callistophytales – Dicksonites plukenetii was found.
Stratigraphically significant species Sphenophyllum angustifolium occurs rarely, but in association with
some other species indicates a position of the Klobuky Horizon within the angustifolium biozone.
Cordaitalean leaves are locally common; however, conifers and lycopsids are very rare. The former
are represented by tiny fragments of Walchia piniformis, Ernestiodendron filiciforme, and
Gomphostrobus bifidus. The latter by Stigmaria ficoides, Asolanus camptotaenia, Lepidostrobus cf.
nemejcii. The association found in the lacustrine mudstones represents mostly allochtonous plant
remains derived from various habitats. These includes poorly-drained coastal clastic and peat swamp
wetlands occupied by lycopsids, calamites, and ferns as well as more remote and better drained and
drier habitats colonized by pteridosperms, cordaitaleans and walchian conifers. This interpretation is
supported by a general scarcity of conifers both in macroflora and microflora, which indicate remains
of the xerophillous elements were transported into the lake sediments by rivers.
Fig. 20. Sedimentary facies and fossiliferous horizons of the exposed Klobuky section (ŠimĤnek et al., 2009).
The palynoflora was obtained from coal seams and dark mudstones of the Klobuky horizons. Trilete
miospores Lycospora (Lepidocarpaceae) dominate in the palyno-assemblage from the lower part of
the Klobuky Coal and demonstrate the abundance of lycophytes in the period of coal deposition.
Spores produced by sphenophylls are prevailing in the upper part of this coal. The monosaccate and
bisaccate prepollen Florinites and Potonieisporites are common in grey and black mudstones. These
prepollens can be easily transported by wind and belonged to the extrabasinal cordaitaleans and
conifers living in drier habitats.
31
Fig. 21. Klobuky Horizon flora
from nearshore sediments
below the Klobuky Coal.
A) Dicksonites pluckenetii;
B) Odontopteris schlotheimii;
C) Alethopteris zeilleri;
D) Ernestiodendron filiciforme;
E) Taeniopteris jejunata;
F) Lepidostrobus sp.;
G) Asolanus camptotaenia.
Scale bar equals 10 mm.
Photos by ŠimĤnek and by S.
Opluštil (F).
Fig. 22. Fauna of the Klobuky
locality. A) Anthraconaia sp.,
scale bar equals 5 mm;
B) Lioestheriidae indet., scale
bar equals 5 mm;
C) Sphenacanthus vicinalis,
tooth in coronal view, scale bar
equals 3 mm; D) Sphaerolepis
kounoviensis, scale, scale bar
equals 2 mm; E) scales
Sphaerolepis kounoviensis (left
down) and Spinarichthys
dispersus (right up), scale bar
equals 2 mm;
F) Sphenacanthus vicinalis,
scale in anterior view, scale
bar equals 1 mm;
G) Sagenodus sp., broken rib,
scale bar equals 5 mm;
H) Lissodus lacustris,
incomplete tooth in lingual
view, scale bar equals 0.2 mm;
I) Acanthodes sp., fragment of
small fin spinewith inner canals
systemin cross section, scale
bar equals 0.2 mm;
J) Actinopterygii indet.,
sculptured tooth, scale bar
equals 0.2 mm; K) Amphibia
indet., jaw fragment in
posterocoronal view, scale bar
equals 0.2 mm. Photos by
Zajíc.
32
The fauna of the Klobuky Horizon was obtained from the ochre limestone (Fig. 23). Besides
ichthyoliths very common are also pelecypods traditionally described as Anthracosia stegocephalum
or, less commonly, Anthraconaia sp.. Lioestheriid conchostracans are often determined as
Pseudestheria sp., ostracods as Carbonita salteriana or, more likely, Carbonita sp.. Rare exoskeletal
fragments of syncarids were discovered as well. All vertebrates are disarticulated and their remains
(including bones) are isolated. Acanthodians are represented by both the closely indeterminable
remains of Acanthodes sp. and Acanthodes fritschi. Among the remains of xenacanthid sharks are
teeth of Orthacanthus sp., Plicatodus plicatus and Plicatodus sp.. Ctenacanthid sharks are
represented by common ichthyoliths of Sphenacanthus vicinalis (scales and one tooth), hybodontids
by rare small teeth of Lissodus lacustris, and dermal denticles. Progyrolepis speciosus, Sphaerolepis
kounoviensis, Spinarichthys dispersus, Zaborichthys fragmentalis, and Elonichthys krejcii represent
determinable taxa of actinopterygian fishes. Rather rare remains (scale fragments) of sarcopterygian
fishes belong to the dipnoan Sagenodus sp. and Osteolepiformes indet. Rare amphibian remains
consist of both chemically separated tiny jaw fragments and isolated bones on the bedding planes of a
drill core (Dissorophoidea indet.).
Stop 5: Cliffs of the NýĜany Member
Stratigraphy: Lower and middle parts of the NýĜany Member, upper Kladno Formation, Asturian (late
Moscovian).
Location: Kralupy nad Vltavou – Cliffs along the left bank of the Vltava (Moldau) River in Kralupy
nad Vltavou.
Note: this locality will be visited only if time permits.
Two large sets of discontinuous north-striking cliffs scattered over a distance of about 1.7 km along the
western bank of the Vltava (Moldau) River between the towns of Kralupy nad Vltavou and
Nelahozeves near the southern margin of the Kladno-Rakovník Basin provide one of the best
exposures of the NýĜany Member (Kladno Formation) and the lower part of the Týnec Formation in
central Bohemia. The dip of strata is generally about 5° to the north, which suggests that about 200 to
300 m of stratigraphy is exposed (Vejlupek, 1970). The southern group of 20 to 30 m high cliffs is
called Hostibejk and is separated from up to 40 m high Lobeþ cliffs further north by a small transversal
valley following the NW striking fault. The Hostibejk cliffs expose the basal part of the NýĜany Member,
whereas the longer and higher Lobeþ cliffs (Fig. 23) represent the middle and upper parts of this unit.
Smaller cliffs near Nelahozeves already expose the Týnec Formation. Sedimentology of the Hostibejk
and Lobeþ cliffs was recently studied by Opluštil et al. (2005) who distinguished five bedload and one
mudstone-dominated facies. The coarse-grained facies represented by horizontally stratified or crossstratified sandstone and massive cross-stratified matrix-supported and/or clast-supported
conglomerates consist of channels, sand bed forms, gravel bar and bed forms, sediment gravity-flow
deposits, and downstream accretion macroforms. The mudstone-dominated facies are represented by
laminated mudstone or silty sandstone and locally preserve identifiable plant remains or roots. Some
mudstones are massive with wedge or blocky structure and slickensides suggesting they are
pedogenetically overprinted and represent vertic protosols. Sediments of this facies were deposited
mostly from suspension or low velocity currents and represent an abandoned channel fill (Opluštil et
al., 2005).
Fig. 23. Lobeþ cliff near the Kralupy nad Vltavou. Dominantly coarse-grained sediments of the middle part of the NýĜany
Member covered by younger cretaceous strata. The positions of the lower (L) and upper (U) fossiliferous mudstone intervals are
indicated by arrows.
33
The stratigraphically older Hostibejk cliffs are characterized by vertically stacked channels forming
multi-storey channel fills with abundant downstream accretion elements, gravel bars, and an absence
of overbank fine deposits. The depositional environment of the Hostibejk Cliffs is therefore interpreted
as braid plain occupied by high energy low sinuosity fluvial channels. This fits with a low spread of
paleocurrent vectors pointing generally north (individual vectors vary between the NNW and NE, with
only minor directions to the S and to the SW) to the basin center.
The Lobeþ Cliff represents a slightly different depositional environment than that recorded in the
Hostibejk Cliffs. Rare occurrences of gravel bars and the generally finer grain size of the deposits,
especially in the upper part of the Lobeþ Cliff, indicate that the depositional environment was a
complex of fluvial streams with higher sinuosity than those of the Hostibejk Cliffs. The depositional
environment is interpreted as the deposits of a braided-river plain characterized by vertically aggrading
channels of moderate sinuosity. The absence of lateral accretion macroforms (e.g., point bars) and the
domination of bedload deposits, however, suggest that the succession exposed in the Lobeþ cliff does
not represent meandering streams. The dynamics and velocity of the paleocurrents probably
decreased in time as indicated by the fining upwards in grain size within the sequence from coarsegrained to medium- and fine-grained sandstones. Paleocurrent vectors point mostly to the NE and E.
The planar and laterally extensive bodies of fine-grained strata in the lower and upper parts of the cliff
between the thick channel successions are interpreted as the remnants of a floodplain, and the abrupt
change from channel to floodplain accumulation records a regional avulsion (Opluštil et al., 2005).
Identifiable plant remains have been collected only from mudstone intercalation exposed in the Lobeþ
cliff. The first more thorough report provided Obrhel (1960), who collected the flora from the finegrained interval at the top of the Lobeþ cliff just below the erosional contact with the overlying
Cretaceous sediments. He listed about 17 species representing mostly cordaitalean leaves, Calamites
stems and foliage, ferns and rare pteridosperms. Obrhel (1965b) also described the new species
Illfeldia lobecensis and Pterophyllum sp. from this locality. He, however, erroneously assigned this
locality into the lower part of the Slaný Formation. A later revision of the macroflora and palynomorphs
from the Lobeþ cliff and data from neighboring boreholes provided unequivocal evidence for that the
Lobeþ cliff represents the middle part of the NýĜany Member (Vejlupek, 1970). Recently, Bashforth et
al. (2011) revised the flora of the Lobeþ locality collected by Obrhel and Šetlík and did new
excavations in both the lower and upper mudstone intercalations. The lower mudstone interval
provided about 15 biological plant species. The association was dominated by Lepidodendron
(Diaphorodendron) subdichotomum, including canopy elements (leaves, axes, and cones) and
stigmarian rhizomorphs. This autochthonous assemblage records the litter beneath a swamp
community that colonized the mud-filled floodplain channel. Much less common are leaves of
Cordaites sp. and foliage and axes of sphenopsids Sphenophyllum emarginatum, Annularia carinata,
Lobatopteris sp., Ptychocarpus unitus, Linopteris neuropteroides, Eusphenopteris nummularia, and
Dicksonites plukenetii. Most of these rarer elements are fragmentary and associated with abundant
comminuted debris, and are interpreted as a parautochthonous to allochthonous assemblage derived
from various plant communities. Mudstone that provided the macroflora contains a diverse
palynological spectrum that suggests a substantial mixing of plant communities from various
ecological habitats, supporting the interpretation that taphocoenoses in the floodplain channel have
variable taphonomic histories. Fern spores derived from numerous families dominate, whereas
cordaitalean and pteridosperm pollen and spores of arborescent lycopsids (primarily
lepidocarpaceans), sphenophylls, and calamiteans are subordinate or present in small amount.
The fossiliferous horizon at the top of cliff is a 2.2 m thick lens that rests on crossbedded sandstone
and conglomerate with abundant intraclasts (Obrhel, 1960; Opluštil et al., 2005). The lens is
interpreted as the fill of an abandoned minor channel resulting from local avulsion. It comprises thin
intercalations of medium to dark grey mudstone or siltstone alternating with very fine-grained
sandstone. Darker beds are well laminated and fossiliferous, whereas sandstone beds are sparsely
fossiliferous and either massive or exhibit a poorly preserved ripple cross-lamination. Upright stems
are absent and indeterminate roots are rare.
The plant association obtained from the fossiliferous beds is dominated by remains of Cordaites,
whereas frond fragments of Lobatopteris sp., Ptychocarpus unitus, Eusphenopteris nummularia,
Callipteridium rubescens, Linopteris neuropteroides, L. palentina, Neuropteris plicata, Neurocallipteris
planchardii, whorls of Annularia carinata, A. sphenophylloides, and Sphenophyllum emarginatum are
uncommon to very rare. The three most characteristic taxa (Cordaites sp., Lobatopteris sp., E.
nummularia) are the least fragmented, which indicate that these three taxa are (par)autochthonous
and derived from local sources, whereas rarer and more fragmentary species may be allochthonous.
34
2nd Day: Krkonoše Piedmont Basin – CarboniferousͲPermian transition in continental
deposits
1. Late Paleozoic continental basins in the Sudetic area
The Pennsylvanian and Permian strata of the Sudetic basins in N and NE Bohemia cover an about
5,000 km2 large area formally subdivided into the Intra-Sudetic, Krkonoše-piedmont, Mnichovo
HradištČ, ýeská Kamenice, and Orlice basins. The Mnichovo HradištČ and ýeská Kamenice basins
are completely concealed under the younger, mostly Cretaceous strata and have been discovered by
deep boreholes in the second half of the 20th century (Pešek, 2004). Basins of the Sudetic area are
located on metamorphosed and folded crystalline complexes of the Saxothuringian zone. The
sedimentary history of the individual basins strongly varies and the most complete are the IntraSudetic Basin (Viséan – Triassic) and the Krkonoše-piedmont Basin (late Moscovian – Triassic).
Detailed stratigraphy is provided, however, only for the Krkonoše-piedmont Basin where all the
excursion localities in the Sudetic area are located. The aim of the field excursion is to introduce the
participants to the stratigraphy, palaeoenvironments, palaeogeography, and palaeontology of the
continental Permo-Carboniferous Krkonoše Piedmont Basin, Bohemian Massif, Czech Republic. The
visit of the most instructive localities at the Pennsylvanian-Permian boundary is an occasion to discuss
the stratigraphy, sedimentology and biota of the basin as well as the possible correlation of the strata
to other basins of the Bohemian Massif and Germany. The excursion guide represents only the
introductory information of the basin and visited localities, further reading can be found in the
References section.
2. Krkonoše Piedmont Basin
The Krkonoše Piedmont Basin is located at the north-east of the Bohemian Massif (Fig. 24) and
records a long tectono-sedimentary history of and volcanic activity ranging from Pennsylvanian to
Triassic times. The basin was formed as a part of a system of extensional/transtensional basins which
opened in the Bohemian Massif during the late phases of the Variscan orogeny. It represents an
intramontane basin with three stages of development. The Asturian - Stephanian B stage was
extensional with a half-graben setting and the depocenter on the south, then depocenter shifted and
the Stephanian C – Early Rotliegend stage is still an extensional stage with a half-graben setting but
the depocenter is along the northern basin margin. Then the basin underwent major tectonic rebuilding
and the third stage, Late Rotliegend – Triassic, is characteristic by a pull-apart basin setting governed
mainly by NW striking dextral strike-slip faults. The new basin structure was formed in the eastern part
of the basin, the Trutnov-Náchod Subbasin, and the western and central parts of the basin were
uplifted.
Fig. 24. Location and geological sketch map of the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin. Left sketch is showing continental Pennsylvanian
and Permian basins of the Bohemian Massif.
The sedimentary fill is over 1800 m at the central and western parts of the basin (Asturian – Early
Rotliegend), and probably around 2500 m in the eastern part (+ Late Rotliegend, Zechstein and
35
Triassic, but deep borehole reaching the basement is missing here), is fully continental, dominated by
alluvial and lacustrine strata. The lithostratigraphic subdivision (Fig. 25) is used according to Tásler et
al. (1981).
The oldest deposits are formed by the coarse-grained alluvial and fluvial sediments of the Kumburk
Formation (Asturian-Barruelian). The upper part of the Kumburk Formation is characterized with red
and brown coarse-grained arkoses with silicified stems of gymnosperms (Štikov Arkoses).
The overlying SyĜenov Formation (Stephanian B) contains several grey layers with thin coal beds
(SyĜenov group of coals), which are an equivalent of the MČlník group of coals in the basins of Central
and Western Bohemia. The overlying Semily Formation (Stephanian C) was deposited upon major
unconformity caused by tectonic reactivation and a shift of the depocenter to the north. It consists of
alluvial and fluvial conglomerates on the base overlain by lacustrine siltstones, volcaniclastics and
organic-rich claystones with a fauna and flora of the Ploužnice Member in the middle part.
The sedimentation from the Semily Formation (Stephanian C) to the Vrchlabí Formation
(Asselian/Early Rotliegend, Early Permian) is continuous without any hiatus on the large part of the
basin, but unconformities could be present locally. The Vrchlabí Formation contains in addition to
alluvial/fluvial red siltstones and sandstones also the very important lacustrine Rudník Member with
the rich fauna and flora. Organic-rich shales and carbonates of the Rudník Member can reach a
thickness up to 90 m. The sedimentation continued in the Proseþné Formation (Sakmarian/Early
Rotliegend, Early Permian) mainly in reddish alluvial siltstones and fine-grained sandstones
occasionally with volcaniclastic admixture and with intercalated lacustrine organic-rich shales,
marlstones and limestones with an abundant fauna and flora of the Kalná Member. The Proseþné
Formation represents the finest-grained part of the sedimentary basin fill (Blecha et al., 1999). Another
major tectonic rebuilding took place afterwards.
The overlying ChotČvice Formation (Artiniskian/?Early or Late Rotliegend) is deposited on the major
unconformity. Deposition took place only in the eastern part of Krkonoše Piedmont Basin – TrutnovNáchod Subbasin and is represented by Trutnov (Artiniskian-Kungurian, Late Rotliegend, Permian),
Bohuslavice (Zechstein, Permian) and Bohdašín (Triassic) Formations. The deposition extended
eastwards to the Intra-Sudetic Basin. Volcanic rocks constitute the important part of the basin fill
forming mostly veins and lava flows of Asturian to Early Rotliegend age. They consist mostly of basic
and intermediate rocks (basaltandesites) with subordinate acid rocks (paleorhyolites, ignimbrites;
Prouza & Tásler, 2001).
Fig. 25. Generalized
stratigraphy and the
main stages of basin
formation, Krkonoše
Piedmont Basin.
Lithostratigraphy
after Tásler et al.
(1981).
36
Stop 1: The flora of the Rudník Member
Stratigraphy: lacustrine Rudník Member, Vrchlabí Formation, Asselian, Early Permian.
Location: Vrchlabí road-cut – section in the road cut W from the town (Fig. 26).
The Vrchlabí road-cut is located at the very northern margin of the basin, lacustrine black shales of the
Rudník member reach here an anomalous thickness of 130 m, which is due to a rapid subsidence rate
along the steep fault-bounded northern basin margin. The determination of the thickness is only
approximated, because the outcrop is deformed by several small thrust faults. The basement rocks of
the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin are formed by the Krkonoše-Jizera Crystalline Complex, which outcrops
just at the northernmost part of the Vrchlabí road cut. Grey to black and variegated lacustrine
mudstones, laminites and carbonates of the Rudník member have a lateral extent of more than 400
km2. Two distinctive units are recognized within the measured section at the Vrchlabí locality (Martínek
et al., 2006).
Fig. 26. Location of the
excursion stops in the
Krkonoše-Piedmont Basin.
At the base of the section (Fig. 27), mottled mudstones with carbonate nodules of probably pedogenic
origin occur. The base of the overlying Unit V1 is marked by a flooding surface at the base of finely
laminated offshore mudstones. These mudstones show a gradual upward increase of the organic
matter content, accompanied by a gradual decrease in iron oxides, reflected by a gradual change of
colour from red-brown at the base through grey-brown to dark grey at the top. These trends are
interpreted as a record of the lake bottom waters´ increasing oxygen depletion, which could be caused
by a rise of the lake level and the establishment of a stratified water column as well as by an increase
in bioproductivity. The overlying anoxic offshore facies probably represents the period of the highest
lake level with permanent stratification and high bioproductivity. Beds characterized by alternations of
well-defined black clayey laminae and white microspar laminae (similar to the anoxic facies of the
Kundratice section) are common within this succession and are interpreted as reflecting seasonal
variations of bioproductivity, sediment input and water chemistry (Fig. 28). The top of the Unit V1 is a
finely laminated nearshore carbonate (Li), which is characterized by the alternations of dark grey,
organic matter-rich laminae and red-violet iron oxides pigmented submillimeter-thick laminae. This
unusual feature can be caused by seasonal/annual changes of bioproductivity and a relatively high
carbonate accumulation. The presence of amphibian fossils provides evidence of relatively shallow
water conditions. The lower part of the overlying Unit V2 is formed by a sandy mudstone slump bed
(Fig. 27) overlain by anoxic to suboxic offshore mudstones (Ml). The upper part of Unit V2 is formed by
a muddy microbial mat carbonate with mudcracks and pedogenic nodules at the top.
Flora of the Rudník Member is the most diversified of the whole Vrchlabí Formation and includes
about 48 species collected at various localities among which this Vrchlabí locality has provided 40
species, which are estimated to represent about 35 biological taxa including 9 conifers and 6
peltasperm species (Opluštil et al., 2013). Other localities along the northern basin (lake) margin
located further west and east of Vrchlabí provided only a low diversity flora of 15 to 20 species. The
fossil flora of the Rudník Member in the Vrchlabí section was collected from 9 fossiliferous layers,
where mostly a dryland flora like cordaitaleans and conifers (Fig. 29) prevail with locally common
peltasperms (e.g. Autunia conferta), whereas sphenopsids and tree ferns are rare to very rare and
37
medullosans are uncommon. Worth noting is the dominance (~90 % of the identifiable specimens) of
walchian conifers in grey “Walchia shales” (Rieger, 1971) at the base of the Rudník Member
dominated by remains of Culmitzschia frondosa with subordinate leaves of Cordaites rudnicensis.
As a whole, the flora of the Rudník Member includes the following species: sphenopsids
Asterophyllites equisetiformis (Schlotheim) Brongngniart, Annularia carinata Gutbier, A. stellata
(Schlotheim) Wood, Calamites cisti Brongniart, C. gigas (Brongniart) Remy, Metacalamostachys
dumasii (Zeiller) Barthel and Calamostachys tuberculata (Sternberg), the ferns Nemejcopteris
feminaeformis (Schlotheim) Barthel, Pecopteris arborescens (Schlotheim), P. cyathea (Schlotheim)
Stur, P. polymorpha Brongniart and P. polypodioides (Presl in Sternberg) NČmejc, the pteridosperms
Sphenopteris germanica Weiss, Dicksoniites pluckenetii (Schlotheim) Sterzel, Remia pinnatifida
(Gutbier) Knight, Odontopteris lingulata (Goeppert) Schimper, O. subcrenulata Rost, Neurodontopteris
auriculata (Brongniart) Potonié, Neurocallipteris neuropteroides (Goeppert) Cleal, Shute et Zodrow,
Neuropteris cordata Brongniart, Neuropteris zeilleri Lima, Barthelopteris germarii (Giebel) Cleal et
Zodrow, Arnhardtia scheibei (Gothan) Haubold et Kerp, Autunia conferta (Sternberg) Kerp, A.
naumannii (Gutbier) Kerp, Dichophyllum flabelliferum (Weiss) Kerp et Haubold, Rhachiphyllum
schenkii (Heyer) Kerp and Gracilopteris cf. bergeronii (Zeiller) Kerp, Naugolnykh et Haubold, the
possible pteridosperm or cycadophyte Taeniopteris abnormis Gutbier, the cordaitaleans Cordaites
rudnicensis ŠimĤnek, C. sudeticus ŠimĤnek, Artisia sp., and Cordaitanthus sp., the dicranophyll
Dicranophyllum longifolium Renault et Zeiller, and the conifers Ernestiodendron filiciforme
(Schlotheim) Florin, Hermitia rigidula (Florin) Kerp et Clement-Westerhof, Walchia goeppertiana
(Florin) Clement-Westerhof, Walchia piniformis Schlotheim ex Sternberg, Culmitzschia angustifolia
(Florin) Clement-Westerhof, C. frondosa (Renault) Clement-Westerhof, C. laxifolia (Florin) ClementWesterhof, C. parvifolia (Florin) Clement-Westerhof, C. speciosa (Florin) Clement-Westerhof,
Walchiostrobus cf. elongatus Florin and Gomphostrobus bifidus (Geinitz) Zeiller (Havlena, 1957;
Havlena & Špinar, 1955; Rieger, 1968). The common presence of peltasperm pteridosperms in the
Rudník Horizon indicates that it belongs to the Autunia conferta zone (Wagner, 1984).
Fig. 27. Sedimentological section measured at Vrchlabí, sedimentary facies, facies subassociations and interpreted lake-level
changes. After Martínek et al. (2006).
38
Fig. 28. Left: Even lamination of black shale facies (Bs). Most of the rock is composed of clay minerals, black laminae are rich in
organic matter, which is interpreted as having been deposited during annual/seasonal algal blooms. Whitish lenses and lensy
laminae are composed mainly of clay minerals and microspar crystals of early diagenetic origin; black lenses (lower left) are
later diagenetic bitumen lenses. Rock slab, reflected light. Right: Outcrop showing facies Mo in Vrchlabí section 3.5 m. Sharp- to
erosional-based normally graded silty laminae of distal turbidity underflows (u) and sharp- to diffuse-based silty laminae of
interflows (i) can be seen. Lens cap is 5 cm in diameter. After Martínek et al. (2006).
Palynomorphs of the Rudník member at the locality Vrchlabí are dominated by monosacate pollens
represented especially by the genus Potonieisporites (P. novicus, P. bhardwaji) which consist up to
92% of palynomorph assemblages (Drábková in Blecha et al., 1997). 5 % represent bisacate pollens
(Gardenaisporites, Limitisporites, Illinites, Vesicaspora, Kosanceisporites and Protohaploxipinus) and
2.5% genus Vittatina. Only about 0.5% represent trilete and monolete spores of free sporing plants
including Calamospora sp. (Calamites), Punctatisporites minutus (marratialean ferns) and
Verrucosisporites (ferns). A predomination of the genus Potonieisporites suggests that vast areas near
the northern lake margin were covered by conifer forests composed of Lebachia Florin and
Ernestiodendron Florin. A low content of pteridosperm pollens may indicate the presence of only a
narrow belt of coastal wetlands related to a tectonically subsiding northern margin and the existence of
an escarpment very near the coast.
Fauna was collected from 9 fossiliferous layers and includes both invertebrates and vertebrates.
Invertebrates are represented by conchostracans Pseudestheria breitenbachensis, Pseudestheria sp.,
by pelecypods ?Anthraconaia sp. and by a fragment of an insect wing and the trails of arthropods
?Taslerella sp. (Zajíc in Blecha et al., 1997). Vertebrates were found in several layers. Less dark and
probably more oxic and shallower facies with benthic fauna provided mostly only isolated fragments of
fish and sharks, whereas bituminous carbonaceous shales and carbonates of deeper anoxic facies
are rich in complete to nearly complete remains of fish and sharks (acanthodians: Acanthodes gracilis;
sharks: Bohemiacanthus carinatus; actinopterygians: Paramblypterus sp.). Tetrapods are represented
by amphibians (Melanerpeton sp.) and by tetrapod footprints Dromopus lacertoides.
Fig. 29. Walchia goeppertiana from bituminous shale in upper part of the Rudník Horizon, Vrchlabí section.
39
Stop 2: Early Permian lacustrine black shales
Stratigraphy: lacustrine Rudník member, Vrchlabí Formation, Asselian, Early Permian.
Location: KošĢálov – KováĜĤv mlýn – section next to former mill in KošĢálov village.
The locality KošĢálov – KováĜĤv mlýn records a relatively thick succession of lacustrine fossiliferous
black shales of the Rudník member. It is located in the central part of the basin, where the total
thickness of lacustrine anoxic offshore facies is lower.
Paleogeography and basin setting: In the northern part of the E – W elongated basin, the anoxic to
suboxic organic-rich offshore lacustrine facies dominate and form a succession up to 130 m thickness.
Fan-delta and turbidite facies occur locally along the faulted northern basin margin. The central part of
the basin is occupied by an anoxic to oxic offshore facies interfingering with a nearshore carbonate
and mudflat facies of the low-gradient lacustrine margin. In the central part of the basin, the thickness
of the lacustrine deposits of the Rudník member reaches up to 60 – 70 m. In the southern part of the
basin fluvial and alluvial plain facies dominate and alternate with the minor lacustrine nearshore facies.
The lateral facies distribution indicates that subsidence along the northern basin fault was the main
mechanism generating the asymmetric infill geometry in the basin’s half-graben setting (see Fig. 30).
Fig. 30. Depositional model of the Rudník
Lake during a lake-level highstand. Facies
architecture was controlled mainly by
subsidence along the northern marginal fault.
The reconstruction incorporates
postsedimentary northwestern dextral strike
slip deformation of the basin. After Martínek et
al. (2006).
Geochemistry and paleoclimate: The į18O values of primary and early diagenetic calcite range
between -11.0 and +1.3‰ (VPDB) and į13C values between -5.1 and +3.7‰; most of the data fall
within the range of freshwater limestones. Coarser-grained pure microspar laminae show more
positive į13C values in comparison to clayey organic-rich micrite laminae, and are interpreted as a
record of bioinduced precipitation during seasonal eutrophication. The obtained į13CTOC values range
from -29.0 to -24.0‰, the total organic carbon (TOC) content from 0.26 to 23%. Geochemical study
reveals important trends in the studied parameters. The onset of low į18O values at the base of
several black shale and laminite beds and gradually increasing upwards trend of the į18O values in
the upper parts of these beds probably records the onset of the highest lake level (trend no. 1, Fig.
31). The maximum proportion of meteoric water was during a humid period and the importance of
evaporation increased gradually during a later, more arid, period (see Talbot, 1990). A consequent
gradual drop of the lake level can be supposed. In some places (Kundratice 2.7 – 3.1 m, Vrchlabí 2.2
– 2.6 m) the oxygen isotopic trends are accompanied by upwards increasing į13Ccalcite and HI values
and decreasing į13CTOC, indicating increasing bioproductivity in the lake, which can be interpreted in
terms of a shift towards a warmer climate. The abundance of mostly juvenile fish fossils at 3.0 m in
Kundratice can most easily be explained by eutrophication (Zajíc, 1997), which fits very well with the
geochemical data. The highest TOC values (23%) suggest intensified anoxic conditions during this
stage of the basin evolution. The large shift of HI to higher values, the highest in the dataset, in the
Kundratice section at the transition from the basal black shale bed to the organic-rich carbonate (Fig.
31, trend no. 2) can be explained by a reflection of transgressive or highstand conditions with low
siliciclastic and low degraded OM input and high primary productivity. Also rapid carbonate
precipitation, which enables a better preservation of the aquatic OM can explain the high HI values.
Large shifts of į18O and į13Ccalcite values in this part of the section can be interpreted as a result of
different sources of calcium carbonate during the precipitation of the carbonate bed. This can be
caused by changes in the source area or bloom of plankton or necton with calcareous tests (e.g.,
40
ostracods reported by Blecha et al., 1997); the increase in bioproductivity is indicated by a shift of
į13CTOC towards more negative values. The gradual upwards decreasing trends of į18O and į13C calcite
values in the Kundratice section within the muddy nearshore succession (Fig. 31, trend no. 3) can be
ascribed to lake water gradually mixing with, for example, river water rich in pedogenic 12C.
Fig. 31. Logs of the Kundratice section showing the distribution of total organic carbon (CTOC), total carbonate carbon (Cmin),
18
13
13
boron, į O and į C of calcite, į C of organic matter, and hydrogen index. Circled numbers refer to different vertical trends
discussed in the text. The section is located in the southwestern part of the basin and can be correlated to the Vrchlabí section.
Due to a low-gradient southern basin margin, the sedimentary system was more sensitive to lake-level fluctuations – four
shallowing-upward cycles can be found here. After Martínek et al. (2006).
Maceral analysis and Rock Eval pyrolysis indicate that most of the samples contain a mixture of
aquatic and terrestrial organic matter, but two minor, distinctive groups of samples with algallydominated and terrestrially-dominated organic matter composition, respectively, were also found. The
study of vertical changes in boron content in the clay fraction of the lacustrine mudstones shows that
high lake level stages were periods of lower salinity with the lowest boron contents (from 73 to 268
ppm), and periods of falling lake level were followed by significant increases in salinity with much
higher boron values (293 – 603 ppm). Lake-level fluctuations of the Rudník lacustrine system, which
are recorded by shallowing-up units of the sedimentary facies within most of the sections throughout
the basin, can also be traced within the monotonous black shale dominated sections, where no
sedimentological evidence of these lake level changes exists. Good indicators for such changes seem
to be the į18O and į13C values of primary calcite, į13CTOC and HI. These lake level fluctuations are
interpreted as driven by climatic oscillations in the order of tens of thousands years, which could reflect
climatic changes connected with the last glaciation event of Gondwana.
41
Flora of the Rudník member at the locality KošĢálov – KováĜĤv mlýn consists of 19 plant species.
Similarly to the previous locality the plant assemblage is typical by rare occurrence of sphenophytes.
However, unusually “common” are ferns, especially marratialeans (with Pecopteris type of foliage),
which dominate the plant assemblage. This may suggest an existence of coastal wetlands occupied
by tree ferns. Pteridosperms are very rare and fragmentary at this locality (only 4 species). Conifers
are represented also by 4 species and are not very common.
Palynomorphs of the locality KošĢálov – KováĜĤv mlýn are very diverse and represent a mixture of
ecologically contrast plant groups colonizing various habitats. About 50% (max. 79%) of the miospore
assemblages consist of monosacate pollens (conifers and partly cordaitaleans), whereas bisacate
pollens (pteridosperms and partly conifers) are subdominant and make about 23% in average.
Unusually high, comparing to the previous Vrchlabí locality, is the content of spores, which varies
between 14 and 50 % in particular samples. They belong mostly to marratialean tree ferns and
herbaceous ferns (together 11 species), calamites, sphenophylls and also some lycopsids. Increased
content of spores, especially of trilete spores produced by marratialena tree ferns is in agreement with
a macrofloristic record typical by the abundance of foliage of these ferns and thus provide a stronger
argument for the existence of coastal wetlands colonized predominantly by tree ferns.
Fauna: Invertebrate faunas are represented by some conchostracans Pseudestheria
breitenbachensis, Pseudestheria sp. which locally densely cover bedding planes and indicate periods
of eutrophic conditions. Vertebrates are represented by disarticulated remains and less common
articulated specimens of fish and amphibians of similar composition as at the locality Vrchlabí:
acanthodians Acanthodes gracilis; sharks: Bohemiacanthus carinatus; actinopterygians
Paramblypterus rohanii, Paramblypterus sp. and amphibians Melanerpeton sp. (Werneburg & Zajíc,
1990).
Stop 3: Lacustrine Stephanian C in the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin
Stratigraphy: lacustrine Ploužnice Member, Semily Formation, Stephanian C, Pennsylvanian.
Locality: Ploužnice-Kyje railway-cut – sections along the railway between Ploužnice and Kyje near
Lomnice nad Popelkou.
The three main outcrops of the lacustrine Ploužnice Member are situated along the railway between
stations Kyje and Ploužnice. Their total thickness is more than 80 m (see Fig. 32).
Fig. 32. Location of the outcrop sections of the Ploužnice Member. Outcrops are correlated to the core Sm-1 drilled in 2011 by
the Czech Geological Survey. After Stárková et al. (in review).
42
During the Stephanian C, the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin has probably an asymmetric structure with a
steep northern basin margin and a low gradient southern part. This inference is based on the
distribution of the sedimentary facies of the lacustrine Ploužnice Member and isopach maps of the
Semily Formation. The northern part of the basin is dominated by thick anoxic to oxic succession of
lacustrine facies, while southern part of the basin, were the locality Ploužnice-Kyje is situated, is
characterized by the alternation of a suboxic to oxic offshore facies with nearshore and mudflat facies
(Fig. 33). Offshore facies representing high lake levels are usually grey to variegated finely laminated
mudstones with volcanogenic admixture in places. Offshore mudstones are often silicified, early
diagenetic nodular chert beds and lenses can be present. Nearshore facies are dominated by
sandstone bodies of nearshore bars and sandsheets. The sedimentation during low lake levels was
probably driven by the rate on influx of the siliciclastic material by ephemeral streams and
redistribution of the material at the nearshore zone. The southern part of the Ploužnice lake was
surrounded by vegetated mudflats and sandflats, while along the northern lake margin swamps were
formed locally.
Fig. 33. Section Kyje of Ploužnice Member with interpreted lacustrine facies and facies associations. The upper photograph
shows grey offshore mudstones with reddish cherts, while on the lower photo clastic dyke modified by diagenetic silica growth
can be seen. After Blecha et al. (1997).
Paleosols: Three ancient soils (paleosols) are recognized in the Ploužnice Member in the Krkonoše
Piedmont Basin. The paleosols are classified as a 1) vertic Calcisol, 2) Calcisol, and 3) calcic Protosol
(Figs. 34, 35). All paleosols contain accumulations of carbonate (calcite, dolomite). The calcite
accumulation suggests a formation under well-drained conditions and in a climate, where
evapotranspiration was greater than precipitation. Dolomite accumulations in the paleosols are likely
not pedogenic. The vertic Calcisol preserves shrink-swell features, such as wedge shaped peds and
pedogenic slickensides, which form in modern climates with strongly seasonally precipitation. It is very
interesting that the estimated mean annual precipitation for all of the Ploužnice paleosols (Sm-1 and
Kyje) are nearly the same (500-600 mm/year; see Fig. 34). This is very encouraging and suggests we
are likely seeing a robust signature preserved in the paleosols.
43
Fig. 34. Based on the extensive accumulation of carbonate and well-developed shrink-swell features, including pedogenic
slickensides and wedge-shaped aggregate structure, the paleosol found in the Kyje section is classified as a vertic Calcisol.
Mean annual precipitation is calculated according empirical relationship of Sheldon et al. (2002). After Martínek et al. (in prep).
Fig. 35. Micromorphological features of paleosols. (A) Cross-striated b-fabric in the C horizon of the Kyje paleosol. (B) Sparry
calcite, dolomite rhombohedra, and cross-striate b-fabric in the Bkss1 horizon of the Kyje paleosol. (C) Multiple phases of calcite
(microspar and spar) and dolomite rhombohedra in silty matrix in the C horizon of the Kyje paleosol. (D) Nodule dominated by
rhombohedral dolomite and cross-striated b-fabric of paleosol matrix in Bkss2 horizon of the Kyje paleosol. (E) Dolomite rhomb
with an iron-oxide cortex in the Ckm horizon of the Kyje paleosol. (F) Sharply bounded carbonate nodule with iron-oxide
concentrations along the nodule boundary in the Ckm horizon of the Kyje paleosol showing multiple generations of carbonate
precipitation including microspar and sparry calcite. After Martínek et al. (in prep).
Flora: Although plant remains of the Ploužnice member are generally rare or uncommon, over a
century of investigation of this unit has provided quite a rich collections stored in the National Museum
in Prague, the Municipal Museum (“Klenotnice”) in Nová Paka, the Czech Geological Survey as well
as in a number of private collections. Plant remains occur in several layers. Rieger (1968) and
ŠimĤnek (personal communication) described about 40 species (Fig. 36), which belong to
assemblages colonizing different ecological habitats ranging from poorly drained clastic swamps to
well drained and much drier areas located probably in a larger distance from the lake. Lycopsid
remains are represented by Sigillaria brardii, Asolanus camptotaenia, Halonia sp. (Lepidophloios sp.),
Lepidostrobus variabilis, Lepidostrobophyllum lanceolatum as well as by arborescent lycopsid
44
rhizomorphs Stigmaria sp.. Common sphenopsids includes stems of Calamites cistii, C. gigas, C.
suckowii and foliage Annularia stellata. Ferns are also quite common and belong to the species
Pecopteris polypodioides, Pecopteris hemitellioides, Pecopteris cyathea, Pecopteris unita, Pecopteris
arborescens, Pecopteris cf. lepidorachis, Pecopteris polymorpha, Pecopteris candolleana. Diverse
pteridosperms belong to the species Dicksonites plukenetii, Alethopteris bohemica, Alethopteris
zeilleri, Odontopteris schlotheimii, Odontopteris subcrenulata, Odontopteris brardii, Neurodontopteris
auriculata, Neurocallipteris neuropteroides, Neuropteris zeilleri, Linopteris germarii, Callipteridium
pteridium. Common are also leaves of Cordaites borassifolius, Cordaites cf. principalis and conifers
Walchia piniformis, Culmitzschia laxifolia, Culmitzschia frondosa var. zeilleri, Culmitzschia speciosa,
Ernestiodendron filiciforme. Although not found directly at this locality, associated with the Ploužnice
member are several tens of centimeters thick lenticular bodies of silicified peat with anatomically wellpreserved plant remains (Fig. 37 A, B) containing among others rhizomorphic root-like systems of
arborescent lycopsids (Stigmaria sp.) as well as their strobili (Lepidostrobus sp.). The fine grained
sandstone in the upper part of the Ploužnice Member or just above it contain isolated petrified and
well-preserved stems (Figs. 37 C–F) of sphenopsids (Calamites sp.), ferns (Psaronius alsophiloides
Corda, P. asterolithus Cotta, P. bohemicus Corda, P. haidingeri Stenz, P. hemitholithus Corda, P.
infarctus Unger, P. radiatus Unger, P. scolecolithus Unger, P. zeidleri Corda), pteridosperms
(Medullosa aff. stellata Cotta), and cordaitalean or conifers (Dadoxylon sp. Corda 1867; PurkynČ,
1927).
Fig. 36. Flora of the Ploužnice Member from the locality Ploužnice (railway section). A) Branch of Lepidophloios sp. (Halonia
sp.); B) Calamites cistii; C) Lepidostrobophylum cf. lanceolatum; D) Sphenophyllum oblongifolium; E) Pecopteris arborescens;
F) Sigillaria brardii; G) Callipteridium pteridium. Scale bars 1 cm.
45
Fig. 37. Silicified peat and plant remains from the Ploužnice Member and its direct overburden respectively. A-B – Silicied peat:
A) part of a lycopsid cone, scale bar 1 cm; B) Woody cylinder of lycopsid axes (?Stigmaria sp.), scale bar 1 cm. C-D – silicified
stems: C) Medullosan stem, scale bar 1 cm; D) Calamites stem with thick woody tissues, scale bar 1 cm; E) gymnospermous
wood, scale bar 5 cm; F) Psaronius stem, scale bar 2 cm. From the collection of the Municipal Museum in Nová Paka. Palynomorphs of the Ploužnice member are absent or extremely poorly preserved.
Fauna is not well preserved and not abundant. Invertebrates are represented by conchostracans
Pseudestheria tenella and Lioestheria paupera and by some pelecypods formerly labeled as
Carbonicola bohemica. Several layers yielded diversified entomofauna as follows: Neorthroblattina
germari, Neorthroblattina cf. Neorthroblattina multinervia, Spiloblattina lawrenceana, Sysciophlebia
rubida, Anthracoblattina sp. 1, and other unidentifiable wing fragments. Vertebrate remains are strictly
disarticulated but rather well diversified. Acanthodian (Acanthodes sp.) and xenacanthid remains are
not common. Rare shark remains belong to ctenacanths - scales of Sphenacanthus sp. and fin spine
of Turnovichthys magnus. Among actinopterygian fishes, several taxa were identified including
Progyrolepis speciosus, Sphaerolepis kounoviensis, Zaborichthys fragmentalis, and Elonichthys
krejcii. Some poorly preserved amphibian remains (Branchiosauridae indet.) were also found.
Biostratigraphy: Insect rich pyroclastics belong to the Sysciophlebia rubida-Syscioblatta lawrenceana
zone, which indicate a Stephanian B age rather than Stephanian C; type horizon of the zone species
Syscioblatta lawrenceana is the Lawrence Shale of the homonymous formation, Lower Douglas
Group, Midcontinent basin of Kansas. This formation belongs to the Cass cyclothem at the base of the
Virgilian and is assigned to the Streptognatodus zethus zone at the very base of the Virgilian or latest
Kasimovian, respectively (Schneider & Werneburg, 2012).
46
Stop 4: The cliffs of the Vrchlabí Formation
Stratigraphy: fluvial facies of the ýistá Sandstone, Vrchlabí Formation, Asselian, Early Permian.
Location: Stará Paka railway station.
On the few hundred meters long cliffs opposite the railway station Stará Paka, fluvial deposits of the
ýistá Sandstones crops out. The ýistá Sandstone forms the upper part of the Vrchlabí Formation in
the southern part of the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin and consist predominantly of sandstones with
subordinate conglomerates and fine sediments of fluvial origin. The main three facies associations can
be distinguished in the ýistá Sandstone unit: fluvial channel fill, coarse overbank facies and fine
overbank facies. Sandstones are usually poorly to moderate-sorted and contain a gravel admixture.
Conglomerates form smaller part of the rock volume; they are crudely stratified or structureless and
both form channel-fill deposits. Three main architectural elements are distinguished: (i) Sandstone and
conglomerate bodies with channel shape, which can be traced throughout the outcrop. Several
subtypes of channels with simple and multi-storey infill were described. The lateral extent of channels
is 17 meters in maximum. On the base of channels residual lag deposits occurs; muddy rip up clasts
were observed in places. (ii) Laterally extensive (up to 40 meters) thin sandstone bodies with
bioturbation represent crevasse splay deposits. (iii) Richly bioturbated fines belong to the floodplain
deposits.
Fig. 38. Stará Paka railway station. Interpreted photomosaic 1, Unit A sensu Fig. 40. After Martínek & Štolfová (in prep.).
Fig. 39. Stará Paka railway station. Interpreted photomosaic 2, Unit B sensu Fig. 40. After Martínek & Štolfová (in prep.).
47
Fine sediments occur in the lower part of the outcrop; they are richly bioturbated and eroded by
overlying sandstone and conglomeratic channels and were interpreted as floodplain sediments.
Animal bioturbation predominate (Planolites, Scoyenia, Phycodes, Diplocraterion etc.; see Table 1) in
fines; root traces occur rarely. Sandstones have calcite cement in the most cases and also evidences
for an early diagenetic to syndepositional cementation were found. The thickness of individual beds
reaches about 1 meter in maximum. No evidence for fluctuation in the discharge was found; the river
has probably sufficient water and sediment supply. The vertical succession of the outcrop shows an
increasing cementation from the bottom; in the middle part it reaches its maximum and then decreases
toward the top. The middle part of the succession is connected with a significant reduction of the
channel thicknesses and also with the early calcite cementation of sandstones, which is abundant in
this part of the section. The calcite cementation of sandstones prevents erosion and thus the
asymmetrical shapes and stepped margins of the channels occur. Amalgamated channels in the lower
part of the vertical succession are large, deep and their bases are concave and erosive. Between
individual channels and below them floodplain fines are preserved. The middle part of succession is
characteristic by smaller, shallow, not laterally extensive channels. No overbank deposits occur there.
The bioturbation is concentrated to sandstones. The top of the vertical section represent large deep
channels with overbank sediments similar to the lower part (see Figs. 38–40). The palaeoflows show a
low spread of directions, generally to the northwest and north. Most of the features point to the low
sinuosity river system (see Fig. 41).
Fig. 40. Vertical stacking pattern of fluvial deposit geometries, their relation to early carbonate cementation and interpreted
driving mechanisms in terms of the acommodation/sediment supply (A/S) ratio. After Martínek & Štolfová (in prep.).
Fig. 41. Model of the depositional environment of the ýistá Sandstone. Low sinuosity river with poorly vegetated floodplain.
After Štolfová (2004).
48
Table 1. Occurrences of trace fossils according to each locality of ýistá Sandstone.
Locality
Ichnofossils
Ichnofabric
index (ii)
The most
abundant
Type of sediment
Sedimentary
Facies,
Environment
Stará
PakaMosaic 0
Planolites, root traces,
Diplocraterion, Palaeophycus
2-3 or 4-5
Planolites
Mudstone, siltstone and
fine-grained sandstone
Facies Ms, Sp, Sl
Floodplain, Base of
the channels
Stará
PakaMosaic 1
Planolites
3, somewhere
4-5
Planolites
Mudy siltstone
Facies Ms
Floodplain
Stará
PakaMosaic 2
Planolites, Scoyenia, Phycodes,
Helminthopsis, ?Cochlichnus,
?Bergaueria
1-3
Planolites
Fine to medium-grained
sandstone
Facies Sp, Sl
Crevasse Splays
Stará
PakaMosaic 3
Planolites, Phycodes,
? Diplocraterion
2-3
Planolites
Silty mudstone,
siltstone
Facies Ms
Floodplain
Provenance: Two main possible source areas for the fluvial Autunian deposits (Vrchlabí Formation) of
the southwestern part of the basin were found. Pebbles of Late Devonian – Early Carboniferous
marine limestones come probably from the central part of the hypothetical Jítrava Hradec Basin (see
Fig. 42). The garnet composition in the sandy detritic material point to leucogranites and pegmatites of
the northeastern Moldanubian Zone, PĜibyslavice area, as the possible source areas. This suggests a
transport over 100 km.
Fig. 42. Left: the foraminifers have more cells than foraminifers of Lower and Middle Devonian age. They have more
complicated forms that are more typical of foraminifers from the Carboniferous or uppermost Devonian. Crossed nicols, scale
bar 0.4 mm. Right: a photomicrograph showing details of another foraminifer, at its right side the shell wall is well preserved
(arrow). Parallel nicols, scale bar 0.8 mm. After Martínek & Štolfová (2009)
Stop 5: Gemstones Museum
Stratigraphy: Asturian – Triassic, paleobotany, zoopaleontology, ichnology, silicified peat and trees,
volcanics and gemstones of the Krkonoše Piedmont Basin.
Location: The Municipal Museum Nová Paka (Treasury of Gemstones).
To have a better opportunity to examine the fossil record of the Krkonoše-Piedmont Basin a visit of the
local Municipal Museum “Klenotnice” (=Treasury of Gemstones) in Nová Paka is included. This
museum stores a large collection of minerals and fossils, which have been collected during the last
two centuries from various stratigraphic levels of the basin. The nice collections of gemstones mostly
represent minerals found in the basic volcanic rocks intercalated in Permian strata. The fossil
collection includes both flora and fauna and the major part of the specimens was found in lacustrine
sediments of the Ploužnice (late Gzhelian) and Rudník (early Asselian) horizons. The major attractions
are silicified stems of various plants found at various localities in the vicinity of Nová Paka and
stratigraphically associated with the upper part of the Ploužnice Horizon. Less common are also
silicified but anatomically not so well-preserved stems of cordaitaleans and conifers from the Kumburk
Formation (Kasimovian).
49
Stop 6: Fluvial facies of the Kumburk Formation
Stratigraphy: fluvial facies of the Kumburk Formation, Asturian – Barruelian.
Location: Nová Paka – Zlámaniny, abandoned quarry currently used as shooting range.
Note: this is an optional stop to be visited only if there is enough time.
In the abandoned quarry SW of the town Nová Paka whitish to pinkish, locally light redbrown arkose to
feldspathic sandstone, medium- to coarse-grained, with subordinate beds of fine- to medium-grained
conglomerates and thin interbeds of violet-grey to greenish grey mudstones crops out. Dark redbrown
haematitic patches of diagenetic origin are present within the arkoses. The channel natures of the
beds and the presence of cross-bedding to through cross bedding point to a fluvial origin of arkoses.
Three silicified tree trunks (largest one is 0.7 m in diameter) are in the northern wall of the quarry.
The sediments are cut by a 0.7-1 m thick Tertiary basaltic vein, nearly subvertical of an approx. E-W
direction. At the bottom of the quarry is a small basaltic body with brecciated structure, which contains
angular fragments of mudstones affected by caustic metamorphism. On the other hand, the arkoses at
the contact with the basalt body do not show evidence of contact metamorphism.
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54
Part II
The Carboniferous – Permian basins in Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt
of East Germany
Jörg W. Schneider1, Ronny Rößler2, Ralf Werneburg3, Frank Scholze1 &
Sebastian Voigt4
1
TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Geological Institute, Bernhard-von-Cotta-Str. 2, 09599 Freiberg,
Germany; [email protected]
2
DAStietz, Museum für Naturkunde, Moritzstraße 20, 09111 Chemnitz, Germany
3
Naturhistorisches Museum Schloss Bertholdsburg, Burgstr. 6, 98553 Schleusingen, Germany
4
Urweltmuseum GEOSKOP / Burg Lichtenberg (Pfalz), Burgstraße 19, 66871 Thallichtenberg,
Germany
1. Introduction: Geology, stratigraphy and palaeontology of the excursion area
The syn- to post-orogenic evolution of Variscan Central Europe was dominated by the formation of a
variety of basins (Fig. 43–45), into which the erosional debris of the orogen, the so called molasses,
was deposited. The sedimentary and volcanic fill of these basins records apart from the erosion of the
Variscan orogen the tectonic and magmatic activity associated with the post-Variscan reorganization
of the stress field that led to Permian rifting and also the Carboniferous and Permian climatic
development with wet and dry phases which are superimposed on the general aridisation during this
time. The character of the basins of the Saxo-Thuringian Zone and bordering areas (Fig. 43) changes
systematically from north to the south. Located to the north of the orogenic deformation front, the
Variscan foredeep basin was mainly filled by submarine turbidite sequences and only in his final stage
by paralic to increasingly continental clastics (e.g., in the Ruhr, the Emsland, and the NorthMecklenburg-Rügen area of Germany). Peri-montane basins (e.g., Hainichen basin, Saale and Saar
basin) are situated at the transition from the foredeep basin to the mountain slopes in the south. These
basins may have had the character of wide depressions opening into the foreland, where sediments
transported by rivers formed alluvial plain and delta complexes in the area of the increasingly filled up
foredeep. Large valley-like basins between the mountain chains of the orogen are called intermontane
basins (e.g., the Bohemian basins). Additionally, there are smaller basins within the mountains ranges,
the intramontane basins (e.g., Zwickau basin). The latter two basin types belong to the Variscan
internides. In contrast to the foredeep and the perimontane basins, the early history of these basins is
not well known. They were uplifted and eroded together with the orogen. Only after the last phase of
strong uplift during the Namurian, the geological record for the development of these basins became
more complete.
Fig. 43. Outcrop areas of Carboniferous and
Permian continental basins in Central Europe. 1
paralic Namurian to Westphalian Aachen and
Campine basins of the Variscan foredeep. 2 paralic
Namurian to Westphalian Ruhr basin of the Variscan
foredeep. 3 Westphalian to Permian Saar-Nahe
Basin. 4 Stephanian-Permian Saint-Die and Ville
basins of the Vosges area. 5 Stephanian-Permian
Baden-Baden Basin. 6 Permian Wetterau Basin.
7 Stephanian/Permian Thuringian Forest Basin.
8 Permian IIfeld Basin. 9 subsurface Stephanian
relict basin of the Variscan foredeep in the area of
the later Southern Permian Basin. 10 StephanianPermian Saale Basin. 11 Permian NW Saxon Basin
and Volcanite Complex. 12 Westphalian to Permian
Erzgebirge Basin. 13 Stephanian/Permian Döhlen
Basin. 14 Westphalian Schönfeld-Altenberg Basin.
15 Westphalian Central and West Bohemian
basins. 16 Cesky Brod area of the Stephanian to
Permian Blanice graben. 17 Westphalian to Permian
Krkonose Basin. 18 North Sudetic Basin. (From
Schneider & Romer, 2010; based on Schäfer, 2005).
Repeated tectonic activity led to relief rejuvenations, basin reorganisation, and formation of new
basins, as well as reorganisations of the drainage systems with erosional hiatuses in the Variscan
55
internides (e.g., Saar-Nahe basin) and the formation of new basins (e.g., Saale basin) at the
Westphalian/Stephanian transition. The Franconian movements at the Stephanian/Rotliegend
(Autunian) transition are characterised by increased magmatic activity, which produced huge volcanic
complexes, as for instance the Gehren Subgroup with close to 1,000 m of volcanites in the Thuringian
Forest basin, the first stage of the Halle Volcanic Complex in the Saale basin, and the lower part of the
North German Volcanic Complex in the North German-Polish basin (Southern Permian basin).
Associated tectonic activity resulted in relief rejuvenations and progradation of conglomerate fans.
New Rotliegend basins are formed north of the Variscan orogen in the area of the later North German-
Fig. 44. Typical Carboniferous and Permian fossils of the Saxo-Thuringian basins. a Seed fern Alethopteris subdavreuxi,
Westphalian D, Oberhohndorf, Zwickau Basin, scale bar 2 cm (collection TU Bergakademie Freiberg). b Cockroach zone species
Sysciophlebia ilfeldensis, L. Rotliegend Netzkater Formation, IIfeld Basin, scale bar 0.5 cm (collection F. Trostheide).
c Palaeoniscid fish Elonichthys, L. Rotliegend Goldlauter Formation, Gottlob quarry, Thuringian Forest Basin, scale bar 1 cm
(collection TU Bergakademie Freiberg). d Male cone of the conifer Walchia piniformis, L. Rotliegend Goldlauter Formation, Cabarz
quarry, Thuringian Forest Basin, scale bar 1 cm (collection TU Bergakademie Freiberg). e Branchiosaur zone species amphibian
Melanerpeton tenerum, Lower Rotliegend Börtewitz lake horizon, Oschatz Formation, NW Saxony Basin, scale bar 1 cm
(collection Geological Survey of Saxony). f Ichniotherium sphaerodactylum, the track of a diadectid reptile, U. Rotliegend
Tambach Formation, Bromacker quarry, Thuringian Forest Basin, scale bar 10 cm (Holotype, collection Natural Museum Gotha). g
Group of the synapsid reptile Pantelosaurus saxonicus, Lower Rotliegend Niederhäslich Formation, Döhlen Basin, former Königin
Carola coal mine, scale bar 20 cm (collection Geological Survey of Saxony).
56
Polish basin, the so called “extramontane basins” (Gaitzsch, 1995). At the Lower/Upper Rotliegend
transition, the Saalian movements by about 290 to 285 Ma were linked to increased volcanism and
tectonic activities. The Oberhof Volcanite Complex of the Thuringian Forest basin, the Donnersberg
volcanites of the Saar-Nahe basin, the Planitz volcanites of the Erzgebirge basin, and the upper part
of the North German Volcanite Complex all formed at this time (Schneider et al., 1995; Roscher &
Schneider, 2005). Mostly strong erosional hiatuses occur around the Lower/Upper Rotliegend
transition, after which pure red beds were deposited during the Upper Rotliegend I, in contrast to the
interbeddings of grey and red sediments in the foregoing late Lower Rotliegend. At the onset of the
Upper Rotliegend II, thermal subsidence accompanied by extrusions of rift-related basalts led to the
formation of the North German-Polish basin, heralding the embryonic stage of the Mesozoic/Cenozoic
Central European basin (Gebhardt et al., 1991; Schneider & Gebhardt, 1993). This basin and the
peneplained areas to its south, i.e., the Rheno-Hercynian Zone, the Mid-German Crystalline Zone, and
the northern part of the Saxo-Thuringian Zone, were suddenly flooded by the Zechstein Sea. Reef
sediments and sabkha deposits of the first Zechstein cycle directly on Variscan metamorphic and
magmatic rocks and on Rotliegend volcanites, which earlier had represented erosional areas to the
Rotliegend basins, indicate that the Variscan morphogene was nearly levelled during late Upper
Rotliegend.
Fig. 45. Overlook on the development of the basins described in the text; added for comparison are the profiles of the
Mississippian to Pennsylvanian Variscan foredeep in North Germany as well as of the North German Volcanite Complex
and the Southern Permian basin. Intrusive granite bodies are marked with crosses, levels of intense volcanism with v.
From Schneider & Romer (2010) based on Schneider (2001) and Roscher & Schneider (2005). Note that the boundary
between Stephanian and Lower Rotliegend is set now at 300 Ma, and the boundaries of stages have changed since
Biostratigraphic
age
control
of the
basin
2010 – for the present
positions
see Fig.
4 and
Fig. 5. evolution
57
The fast economic expansion during the 18th and 19th centuries in Central Europe was based on the
rapidly increasing exploitation of ore and coal deposits, which in turn led to ambitious mapping
programs of the territories (geologische Landesaufnahme) at the scale 1: 25.000. The first detailed
lithostratigraphical subdivisions date back to this time. Interestingly, the definition of the terminus
“Formation” given by Cotta (1856, 1878) is nearly identical with the actual use. Many of the formation
names given by Weiss (1889) for the Saar-Nahe basin and by Beyschlag (1895) for the Thuringian
Forest basin, are still in use. Very early, plant fossils have been used for the characterization and
correlation of coal bearing sequences, as shown by the voluminous and richly illustrated descriptions
of floras of the Carboniferous “Steinkohlengebirge” and the Permian “Rothliegend” by Schlotheim
(1804), Sternberg (1820), Göppert (1836), Geinitz (1854a), Weiss (1876), and Potonié (1893). Geinitz
(1856), based on his six “vegetation belts”, made the first attempts for interregional biostratigraphic
correlation. Modern revisions, especially of Rotliegend floras, were published by Barthel (e.g., 1976,
2003) and Kerp (e.g., Kerp & Fichter, 1985; Kerp & Haubold, 1988), but now increasingly under
palaeo-ecological aspects (Kerp, 2000). Macrofloras and palynomorphs are still in use for non-marine
Carboniferous biostratigraphy (e.g., Clayton et al., 1978; Cleal & Thomas, 1996), but are considered to
be increasingly problematic in the Permian biostratigraphy (e.g., Broutin et al., 1990; DiMichele et al.,
1996, 2001; Kerp, 1996).
Fig. 46. Spiloblattinid (cockroach) insect zonation based on lineages of the above indicated 3 genera and their chronospecies; wing pairs show sexual dimorphs so far known. The zonation is calibrated to the global marine scale by isotopic ages
and co-occurrences of insect zone species with marine zone fossils as conodonts and fusulinids in North America and the
Donets basin. For details see Schneider & Werneburg (2006, 2012); Schneider et al. (2013).
Following the early compilations on Rotliegend animal fossils (e.g., Geinitz, 1861), Weiss (1864)
attempted for the first time to use fossil animals to correlate Rotliegend sediments biostratigraphically.
Initiated by demands of natural gas exploration in Pennsylvanian and Permian deposits of Europe in
the 20th century, different biostratigraphic tools were developed for diverse environments and different
litho- and biofacies pattern (for details see Schneider, 2001; Roscher & Schneider, 2005). They
include in particular the conchostracan (Spinicaudata) zonation (e.g., Martens, 1983, 1984; Schneider
et al., 2005) and the higher resolving insect zonation for the Middle Bashkirian (Westphalian A, Early
Pennsylvanian) to the Artinskian (lower Upper Rotliegend, Late Cisuralian; Schneider et al., 2005;
Schneider & Werneburg, 2006; Fig. 46). From the Late Moscovian (Westphalian D) to the Artinskian
(lower Upper Rotliegend, Late Cisuralian), the amphibian zonation of Werneburg (1989a, b, 1996) is
successfully applied (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006, 2012). Additionally, freshwater shark teeth
(Schneider & Zajic, 1994; Schneider et al., 2000), and tetrapod tracks could be used (e.g., Haubold,
1970; Voigt, 2005). Comparable faunal and biostratigraphic investigations were made in the SaarNahe basin (e.g., Boy, 1987; Boy & Fichter, 1982; Hampe, 1989). Detailed palaeobotanical
correlations between the basins were problematic as recurring humid phases during the Permian were
58
superposed on a general trend to increasingly more arid climate (for a review see Schneider et al.,
2006; Roscher & Schneider, 2006). The recurrent humid phases made that Carboniferous
hygrophilous floras locally persisted far into the Rotliegend (e.g., Kerp & Fichter, 1985; Broutin et al.,
1990; DiMichele et al., 1996), whereas the more arid conditions made that in other basins floras with
mesophytic character already occurred in the Permian (e.g., Kerp, 1996; Kerp et al., 2006). In recent
years, palaeomagnetic studies (e.g., Menning, 1987, 2006) and isotopic ages have been increasingly
combined with biostratigraphic data for regional and interregional correlation and the correlation of
continental profiles with the marine global standard scale (e.g., Lützner et al., 2007; Roscher &
Schneider, 2005; Davydov et al., 2010; Schneider & Werneburg, 2012; Schneider et al., 2013).
2. The Carboniferous – Permian Erzgebirge Basin
The present-day 70 km by 30 km large and NE-SW striking Erzgebirge basin in south Saxony (Fig. 47)
was discontinuously filled with the molasses of the Variscan orogen (Fig. 45). Sedimentation was
interrupted by long periods of non-sedimentation and erosion of older basin fill. Subsequent basins
were controlled by different geodynamic regimes and, therefore, had a development independent of
their precursors. The term Erzgebirge basin includes the entity of these subsequent basins as it
describes the present-day distribution of Late Palaeozoic deposits at the northern flank of the
Erzgebirge, rather than a specific basin in geotectonic terms.
The Late Visean is represented by relicts of the Hainichen basin (see Gaitzsch et al., 2008). At
intersections of deep faults, local basins developed, such as the postorogenic basins of Flöha
(Westphalian B/C; Duckmantian/Bolsovian) and the Oelsnitz and Zwickau basins (Westphalian D ?Cantabrian). Erosional relicts of additional Westphalian basins exist in the Eastern Erzgebirge, e.g.,
the B/C Olbernhau-Brandov and B-D Schönfeld-Altenberg basins (Fig. 47). The Rotliegend Chemnitz
basin developed after the Franconian volcano-tectonic movements and basin re-organization. It is
superimposed on the deep-reaching detachment between the Erzgebirge and the Saxon Granulite
Massif (Fischer, 1991; Kroner, 1995). Basin development and configuration during the Lower
Rotliegend and Upper Rotliegend I was mainly controlled by volcano-tectonic processes. Starting with
the Upper Rotliegend II, facies patterns follows increasingly NW-SE directions. The Middle to Late
Permian red beds of the Mülsen Formation form the transition to the Late Permian Zechstein and
Mesozoic platform development (Fig. 45). In the northwestern part of the Chemnitz basin, these Upper
Rotliegend coarse clastic sediments are transgressively overlain by marine Zechstein deposits and
their terrestrial equivalents.
Fig. 47. Map of the Saxon basins; A – primary extend of the Westphalian D Zwickau-Oelsnitz basin, B – erosional remnant of
the Zwickau subbasin, C – remnant of the Oelsnitz subbasin, D – Westphalian B/C Flöha basin, E – remnants of the Visean
Hainichen basin, F – remnants of the Westphalian B/C and Permian Olbernhau-Brandov basin; G – remnants of the
Westphalian B-D Schönfeld-Altenberg basin, R – Reinsdorf fan and M – Mülsen fan, Zwickau subbasin. Thick line around the
Erzgebirge basin marks the actual extend of the Rotliegend Chemnitz basin.
59
2.1 The Early Permian Chemnitz Basin
The Rotliegend of the Chemnitz basin is world-famous for its Permian petrified forest. The often
colourfully silicified tree trunks have attracted the Saxon electors for their splendid collections of
jewellery and gem stones. Special officials, the gemstone inspectors, searched the country for such
“noble stones”. One of them was David Frenzel from Chemnitz. From 1740 onward he discovered
several large petrified trunks in Chemnitz-Hilbersdorf, which he transported to the Saxon capital
Dresden, where they were processed into beautiful works of art, exposed in the “Grünes Gewölbe” in
Dresden (Rößler, 2001). In the early years of the scientific palaeobotany in the first half of the 19th
century, the descriptions of this silicified wood have stimulated the study of three-dimensionally
preserved plant fossils in general. Geinitz´s (1858) publication on plant guide-fossils of the Permian of
Saxony is one of the first attempts in plant-biostratigraphy and was directly linked to the demands of
the geological mapping of Saxony.
Fig. 48. Geological map of the Permian Rotliegend of the Chemnitz basin (after Schneider et al., 2012).
Development and basin fill of the Rotliegend Chemnitz basin (Fig. 48, 49)
The Rotliegend Chemnitz basin arose after the Franconian movements and basin reorganization, and
is superimposed on the deep fault system of the detachment between the Erzgebirge Mountains and
the Saxonian Granulite Massif. Deposits of the Rotliegend cover the whole basin (Fig. 48), basement
areas and coal-bearing successions of the Visean and the Asturian/?Cantabrian were overlain. In the
Western part of the basin, the oldest Lower Rotliegend sediments (Härtensdorf Formation) rest with an
angular unconformity on the deeply eroded upper Zwickau Formation of topmost Westphalian to
Cantabrian age. This erosional gap could be related to the Franconian movements at the Stephanian/Rotliegend transition but also to the preceding Asturian movements during or after the Cantabrian
as well. Basin development and configuration during the Lower Rotliegend is mainly controlled by
volcano-tectonic processes. Frequent ash falls during this time originate from volcanic activity mostly
outside the basin, possibly in the NW-Saxony Volcanite Complex, which confines the basin to the
North. Starting with the Upper Rotliegend II, facies patterns follow increasingly NW-SE directions
perpendicular to the Variscan strike. The Middle to Upper Permian red beds of the Mülsen Formation
formed possibly the transition to the Late Permian Zechstein and Mesozoic platform development. In
the NW of the Chemnitz Basin this Upper Rotliegend coarse clastics are covered transgressively by
marine Zechstein deposits and their terrestrial equivalents.
60
The up to 1550 m thick basin fill of the Chemnitz basin (70 km x 30 km) consists mainly of alluvial red
beds and volcanites and is subdivided in four formations (Fischer, 1990; Schneider et al., 2012). The
oldest one, the 180 m (max. 280 m) thick Härtensdorf Formation, deposited in a WSW-ENE to SWNE orientated basin, shows basal matrix-supported fan conglomerates. These coarse clastic deposits
were formed by debris flows that interfinger towards the basin centre with fine-clastic alluvial and flood
plain sediments, mainly siltstones with intercalated channel conglomerates of a braided river system.
The often greenish to light grey coloured fills of those channels point on palaeo-groundwater flow.
Flood plain deposits contain sporadically centimetre to decimetre thick coal seams of local swamps.
Very typical for the flood plain siltstones and silty sandstones are invertebrate burrows of Scoyeniatype. Common are calcareous rhizoconcretions in the neighbourhood of the channels and stacked
calcisols of different maturity. Decimetre thick micritic limestones with mm-sized gastropods and
minute isolated skeletal remains of snake-like aistopod amphibians indicate the existence of temporary
pools and lakes (Schneider & Rößler, 1996). The age of the Härtensdorf Formation is determined by
macrofloral remains (such as Alethopteris schneideri, Callipteridium gigas; Barthel, 1976) as Lower
Rotliegend and by sporomorphs as late Asselian based on the dominance of Vittatina spp. (Döring et
al., 1999). Volcanism started in the upper Härtensdorf Formation with pyroclastic horizons due to
plinian eruptions and continued into the Planitz Formation which was dominated by extended volcanic
deposits.
Fig. 49. Stratigraphy and fossil content of the Early Permian Chemnitz basin (after Schneider et al., 2012).
61
The base of the up to 170 m thick Planitz Formation is marked by the 5 to 25 m thick Grüna tuff. This
formation mainly consists of different volcanites, like ash tuffs and ignimbrites and their reworked
products as well. Depending on the position to the eruption areas inside and outside the NW-Saxony
basin, there are regional changes in thickness and facies pattern, although several tuff horizons form
excellent marker horizons throughout the basin. Intercalations of conglomerates, sandstones, and
siltstones are subordinate. The Grüna pyroclastic rocks are directly overlain by the distinctive
Niederplanitz lake horizon, which represents a vertical and lateral sequence of centimetre to decimetre
thick lacustrine black, greenish-grey to red claystones and siltstones with intercalated pyroclastics.
These deposits formed during a wet climatic phase in an extended lake landscape. The low diversity
vertebrate fauna only consists of palaeoniscid fishes and xenacanthid fresh water sharks indicating the
linkage of this basin to a larger, interregional drainage system, enabling the immigration of fishes.
Flows of trachybasaltic and shoshonitic lavas of up to 70 m thickness originated from different fault
controlled eruption centres in the south-western part of the basin. The upper part of the Planitz
Formation contains widespread ignimbrites, locally deposited as vitrophyres (pitchstone). The age of
the Planitz Formation is determined as late Lower Rotliegend (late Asselian/early Sakmarian) by
xenacanthid shark teeth (Schneider, 1988); sporomorphs indicate a late Autunian age, comparable to
the late Asselian of the Donetsk basin (Döring et al., 1999).
The up to 700 m thick Leukersdorf Formation rests erosive on the Planitz Formation. Decametre
thick basal conglomerates contain the debris of the eroded Planitz volcanites. Generally, the formation
consists of red fan and predominating alluvial to flood plain deposits in three fining-up cycles. Alluvial
and flood plain deposits are characterised by the Scoyenia facies of wet red beds as well as calcisols
of different maturity. Apart from common tiny rootlets this formation basinwide rarely shows any
evidence of plant growth. In this respect, the Chemnitz fossil forest is an unusual, very local
assemblage with a rich forest flora and fauna.
The top of the first cycle is formed by the maximally 25 m thick fluvial-palustrine Rottluff horizon,
consisting of grey clastics with plant remains and thin coaly layers. The top of the second cycle is
marked by several thin limestone beds of the Reinsdorf lake horizon. This grey micritic limestone
contains gastropods, ostracods, and rarely disarticulated tetrapod remains. Very rarely, laminites
delivered poorly preserved branchiosaurid amphibian skeletons. The third cycle is marked by the
eruption of the up to 90 m thick Zeisigwald tuff. As rhyolithic volcanism occurred on a widespread
scale during the Early Permian, this eruption series particularly influenced the eastern part of the
basin. In the area of present-day Chemnitz the eruption of the Zeisigwald volcano additionally resulted
in the formation of the Chemnitz Petrified Forest. The initial blast of a phreatomagmatic eruption cut
the majority of up to 30 m high woody trees. The latter were laid down in east-west direction and
covered by different pyroclastics (Fischer, 1991; Rößler, 2001).
The absolute age of this volcanic event of about 290.6±1.8 Ma was recently determined by SHRIMP
U-Pb measurements on zircons (Rößler et al., 2012), which corresponds to the Asselian/Sakmarian
transition. This is supported by a rich palynoflora dominated by the saccate pollen taxa
Potonieisporites spp., Florinites ovalis, and Vesicaspora spp., and by Vittatina sp. from the palustrine
Rottluff Coal in the lower part of the Leukersdorf Formation (Döring et al., 1999). That association
shows great similarities of this stratigraphic level and the late Asselian Slavjanskaja Svita of the
Donetsk Basin reference section.
Amphibian remains of the Melanerpeton pusillum – Melanerpeton gracile-Zone indicate a position in
the European highest Lower Rotliegend (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006; Schneider & Werneburg,
2012).
The following Mülsen Formation is separated from the Leukersdorf Formation by a long lasting hiatus
and may reach up to 400 m in thickness. This formation completely consists of red fanglomeratic
conglomerates, sandstones, and siltstones deposited in a debris flow/sheet flood dominated fan and
alluvial plain environment. Nodular dolocretes are common. Well-rounded coarse sand grains, in
places concentrated in the matrix of the fanglomerates, and strips of well-sorted fine to medium sand
indicate reworked aeolian deposits. The fossil content is restricted to rare invertebrate burrows and
very sparse and tiny root structures. Based on facies patterns, palaeoclimatic considerations, and the
relationship to the overlying continental equivalents of near shore marine Zechstein deposits, an
Upperrotliegend II (late Guadalupian to earliest Lopingian) age is estimated. Most probably, the
Mülsen Formation forms the transition between the post-orogenic Variscan molasses and the platform
sedimentation of the Zechstein.
62
The Permian Petrified Forest of Chemnitz – general information
Leukersdorf Formation
Thickness: up to 700 m
Base: basal conglomerates erosive on Planitz Formation
Top: basal conglomerates of the Mülsen Formation
Biostratigraphy: Early Permian Rotliegend after macrofloral remains (Barthel, 1976); lowermost
Leukersdorf Formation – sporomorph associations indicative for sporomorph zone XVI, level S4
(uppermost Slavjanskaja Svita) of the des Donetsk basin, latest Asselian (Döring et al., 1999).
The amphibian Onchiodon permits after Werneburg (1993, 1995a,b) the comparison with the
Niederhäslich Formation of the Döhlen basin and the Oberhof Formation of the Thuringian Forest –
uppermost Lower Rotliegend.
Isotopic age: 290.6±1.8 Ma, SHRIMP U-Pb of zircons (Rößler et al., 2012), Sakmarian/Artinskian
transition.
Lithology/facies: wet red beds of an alluvial fan/alluvial plain/lake system, minor fluvial-palustrinelacustrine deposits close to the base (Rottluff horizon), one nearly basin wide lake horizon in the
middle part (Reinsdorf horizon), some pyroclastic horizons and in the Western part of the basin the
marker horizon of the Zeisigwald caldera eruption.
Fossil content of the red beds: very common endogenous ichnia of Scoyenia- and Planolites
montanus-type; one amphibian skeleton (Onchiodon) and some vertebrae of an diatectomorph
cotylosaur (Phanerosaurus naumanni); vertebrate microremains and bad preserved branchiosaur
skeletons in the Reinsdorf-limestone horizon together with characean gyroconites, ostracods and
gastropods; rare macro flora remains (walchians) in the red beds; but see stop 8 – the Petrified Forest
of Chemnitz for his richness in plant and animal fossil (Rößler et al., 2012). There, depending on local
edaphic conditions and the position of the groundwater level, the rich flora consists of hygrophilous
associations and meso- to xerophilous associations as well.
Palaeoclimate:
Wet red beds of the Scoyenia-Planolites montanus-ichnofacies, common vertisols and calcisols with
calcretes, and the predominance of the meso- to xerophilous walchians point on semihumid seasonal
climate with pronounced dry phases. The widespread Reinsdorf lake horizon, frequently accompanied
by coarser channel deposits, belongs to the Late Sakmarian/Early Artinskian wet phase D of Roscher
& Schneider (2006). The recurrence of hygrophilous floral elements in the Chemnitz Petrified Forest is
a local exception, a “wet spot” in the sense of the “refugial model” of DiMichele et al. (2010), caused
by a locally unusual high groundwater level. Nevertheless, growth rings of trees in the Petrified Forest
also support climatic seasonality.
The wet red beds of the Leukersdorf Formation (Fig. 49) were deposited in front of semi-arid type
alluvial fans. Coarse clastics of intense ephemeral flood discharge are dominated by mass-flow
deposits and interbedded sheet floods. The latter one was largely maintained by the high contend of
clay matrix, which was derived from the low-grade metamorphic source areas (e.g. Berga swell).
Alluvial plain silty to sandy fine clastics are intersected by conglomerates of shallow braided river
channels. The Scoyenia-ichnofacies of siltstones as well as completely bioturbated sandy, mica-rich
siltstones of the Planolites montanus-ichnofacies are very characteristic for temporary relatively high
groundwater levels (in contrast to playa environments). Vertisols are common; root penetration of
various degrees connected with colour mottling is widespread. Millimetre-fine branched root systems
are common on bedding plains. In the neighbourhood of former palaeo-groundwater conducting and
therefore whitish-greenish leached coarse clastics, calcic soils are developed. They consist of
carbonate nodules from millimetre to decimetre scale as well as of nodular micritic calcrete horizons of
decimetre thickness. Vertical oriented subcylindrical to conical rhizoliths of 1.5 to 10 cm diameter and
up to 60 cm length are not rare. Cross sections of this roots show often a distinct concentric zonation:
first a central root mould filled with sparry calcite, second a micritic envelope with alveolar-septal fabric
from small lateral roots or root hairs and at least an outer zone of pale green calcite-cemented
sediment. Generally, the low maturity of the calcic soils indicates high aggradation rates.
The Permian Petrified Forest of Chemnitz – description of excavation sites
In fossil forests ancient trees from the geological past have been fossilized in growth position. One of
these fossil forests is known from Chemnitz, Germany, where an Early Permian landscape was buried
instantaneously by volcanic deposits, preserving autochthonous and parautochthonous fossil
assemblages (Sterzel, 1875; Barthel, 1976; Rößler, 2001). What makes this fossil lagerstätte so
63
special in comparison to other fossil forests with tree stumps preserved in situ is the historical
importance of the Chemnitz fossil forest. Collecting at this site dates back to the early 18th century,
and many collections worldwide house exhibition-quality specimens from the Chemnitz fossil forest.
The often colorfully petrified tree trunks have attracted the Saxon electors for their splendid collections
of jewelry and gemstones. Special officials, the gem stone inspectors, searched throughout the
country for such “precious stones”. Later, specimens from this site provided the basis for introduction
of fossil plant names reaching back to the early days of palaeobotany. Several genera of common late
Palaeozoic plants were first described from Chemnitz, type locality of Psaronius, Tubicaulis,
Calamitea, and Medullosa (Cotta, 1832).
The majority of finds was made in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when residential areas were
build. Since the 1990s many new specimens have been recovered during construction works, but all of
them were unintentional, because most of the fossil forest has been developed into an urban area.
Hence, the possibility of reconstructing both whole plants and the palaeoenvironment in which they
grew was limited. Based on accidental finds and on specimens from historical collections, the
Chemnitz fossil lagerstätte has been re-investigated in the last decade.
First scientific excavation (2008–2011)
The Museum für Naturkunde Chemnitz carried out a systematic and well-documented scientific
excavation of this fossil forest for three and a half years within the city limits of Chemnitz (50°51'58.68"
N, 12°57'32.54" E). The excavation site is one of the very few remaining areas that has not been
disturbed by building activities and, thus, offered a unique chance to study the fossil forest in situ.
Specific objectives of the excavation were to find evidence for connections of organs in the Chemnitz
plants, and to record coordinates in three-dimensional space for each find, enabling 3D
reconstructions of the excavation site (e.g., Fig. 54), the unearthed plant fossils, and the plant
community. In addition, we aimed to investigate the volcanic and sedimentary rocks in the outcrop
area to acquire a clearer understanding of the volcanic events and how they affected the ecosystem.
Preliminary data consist of a large number of exceptional finds, 3D coordinates, and detailed field
observations (Kretzschmar et al., 2008; Rößler et al., 2009, 2010, 2012). Unique features that have
been documented here for the first time are: (1) the presence of rooting structures of several taxa that
are preserved in situ in a single horizon, (2) the occurrence of foliage and reproductive organs
associated with petrified stems and branches, and (3) the presence of various animal remains found
together with the plants, including reptiles still showing the original body outlines (Fig. 52).
The site is located in the middle of a residential area, but fortunately older anthropogenic influences
could be excluded in the excavation area. The dimensions of the excavated area were 24 m by 18 m,
and a depth of at least 5 m, which left ca. 130 m2 at the bottom of the pit. A huge number of data and
specimens was recovered. In all, about 860 collection boxes were filled with 630 petrified trunks and
isolated branches of various plant groups. In total, 53 trunks still standing upright in growth position
were found. In addition, about 1,200 adpressions of associated megafloral and megafaunal fossils and
635 rock samples for future sedimentological, geochemical, and volcanological studies were collected,
recorded, and measured in three dimensions.
Section at the excavation Chemnitz-Hilbersdorf (Fig. 50)
The excavated section comprises of the lower part of the Zeisigwald tuff horizon and its sedimentary
basement (Fig. 50). It has been divided into six units (S1–S6, see Fig. 50). Unit S5 is further
subdivided into four distinct lithofacies (LF5/1–LF5/4). The description excludes Units S1 and S2 that
represent the recent soil horizon overlying weathered run-off hill scree with scattered log fragments
and extending down to approximately 1.3 m depth. The geological section was documented in-depth,
and thereby taphonomic phenomena were detected, such as fluid-escape structures, bleaching
haloes, catchment areas rich in woody branches, large pyroclasts, and patterns that reveal transport
directions.
Unit S6 is interpreted as an alluvial palaeosol, as indicated by a set of diagnostic criteria for soil
formation. The most conspicuous feature is the common presence of roots in different forms of
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Fig. 50. Simplified profile of the Zeisigwald pyroclastic sequence from the caldera trough different outcrops
and the profile Hilbersdorf excavation site with typical lithotypes and the fossil content – for details see text.
(after Rößler et al., 2012; compiled by L. Ludhardt).
65
preservation, intensive colour mottling, and the occurrence of carbonate glaebules of different sizes.
The rooting of plants and other processes involved in soil formation (swelling, shrinkage,
pedoturbation, various animal activity) have altered or completely destroyed most pre-existing
sedimentary structures. A horizon with very large carbonate nodules was recognized 0.8 to 1.0 m
below the top surface of Unit S6. This horizon shows a gradational top and base, as well as chert
lenses of authigenic silica, and is interpreted as a groundwater calcrete horizon precipitated from the
phreatic zone. This palaeosol supported a dense vegetation dominated by hygrophilous elements, but
did not develop any peat. As remnants of the primary sediment composition and structures in both the
soil horizon and the sediments beneath Unit S6 indicate, soil formation and growth of the forest took
place on typical Leukersdorf Formation red beds. Deposition was dominantly by suspension, in places
also with minor bedload of sandy-pebbly braided river channels, and caused a multistacked, finegrained deposit in a distal floodplain environment. Complete root systems of the tree fern Psaronius,
the calamitalean Arthropitys, and the gymnosperms Medullosa and Cordaixylon can be studied and
compared for the first time from a single horizon in the Permian. Although these plant groups
colonized the same environment and grew closely associated, they show differences in their root types
and habitat adaptations. Whereas the sphenophyte Arthropitys had a system of woody adventitious
(secondary) roots attached at an angle to its thickened stem base and the tree fern Psaronius shows a
trunk completely enclosed by a downwardly thickening mantle of adventitious roots, the gymnosperms
have orthotropic tap roots with plagiotropic lateral roots and associated fine capillary root masses.
Detailed analysis of the different root systems will provide a more sophisticated understanding of their
habitat preferences and of the physiology and autecology of the parent plants.
Unit S5 represents a half meter succession of ash-tuffs and lapilli stones that may have resulted from
low-concentration pyroclastic density currents and accompanying fallout that was caused by an
explosive magmatic to phreatomagmatic eruption with pulses of activity and a general increase in
intensity.
The thin but distinctive lithified Unit S4 clearly indicates increasing phreatomagmatic influence. The
deposit contains shards showing shapes typical of both explosive magmatic and phreatomagmatic
fragmentation processes. An increase in the occurrence of accretionary lapilli accounts for the
presence of suspended ash and moisture in the eruption cloud. Accretionary lapilli are commonly
present in ash grain-size fall deposits, and the considerable portion of broken accretionary lapilli could
point to a fall deposit like an ash cloud that often accompanies pyroclastic flows. The sum of textural
characteristics, such as poor sorting and variation in thickness of the unit, however, also argues for a
deposit that resulted from a low-concentration pyroclastic density current. The sum of features
recognizable at the top of Unit S4 shows that the ecosystem was nearly destroyed during its
deposition. Only a few large trees extended into Unit S3 and, therefore, resisted the depositional
processes up to this stage.
Unit S3 is interpreted as a primary pyroclastic flow deposit with a high concentration of particles
resulting from a phreatomagmatic eruption. This is evidenced by a variety of criteria that characterize
deposits of high-concentration pyroclastic density currents (Druitt, 1998; Branney & Kokelaar, 2002).
Unit S3 shows textural characteristics as poor sorting and reaches from massive to graded and
diffusely stratified layers with a sharply defined erosive base. Additionally, the rock exhibits multiple
indications of directional flow. In some cases, the buckling of branches is exceptionally well preserved.
Tree trunks and branches are frequently broken off, and, if still attached, they are preserved with their
apices pointing westward. Whereas the basal part of this unit bears small-sized stems and branches,
the axes become larger in diameter toward the upper part. Primary hot emplacement is indicated by
fluid-escape structures frequently observed above tree trunks, indicating heat-mobilized fluids arising
from the plant tissues. Fluid mobilization from the trees may also be underlined by the grain-size
distribution and geochemical behaviour along the upward directed escape structures. Another
distinctive pattern that reveals the distribution of the former plant’s fluids into the sediment is seen in
the frequently occurring bleached zones close to the petrified stems and branches. In 3D space,
mushroom-shaped, bleached areas outline the petrified trunks and branches, and commonly widen in
the space above them (Fig. 54). In addition, preliminary results from the geochemical composition of
the tuff matrix indicate some kind of autometasomatic reactions in the upper periphery of the fluid
delivering stems or branches and most likely point to an authigenic hydrothermal alteration. Cortex
preservation in the woody plants is rather rare, since the periphery of their stems seems to be strongly
affected by the hot ignimbrite. In the lowermost centimetres of Unit S3, close to the top of Unit S4,
many small, upright plant axes are abruptly truncated, because they were cut by the shearing power of
the emplacing Unit S3 density current.
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Fig. 51. Preservation diversity of cordaitaleans at the excavation. A) Cordaixylon trunk with attached branches up to 3 m
long embedded in the Unit S3 pyroclastic flow deposit (KH0021). B) Gymnosperm trunks in the northernmost part of the
excavation area, the one in front is still in situ standing (KH0004), the one behind lies horizontally in the Unit S3 ignimbrite
(KH0025). Scale bar 1 m. C) Cordaixylon stem with attached branches. Surface sand-blasted (KH0073). Scale bar 20 cm. D)
Detail of the specimen shown in Fig. 51C with branch traces. Scale bar 4 cm.
Fossil record
The autochthonous fossil deposit originated from volcanic eruptions and preserved the most complete
Permian forest ecosystem known to date (Fig. 51, 52). Fifty-three trunk bases, still standing upright in
their place of growth and rooting in the underlying palaeosol, characterize this fossil lagerstätte as a
significant T0 assemblage (DiMichele & Falcon-Lang, 2011). This “window” gives insights into a
spatially restricted lowland environment that sheltered a dense hygrophilous vegetation of
pteridophytes and gymnosperms as well as a diverse fauna of vertebrates, arthropods and
gastropods. The majority of the most instructive excavation finds are petrified trunks, axes, and
branches of various orders of branching. They are mostly silicified or preserved by purple calcium
fluoride, rarely calcified, and give us 3D insight into the cellular detail of arborescent plants and their
organs. Among them are psaroniaceous tree ferns that until now are exclusively those of the
distichous branching type, calamitaleans of the Arthropitys wood type, medullosan seed ferns with a
conspicuous anatomical diversity and gymnosperms of cordaitalean affinity. Many of the 53
aforementioned specimens represent basal stem portions of different sizes that are still standing
upright in their growth positions and rooted in the underlying palaeosol. The most complete and
significant preservation of petrified material was traced in Unit S3. An exceptionally large calamite
bears a crown that is repeatedly branched and estimated to have been at least 15 m in height with at
least three orders of secondary woody appendages. This is the first time that the branching
architecture of an anatomically preserved calamite tree is clearly discernible in three dimensions (Feng
et al., 2012). Although petrifactions are more likely to be poorly preserved in both the Units S4 and S5,
palaeosol Unit S6 contains many well-preserved, silicified remains, which include both upright in situ
rooted tree bases and horizontally positioned deadwood logs. During an early stage of volcanic
activity, volcanic ashes were deposited and covered the standing vegetation. As a result, many trees
shed their leaves, which are found embedded in a fine-grained ash-tuff layer near the basis of Unit S5,
Facies 5.1. Since the plant fossils are exclusively adpressed in the tuff, organic remains are lacking.
67
We, therefore, have neither a classical compression flora nor an impression flora. In contrast to the
latter, our fossil material additionally reveals 3D aspects to some degree. Collecting and detailed
analysis of the first fallout and flow deposits represented by the different facies of Unit S5, not only
provided a rich plant assemblage. Along with leafy shoots, pinnate fronds, detached whole and
fragmentary leaves, the leaf horizon has yielded the first outstanding faunal remains. A diverse fauna
of vertebrates, arthropods, and gastropods was discovered for the first time from this site and will
enable a more comprehensive view of this fossil lagerstätte. The faunal remains include such
vertebrates as several reptile skeletons, aistopod microsaurians, and remains of an eryopid
amphibian, as well as such invertebrates as diplopods, Arthropleura remains, various arachnids like a
whip scorpion, and trigonotarbids (Fig. 52).
Fig. 52. Diversity of the animal fossil record. A)
Diplopod impression in the tuff of Facies 5.1
(TA0851). Scale bar 7 mm. B) Trigonotarbid
arachnid from the tuff of Facies 5.1 (TA0932).
Scale bar 3 mm. C) Pulmonate scorpion found in
the uppermost palaeosol (TA1126). Scale bar 1
cm. D) Leg of the giant millipede Arthropleura
(TA0884). Scale bar 1 cm. E) Aistopod from the
tuff of Facies 5.1 (TA0900). Scale bar 1 cm. F)
Complete reptile skeleton from the tuff of Facies
5.1 (TA1045). Scale bar 2 cm.
Stop 1: Early Permian Zeisigwald caldera and tuff
Stratigraphy: Leukersdorf Formation, Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian/Artinskian.
Location: abandoned quarry Findewirth, eastern border of Chemnitz (Fig. 50, 53).
Coordinates: N 50°51’19.0”; E 12°57’56.6”.
Isotopic age: 290.6±1.8 Ma, SHRIMP U-Pb of zircons (Rößler et al., 2012), Sakmarian/Artinskian
transition.
Many historic quarries for local dimension stone and dumps are located in the forested area NE of
Chemnitz. Quarrying aimed to mine the Zeisigwald Tuff of the Leukersdorf Formation, which is the
youngest Permian pyroclastic unit of the Chemnitz Basin. The tuff rock has been frequently used in
architecture and arts since the middle ages.
The old quarries and new wells for groundwater protection have exposed the volcanic vent of the tuff,
the Zeisigwald Caldera, with a dimension of 2.6 x 1.6 km (Eulenberger et al., 1995). Inside the caldera
the deposits reach a thickness of about 90 metres. The pyroclastic succession is subdivided as follows
(Fig. 50):
x basal crystal-poor tuff of few decimetre thickness (b-horizon),
x several meters tuff of air fall origin (a1-horizon),
x base surge deposits (s-horizon),
x low-grade ignimbrites (ign-horizon) and layers of co-ignimbritic ash falls,
x final tuffs of air fall origin (a2-horizon) and
x reworked pyroclastic deposits.
Accretionary lapilli occur in the s-, ign- and final a-type deposits and reach diameters of almost 3 cm.
They occur matrix- to clast-supported and have multiple rims. The nonwelded ignimbrites contain
68
pumice fragments of up to 30 cm length. Lithic fragments of basement rocks (phyllite, gneiss,
micashist, quartz) are locally abundant. In the outcrop, beds and lenses of the surge deposits in the
lower part of the quarry show parallel to low angle bedding, whereas the ignimbrite deposits appear
massive. The Zeisigwald Tuff is geochemically characterized by elevated contents of Be, Sn, F, Li and
low contents of Zr. Fluorite petrified parts of the embedded wood fragments as well as selected
portions of the tuff itself (e.g. pumice fragments). This eruption destroyed and preserved the unique
Chemnitz Petrified Forest. In the city area, the tops of the buried trees point to the W, as is shown by
many documented findings. This observation supports the location of the vent in the Zeisigwald area.
Fig. 53. Abandoned Zeisigwald tuff rock quarry Findewirth at the Eastern border of Chemnitz; anti-dune bedding of the base surge
deposits of the eruption; Upper Leukersdorf Formation (Sakmarian/Artinskian).
Stop 2: “Window to the past”, excavation Sonnenberg, Zeisigwald tuff
Stratigraphy: Leukersdorf Formation, Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian/Artinskian.
Location: Chemnitz, Sonnenberg, Glocken-Str. 16.
Coordinates: N 50° 50.141'; E 12° 56.055'.
Starting in the 2nd half of the 19th century, Chemnitz – as many industrial centres in Germany –
experienced a rapid growth. Besides Hilbersdorf in the quarter Sonnenberg plenty of petrified tree
trunks were found during the urbanisation and railway construction works, since the Zeisigwald Tuff
crops out in this area. Nowadays, only few locations in the city remained undisturbed. One of these is
the location of Stop 2.
First exploration activities were performed in 2009. The excavation started in summer 2012 and will be
continued during the next years. The aim of the project is to investigate the basal part of the
Zeisigwald Tuff, which hosts the Petrified Forest. The base of the pyroclastic succession has been
located in about 2 m depth by drilling and geophysical research. Now several trunks have been
located, at least some still standing in growth position. With the current excavation project the museum
aims to:
69
(1) Increase the public awareness of the Petrified Forest of Chemnitz and get in touch with more
people interested in the improvement of the city and the region.
(2) The excavation site supports the study of late Palaeozoic plants in the fossil-bearing Permian
sequence of Chemnitz as the sites of plant growth and burial are largely identical.
(3) The fossil record reveal unknown biological features such as organ connections, ontogenetic
variability, the branching architecture and root systems of the occurring arboreal plants.
(4) Since the fossil-bearing horizons can be attributed to short time volcanic processes, the findings
enhance our understanding of plant’s response to environmental perturbations and enable us to
visualize and reconstruct individual volcanic events and their effects on the ecosystem.
(5) In comparison with recent volcanic events analogies can be drawn to explain the volcanic
processes, and to interpret the taphonomic conditions.
Fig. 54. Three-dimensional model showing excavated stems and branches and the spatial extension of the bleaching
haloes surrounding the permineralizations (courtesy of Volker Annacker).
Stop 3: Museum of Natural Science Chemnitz (Fig. 55)
Stratigraphy: Holocene, 1868 to present.
Location: DAStietz, Moritzstr. 20, Chemnitz.
Coordinates: N 50°49’51.22”; E 12°29’51.77”.
The history of the museum started in the middle of the 19th century with a circle of citizens being
interested in natural science in general. In 1859 they founded the Naturwissenschaftlicher Leseverein‘
(renamed into ‘Naturwissenschaftliche Gesellschaft‘ in 1861). Besides common reading of scientific
literature, the primary objectives were to create natural history collections and to build up a scientific
library. In 1868 these collections were handed over to the City of Chemnitz on condition of soon public
access. This was the birth of the oldest museum in Chemnitz. In 1876 the rapidly increasing inventory
was made accessible for the public the first time in an exhibition in the Kunsthütte. With the completion
of the King-Albert-Museum in 1909, the Municipal Natural History Collections moved into this museum
building close at the Theaterplatz. In 1961 the collections were renamed into ‘Museum für
Naturkunde’. After 95 years in the King-Albert-Museum, were the storage capacity finally exceeded,
the Museum established his new base in the former TIETZ department store in 2004.
As already embedded in the original conception from 1868, the museum is also a centre for scientific
education. An increased awareness at the beginning of the 21st century awakes the wish to
understand the diversity of our natural environment and to conserve it for future generations. With
activities accompanying exhibitions, manifold events, talks and excursions, the museum understands
itself as a meeting point in the area of tension between the desire for a higher quality of living and the
70
conservation of natural resources. Many committed hobby researchers support the museum in
expanding and developing its collections, by providing their knowledge in several environmental
education projects as well as in topics like culture, industry and science.
The main permanent exhibition – the Sterzeleanum – deals with the Chemnitz Petrified Forest.
The international reputation of the museum mainly results from its unique collection of petrified wood.
Fig. 55. Petrified tree trunks in the entrance
hall to the Museum für Naturkunde and the
Sterzeleanum exhibition of the Petrified
Forest of Chemnitz.
3. The Permian Gera Basin
Introduction
During Rotliegend times the Gera basin forms a western subbasin of the Chemnitz basin separated
from the latter by the about 15 km wide Berga swell. Sedimentation starts on Variscian basement, i.e.
folded Early Carboniferous marine turbidite sequences. Basin fill consists of the 180 m thick wet red
beds of the Creschwitz Formation, an equivalent of the Leukersdorf Formation in the Chemnitz basin,
as well of the up to 350 m thick silty, sandy and conglomeratic red beds of the Gera Formation, an
equivalent of the Mülsen Formation in the Chemnitz basin. During the marine Zechstein the area of
Gera forms a bay at the southern coast of the transgressing sea.
Stop 4: Märzenberg, classical outcrop of the Zechstein transgression sediments (Figs. 56, 57)
Stratigraphy: Upper Rotliegend II, Gera Formation (Guadalupian/Lopingian), transgressively covered
by marine Zechstein deposits of the Werra Formation (Early Wuchiapingian).
Location: Gera-Milbitz, Schiefergasse at the Märzenberg hill.
Coordinates: N 51° 53.966´; E 11° 3.310´.
Isotopic ages: Kupferschiefer black-shale dated by Brauns et al. (2003) at 257.3±2.6 Ma.
71
Biostratigraphy: Mesogondolella britannica from the Kupferschiefer equivalent in the Southern North
Sea (Legler et al., 2005) points on a Wuchiapingian age for the basal Zechstein deposits.
Lithology/facies: Exposed are up to 10 m of the uppermost Gera Formation consisting of interbeddings of fanglomerates with hyperconcentrated debris flows and sandy siltstones of a distal fan to
braid plain environment. Bedding is indistinct; long axes of the pebbles mostly horizontal arranged.
Pebble size increases in the top and channel like structures appear. With indistinct boundary the
sediment colour change in the upper part to bluish-grey (1.50 m) and higher up to yellowish-beige (2
m). This secondarily leached part is called the “Grauliegend”. In the transition to the bluish part and
inside the bluish part appear horizontal arranged micritic calcrete nodules of centimetre to decimetre
size. The Grauliegend part and the upper red part are dissected by nearly regularly in 1.5 to 2 m
distance spaced and more than 2.5 m long bluish-grey leached desiccation cracks. With irregular
boundary follow the marine Zechstein transgression conglomerate (1 m). Marine deposition is clearly
indicated by brachiopods and marine bivalves as well as by bar-like pebble orientation and strongly
reduced pelite content. With sudden transition follow the sandy limestone of the Mutterflöz (0.3 m) and
above them with sharp lower boundary the Kupferschiefer (0.25 m). The latter one merges into the
brachiopod rich Productus bank (0.4 – 1 m). Above follow marlstone – limestone interbeddings of the
Werra limestone Member (~ 12 m).
Fig. 56. Classical exposure of continental Rotliegend red beds overlain by the marine Zechstein transgression sediments at
Gera-Milbitz, Schiefergasse, Märzenberg hill.
Fossil content (most common only):
Zechstein conglomerate: brachiopods Cancrinella germanica, Horridonia horrida, Rhynchopora
geinitziana (Fig. 58), Strophalosia leplayi; bivalve Wilkingia mackrothi; plant fragments as centimetre
thick trunks.
Mutterflöz: typical Zechstein fauna (see Productus bank) but without Neospirifer.
Kupferschiefer: plants Pseudovoltzia liebeana, Ullmannia bronnii, Ullmannia frumentaria,
Culmitzschia florinii; brachiopods Horridonia, Lingula, Orbiculoidea; bryozoans; isolated fish remains.
Productus bank: brachiopods Horridonia horrida, Stenocisma schlotheimi, Dielasma elongatum,
Pterospirifer alatus, Strophalosia morrisiana, Streptorhynchus pelargonatus, Spiriferellina cristata,
Craspedalosia lamellosa, Dasyalosia goldfussi, Lingula credneri, Orbiculoidea konincki; bryozoans
Acanthocladia sp., Rectifenestella retiformis, Kingopora ehrenbergi, Synocladia sp., Dyscritella sp.;
ecchinoderms: Cyathocrinites ramosus, Miocidaris keyserlingi.
72
Fig. 57. Mutterflöz sandy limestone, Kupferchiefer and
rd
Productus bank, representing the upper part of the 3
shallowing upward cycle; Gera-Milbitz, Schiefergasse,
Märzenberg hill.
Fig. 58. Brachiopod Rhynchopora geinitziana in coarse
clastics of the Zechstein conglomerate, Märzenberg at
Gera, Schiefergasse.
Discussion and interpretation (see Legler & Schneider, 2013): Despite the long research history
(since Geinitz, 1854) of this outcrop and the basal Zechstein sediments with the Kupferschiefer as an
economically important copper deposit in Europe in general, the process of the Zechstein
transgression is not really well understood. In any case, the Kupferschiefer consists in the deeper
parts of the basin generally of three shallowing upward cycles – each cycle starts clayish at the base
and ended carbonatic in the top (Rentzsch, 1965). Cyclicity in basal Zechstein deposits also occurs
along the basin margins and at intra-basin highs, where Kupferschiefer-equivalent sediments were
deposited. In the Gera Bight, an embayment at the southern margin of the Zechstein Sea, a
succession of Kupferschiefer and Kupferschiefer equivalent rocks crop out (Fig. 59). Rotliegend
alluvial fan deposits are storm-wave reworked at the top, and the basal Zechstein conglomerate
contains marine bivalves. Organic carbon-rich, sandy limestone (Mutterflöz) overlies the
conglomerate. In the Gera Bight, the Mutterflöz is characterized by an upwards increase in carbonate
content. Along the southern margin of the Southern Permian basin (SPB) the Mutterflöz shows varying
thicknesses. It passes upwards into Kupferschiefer black shale. The Kupferschiefer is overlain by a
bioclastic limestone, the Productus bank. Laterally, the thickness of these coquina beds varies greatly
over short distances (few 100s m). The Zechstein carbonate (Ca1) overlies the Productus bank and
can be correlated throughout the basin. The Zechstein conglomerate, Mutterflöz and Kupferschiefer
are interpreted to have been deposited during the transgressive phase of the Zechstein Sea. They
record flooding and successive rise in sea level within the SPB. The Zechstein conglomerate formed
above storm-wave base and represents a transgressive lag deposit. Due to rapid initial flooding of the
SPB, transgressive lags were not developed in deeper parts of the basin. Deposits in the Gera Bight,
close to the basin margin, indicate a transgression leading to wave-reworking of Rotliegend deposits.
The transition between storm-wave reworked Zechstein conglomerate and Mutterflöz reflects
increasing water depth and deposition below storm-wave base. The organic carbon content of the
Mutterflöz indicates dysoxic conditions at the sediment surface. Further rise in sea-level resulted in
stagnant anoxic bottom-water conditions and formation of the Kupferschiefer.
The Productus bank is interpreted to be deposited as tempestite above storm-wave base; laterally
varying thickness reflects preserved topography of storm-wave deposits. Deposition of the Productus
bank reflects destratification and mixing of the water column. Most possibly, the transgression profile
at the Märzenberg reflect only the third shallowing up cycle of the Kupferschiefer, means, the
Zechstein conglomerate at Gera is the equivalent of the clayish part of the basal third Kupferschiefer
73
cycle (rising sea level) in deeper parts of the basin and the Productus bank the carbonatic part (falling
sea level).
brachiopods
Fig. 59. Kupferschiefer and Kupferschiefer equivalents in the Gera Bight (Gera Märzenberg, Schiefergasse).
A, Log through Rotliegend-Zechstein transitional profile; compared to the 3 cycles of the basin center the
rd
Zechstein conglomerate up to the Productus bank represents at the basin border the 3 cycle only. B, Sample of
the sandy carbonate of the Mutterflöz. C, Sample of top Kupferschiefer (lower 7 cm) and the transition into the
Productus bank. (From Legler & Schneider, 2013, modified).
74
4. The Late Permian – Triassic Thuringian Basin
4.1 The Germanic Triassic
180 years ago, Alberti (1834) recognized Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk and Keuper belong to a single
stratigraphic unit, which he called “Trias”. Nowadays, the Buntsandstein, Muschelkalk and Keuper are
used in the rank of groups for lithostrartigraphic subdivision of the Triassic in the Germanic Basin (Fig.
60).
The base of the Triassic was defined by Alberti (1834) with the base of the Buntsandstein. The
Buntsandstein mostly consist of various colored, fine to coarse grained siliciclastics of fluvial,
fluviolacustrine or playa lake facies. Prominent interbeddings of oolitic and stromatolitic limestones are
characteristic for the Lower Buntsandstein. The oolite limestone horizons have high value for both
lithostratigraphic subdivision of the Lower Buntsandstein and regional correlations within the Germanic
Basin (e.g., Schulze, 1969; Radzinski, 1999).
Generally, the lithofacies of Lower Buntsandstein sections strongly differ, depending on their
respective palaeogeographic positions within the Germanic Basin. In more central parts of the basin
(e.g., in Saxony-Anhalt) the facies is interpreted as playa lake deposits consisting of fine grained
siliciclastics with intercalations of oolitic limestones. The playa lake laterally extended for more than
1000 km and straddles between southern Poland and the North Sea (Fig. 61). From basin central
localities towards the basin margins the lithofacies increasingly changes to fluviolacustrine deposits.
They mostly consist of fine to coarse grained siliciclastics with occasional occurrences of single ooids
as well as dolostones with evaporitic residuals. The sedimentary deposits at the margins of the
Germanic Basin (e.g., in Thuringia) are characterized by sandstones and conglomerates, which are
interpreted as deposits of fluvial and alluvial facies. The correlations between Lower Buntsandstein
profiles in central positions of the Germanic Basin and profiles located in the basin margin are realized
by litho-, magneto- and cyclostratigraphy (e.g., Szurlies, 2001).
Fine grained siliciclastics in the Lower Buntsandstein yield abundant tool marks and invertebrate trace
fossils (Knaust & Hauschke, 2004 a, b). The fauna of the Lower Buntsandstein (Early Triassic)
contains conchostracans, ostracods, notostracans, xiphosurans, and tetrapods as well as sparse
micro- and macrofloral remains (e.g., Dette, 1930; Kozur & Seidel, 1983; Hauschke & Wilde, 2000;
Voigt et al., 2008; Scholze et al., 2012). Additionally, investigations of microfossils from oolitic
limestones have delivered actinopterygian teeth and other fish remains (Scholze et al., 2011). For
biostratigraphy the conchostracans (Branchiopoda, Crustacea) provide the highest value, because
they occur most frequently among all other faunal elements. Prominent occurrences of tetrapod
footprints like Chirotherium are characteristic for certain intervals of Middle Buntsandstein (e.g., Klein
et al., 2013). In the Upper Buntsandstein the Germanic Basin became increasingly influenced by
marine ingressions, which initiate a general change towards fully marine conditions of the
Muschelkalk.
The Muschelkalk represents the Middle Germanic Triassic. The marine transgressions of the Tethys
into the Germanic Basin during the Muschelkalk took place in several phases through marine
openings like the East Carpathian, the Burgundian and the Silesian–Moravian gateways at the
margins of the Germanic Basin (e.g., Ziegler, 1990). Lithostratigraphically, the Muschelkalk is divided
into three subgroups (Fig. 60). The lithology of Lower and Upper Muschelkalk mainly consists of marl
and limestones as well as oolites. Dolomitic rocks are most characteristic for the Middle Muschelkalk.
The Muschelkalk fauna is rich in ammonites, brachiopods, molluscs, crinoids, conodonts and diverse
aquatic vertebrates including fishes and amphibians. The increasing input of terrigenous sediments in
the Upper Muschelkalk indicates the shift towards mixed terrestrial and marine facies during the
Keuper.
The Keuper represents the Late Germanic Triassic. With the increase of clastic influx, the marine
connection between the Tethys and the Germanic Basin through the East Carpathian and the
Silesian–Moravian gateways was interrupted (Ziegler, 1990). Lithostratigraphically, the Keuper is
divided in Lower, Middle and Upper Keuper, which are subdivided in various formations with
differentiations between basin central and marginal regions (Fig. 60). The lithologies differ between
fluvial, lacustrine, shallow marine, lagoonal, evaporitic, deltaic, and sabkha facies. Important for
lithostratigraphy is the so called “Schilfsandstein” (Stuttgart Formation, Middle Keuper; Late Triassic),
which represent a basin wide marker (e.g., Kozur & Bachmann, 2010).
75
76
Fig. 60. Lithostratigraphic subdivision of the Germanic Triassic in North, Central and South Germany (from Menning & DSK, 2002).
Fig. 61. Palaeogeographic map of the Germanic Basin during the Buntsandstein (Early Triassic). Thuringia (e.g., Caaschwitz
section; Stop 5) is located at the southeastern margin of the basin (map modified from Röhling & Heunisch, 2010).
Stop 5: Caaschwitz quarry, continuous Permian to Triassic profile (Figs. 62, 63)
Location: active quarry at Caaschwitz (Thuringia, Central Germany).
Stratigraphy: transitional section of marine Zechstein (Late Permian) to terrestrial Lower
Buntsandstein (Early Triassic).
Coordinates: 50°57’09.12’’ N, 11°58’27.15’’ E.
Fig. 62. The active quarry at Caaschwitz (Thuringia, Central Germany). The section exposes the transition from the Late
Permian marine Zechstein to the Early Triassic terrestrial Lower Buntsandstein. PTB marks the supposed positon of the
Permian-Triassic boundary.
Outcrop: The large outcrop of recent surface mining as well as areas of underground mining and an
abandoned quarry belong to the Wünschendorfer Dolomitwerke GmbH. The mined dolomite becomes
used as flux agent in the metallurgic industry.
77
Stratigraphy and facies: Currently, the active quarry
at Caaschwitz provides one of the best exposed
transitional sections of marine Zechstein (Late
Permian) to terrestrial Lower Buntsandstein (Early
Triassic) in western and central Europe. The 69 m of
the exposed section can be subdivided in (from base
to top):
x
Plattendolomit (z3D member, Leine
Formation): Bright gray, well bedded
dolomite rock of a marine-evaporitic salinar
deposit.
x
upper Zechstein (z3–z6): Gray and red clayto sandstones with dolomite nodules of a
sabkha facies. Pedogenetic overprints of
siliciclastics are classified as vertisols.
x
uppermost Zechstein (Fulda Formation, z7):
Red, fine to coarse grained sandstones with
horizontal bedding and small scale
intercalations of channels at the base of the
upper Fulda Formation (upper z7).
Continuous shift to “Buntsandstein facies”
showing clay- and sandstones with
flaser/lenticular bedding, ripple marks and
desiccation cracks. They are interpreted as
playa lake deposits.
x
lower Calvörde Formation (basal Lower
Buntsandstein; equivalents of oolite horizons
Į1, Į2, ȕ1): Horizontal and cross bedded,
gray and red colored, fine to coarse grained
siliciclastics with ripple marks, desiccation
cracks and rip up clasts. A fluvial facies is
indicated by small scale channels with
internal trough-shape cross bedding. Single
ooids or remnants of dissolved ooids occur
frequently.
Fig. 63. Lithology and lithostratigraphy of the active quarry at Caaschwitz. The section exposes the transition from marine
Zechstein (Late Permian) to terrestrial Lower Buntsandstein (Early Triassic).
Stratigraphy: Currently, the position of the terrestrial Permian-Triassic boundary (PTB) is under
reinvestigation by Scholze, Schneider & research partners using conchostracan biostratigraphy,
isotope chemostratigraphy, major-/trace-element geochemistry, magnetostratigraphy, and radiometric
age determinations in order to correlate the international stratigraphic scale with the terrestrial PTB in
the Germanic Basin. Additionally, palynofacies, sedimentary facies, and palaeosoil analysis are
78
applied for reconstruction of environmental processes in respect to the end-Permian mass extinction.
The lithostratigraphic Zechstein-Buntsandstein boundary at Caaschwitz was first defined by Schüler &
Seidel (1991). However, this lithostratigraphic boundary is not equivalent with the terrestrial PTB. The
position of the PTB is of controversial discussion. For example, Ecke (1986) used palynology for
placement of the PTB between cycles 3 and 4 of the Calvörde Formation. More recent workers (e.g.,
Bachmann & Kozur, 2004; Kozur & Weems, 2010) defined the PTB at the base of cycle 2 in the
Calvörde Formation by combining different stratigraphic methods (e.g., conchostracan biostratigraphy
and isotope chemostratigraphy).
According to the first results, the sediments of the lower Fulda Formation (lower z7) in the Caaschwitz
section show a transition from decreasing vertisol overprint to an onset of internal flaser/lenticular
bedding. The transition is interpreted as gradual shift from sabkha to playa lake facies. A sandstone
bank of 4.20 m thickness marks the base of the upper Fulda Formation (upper z7). The sandstones
mostly show horizontal to irregular wavy internal bedding, millimeter thick clay- to siltstone
intercalations, centimeter small haloturbation, and irregular sand patches. These sandstones are
interpreted as shallow subaquatic deposits, whereby occasional intercalated small scale channels
indicate a fluvial to fluviolacustrine facies. The entire upper Fulda Formation shows a sedimentary
character, which is generally more similar to the “Buntsandstein facies” (e.g., flaser/lenticular bedding)
than the “Zechstein facies” (e.g., intensive vertisol overprint). The differences between these two
facies suggest a climate change to more moist conditions starting in the Fulda Formation, which is
predating the Zechstein-Buntsandstein boundary. The sandstones directly at the base of the upper
Fulda Formation mark the most prominent climate change of the whole Zechstein interval in the
Caaschwitz section.
Fauna: So far, fossils are very rare in the siliciclastics of the upper Zechstein, because of generally
hard living conditions in the sabkha environment of the upper Zechstein (z3 to lower z6). However,
first poorly preserved tetrapod footprints within the upper Fulda Formation (upper z7) have been
discovered by S. Voigt during recent field campaigns in the Caaschwitz section. New collected
conchostracans determined as Palaeolimnadiopsis vilujensis (Fig. 64) and Euestheria gutta are known
from the interval of the upper Fulda Formation to the cycle 3 of the Calvörde Formation (Lower
Buntsandstein). The first data from the Zechstein in the Caaschwitz section indicate that fossil
occurrences are restricted to well bedded deposits of the playa lake facies. The new data also suggest
that statements on a Late Permian mass extinction should be handled with caution, because the fossil
record generally depends on local facies differences as demonstrated by both the lack of fossils in the
sabkha environment and the findings of conchostracans and tetrapods in the playa lake environment.
Geochemistry: Currently, the Caaschwitz section is also studied for isotope (į13Corg) analysis. New
data obtained from the upper Fulda Formation indicate that changes of both the sedimentary facies
and the fossil record are associated with a shift from heavier to lighter į13Corg values. The first results
suggest that changes of both sedimentary facies and į13Corg signatures are governed by climatic
changes. Such an assumption is very well supported by similar į13Corg shifts at the base of the upper
Fulda Formation also reported from drill cores in northern Germany (Hiete et al., 2013).
Fig. 64. Conchostracan determinded as
Palaeolimnadiopsis vilujensis from the
Calvörde Formation, Lower Buntsandstein
(Early Triassic) in the Caaschwitz section.
79
5. The Late Carboniferous – Permian Thuringian Forest Basin
5.1 Introduction
The Thuringian Forest Basin (formerly SW-Saale basin), an approximately 40 to 60 km wide NW-SE
orientated depression, is to large parts exposed in the horst structure of the Thuringian Forest (Fig.
65). It belongs to the classical Rotliegend areas in Europe because of the mining – since the 12th
century – of Permian Zechstein Kupferschiefer deposits along the borders of this horst, sulfide ores in
Rotliegend lacustrine black shales, Stephanian and Rotliegend coals, and Mesozoic vein deposits.
F.G. Gläser published in 1775 one of the worldwide oldest hand-coloured geological maps that
included parts of the Thuringian Forest. First geological descriptions and mapping activities date back
to Voigt (1789) – a pupil of Abraham Gottlob Werner –, Freiesleben (1807), and von Hoff (1807), who
developed here, before Lyell, ideas about the “principle of actualism”. The first description of
Rotliegend plants where given by the coal mine owner Heyn in 1695, and the first Rotliegend plant
was pictured by Mylius (a lawyer of the town of Leipzig) in 1709. The wealthy illustrated publication of
von Schlotheim (1804) on floras of the “Rothliegend” and the “Steinkohlen-Formation” of the
Thuringian Forest mark the start of scientific palaeobotany (cf. Barthel & Rößler, 1995; Barthel, 1994,
2003). Nowadays, this Rotliegend basin is one of the biostratigraphically best investigated and
correlated basins in the Variscan area (Schneider, 1996, 2001; Lützner et al., 2007; Andreas et al.,
2005; Schneider & Werneburg, 2006; Werneburg & Schneider, 2006, 2012).
Fig. 65. Simplified map of the Thuringian Forest with excursion stops (from Lützner et al., 2004). Inset map: zones of the
Variscan foldbelt: MZ – Moldanubian zone, STZ – Saxothuringian zone, RHZ – Rhenoherzynian zone; small square near h
indicate position of the Thuringian Forest Mountains.
80
Fig. 66. Stratigraphy, lithology and fossil content of the Late Carboniferous and Permian Thuringian Forest basin after Schneider
(1996, 2001), Werneburg & Schneider (2006), Voigt (2005), Barthel (2008); lithostratigraphy after Lützner et al. (2007) and
Andreas (1996), chronostratigraphy after Schneider & Werneburg (2006, 2012), and Lützner et al. (2007). The numbers in the
circles indicate the most important fossiliferous horizons: 1 – Öhrenkammer Member and Ilmtal Member; 2 – plants in
pyroclastics; 3 – Möhrenbach lake; 4 – Lindenberg tuff; 5 – Sembachtal lake; 6 – coal seams and Manebach or Kammerberg
lake respectively; 7 – Acanthodes lake horizons; 8 – lower Protriton lake; 9 – middle Protriton lake; 10 – Spittergrund track
horizon; 11 – upper Protriton lake; 12 – Hefteberg and Gasberg track horizons; 13 – Bromacker tetrapod horizon; 14 – Lower
Claystone or Claystone 1.
81
5.2 Basin development and basin fill (Fig. 43, 66)
The basin is situated on deeply eroded and peneplained Variscan basement of the Saxothuringian
Zone in the southeast, Visean granites in the center, and the inverted Mid-German Crystalline Zone
(MGCZ) as well as the Rhenoherzynian zone in the northwest (Fig. 43). Basin development,
sedimentation and volcanism were controlled by NE-SW, NW-SE, N-S, and E-W striking fault systems,
which cause a changing pattern of subsiding and uplifting blocks during sedimentation. In
consequence, small sub-basins with partially strong relief gradients were created (see Andreas, 1988,
2014; Lützner, 1988; Lützner et al., 2007, 2012).
Sedimentation starts on deeply weathered Variscan granites with red (basin margin) and grey (basin
center) conglomerates and coarse arkosic sandstones that are overlain by fluvial to lacustrine and
palustrine fine-clastic deposits with fossiliferous lake horizons and thin coal seams with hygrophilous
floras of the Gehren Subgroup (Möhrenbach and Georgenthal Formations). Typical lake sediments
are black shales and thin, partially onkolitic limestones. Xenacanthid freshwater sharks and
branchiosaurid amphibians of the Ilmtal lake horizon close to the base of the Gehren Subgroup give a
Stephanian C age (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006; Schneider & Werneburg 2012). The freshwater
sharks of this lake horizon indicate the connection to a Europe-wide drainage system (Schneider &
Zajic, 1994; Schneider et al., 2000). The sedimentary sequence is overlain by up to 1,000 m of
intermediate to acidic pyroclastics and lavas, in places subintrusive, with intercalated fluvial to
lacustrine red and grey sediments and thin lacustrine limestones. Sparse floral remains belong to
meso- to xerophilous plants.
After the development of a basin-wide erosional disconformity, the maximally 450 m thick Ilmenau
Formation, which is characterized by bimodal volcanism (rhyolites and basalts), was deposited. The
base of this formation marks the base of the Rotliegend. The formation contains several sedimentary
members, mainly in grey facies, which are dominated by local volcaniclastic components. The
Sembachtal-lake horizon close to the top of the Ilmenau Formation consists of fluvial grey sediments
and lacustrine laminated black shales with stromatolitic layers. Based on amphibians, this horizon
belongs together with the following Manebach Formation to the Apateon dracyiensis - Melanerpeton
sembachense Zone, which is of Late Gzhelian to Early Asselian age (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006;
Schneider & Werneburg, 2012; Schneider et al., 2013).
The overlying coal-bearing, maximally 180 m thick, completely grey Manebach Formation was
deposited in a low-relief landscape with forest swamps, local lakes, and fluvial mud deposits rich in
organic matter (Lützner, 2001). Volcanic rocks in the Manebach Formation are restricted to millimeter
to centimeter thick ash layers within the lacustrine black shales. This formation is famous for its
characteristic and well investigated Euramerian Stephanian/Lower Rotliegend flora (e.g., Barthel,
2001, 2003–2008).
During the deposition of the up to 800 m thick Goldlauter Formation, a marked palaeorelief
developed, which is reflected in red-brown coarse-clastic alluvial fan deposits along the margins of the
basin. The fans interfinger distally with red alluvial plain sandstones and siltstones, fluvio-lacustrine
brownish to grey sandstones, and lacustrine laminated black shales in the centre of the basin. Some
of the lake horizons could be traced at the scale of the entire basin by pyroclastic marker beds
(Andreas & Haubold, 1975). These mostly black shales were deposited in interchanging acanthodian/xenacanthid and palaeoniscid/amphibian dominated lakes. Very common blattid insects and branchiosaurid amphibians allowed for detailed correlations within the entire Euramerian palaeotropical
belt (Schneider & Werneburg, 2006, 2012; Werneburg & Schneider, 2006; Schneider et al., 2013).
At the base of the Oberhof Formation, the widespread 5 to 50 m thick Dörmbach pyroclastic horizon
initiates the second major phase of volcanism, which led to up to 1,200 m rhyolitic lavas, in places
subintrusive, and pyroclastic rocks, with minor intercalations of epiclastic sediments that form the
Oberhof Volcanite Complex (Lützner et al., 2007). Laterally, this complex merges into alluvial and
lacustrine sediments with minor intercalations of lavas and pyroclastic rocks. Epiclastic sediments
amount to only 10% of the formation. Red bed facies is more widespread than in the preceding
Goldlauter Formation. In the upper Oberhof Formation, the last perennial lake horizon of the
Thuringian Basin is very widespread and grades laterally from calcareous, bituminous, varved black
shales into red, varved, carbonate-clay laminites (Schneider & Gebhardt, 1993). These sediments are
covered by alluvial plain and playa-like deposits at the top of the Oberhof Formation. The fauna of the
Oberhof lake horizons is dominated by amphibians. Fishes are rare and of low diversity. Based on the
amphibians, this formation is very well correlatable with the latest Lower Rotliegend (Sakmarian) of
most basins in Europe (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006).
After an erosional event, which cut down as far as into the Lower Oberhof Formation, the deposition of
the Rotterode Formation started with entirely red clastics. This sequence of sandstones with
intercalated channel and sheet flood conglomerates as well as siltstones was deposited in an alluvial
fan – alluvial plain environment. The appearance of granite pebbles and arkoses of granite detritus
82
indicate the first uplift of the Ruhla Crystalline Complex at the western border of the basin. Locally,
rhyolitic lavas and pyroclastics occur. The emplacement of the S-N directed, up to 250 m wide
Höhenberg dolerite was a major event dated at 280 r 2 Ma (Artinskian, see Lützner et al., 2007).
Scoyenia burrows and plant roots in sandy alluvial plain siltstones are typical of the “wet red bed
facies”. Siltstones and claystones of temporary pools and small playa-like ponds contain the
freshwater jellyfish Medusina limnica as well as common arthropod and tetrapod tracks.
Biostratigraphically the Rotterode Formation belongs to the Moravamylacris kokulovae insect zone,
which indicates an Upper Rotliegend I (Sakmarian/Artinskian) age (Schneider & Werneburg, 2006).
With a shift of the depocentres to the north, again after a hiatus, the up to 250 m thick Tambach
Formation was deposited on a volcanic relief dissected in part by canyons (Lützner & Mädler, 1994;
Lützner et al., 2007). Facies patterns range from very coarse, matrix supported wadi-fill conglomerates
to proximal and distal debris-flow dominated alluvial fan clastics as well as floodplain sandstones and
floodbasin siltstones. The sandstones are interpreted as fluvial reworked aeolian sandstones, primarily
accumulated in the hinterland (Schneider & Gebhardt, 1993). Scoyenia-facies, indicative for wet red
beds, is typical of these alluvial plain deposits (Martens et al., 1981). The flora consists of xerophilous
walchians and cones of the drought-adapted Calamites gigas. Tambach is famous for complete,
articulated vertebrate skeletons, preserved in mud flows (Martens, 1988; Berman & Martens 1993;
Eberth et al., 2000). The fauna includes reptiles and terrestrially adapted amphibians, which at the
genus level are close to North American Early Permian tetrapod faunas. Based on tetrapods and
insects (Moravamylacris kukalovae), the Tambach Formation is correlated with the North American
late Wolfcampian/early Leonardian, i.e. the Sakmarian/earliest Kungurian (Schneider & Werneburg,
2006; Lucas, 2006).
The 400 m to 600 m thick completely red Eisenach Formation occurs only at the western flank of the
Ruhla Crystalline Complex and the adjacent Werra basin (Lützner, 1981, 1994). The marginal facies is
represented by the interfingering of monotonous fanglomeratic alluvial fan deposits and red silty to
sandy mudstones. They were deposited on an apron of alluvial fans with predominantly sheet-flood
deposits that interfinger towards the basin centre with fine clastics of playa mudflats. Evaporitic
conditions are indicated by common haloturbation and mm-sized gypsum crystal casts in playa
siltstones. Well-rounded, coarse sand grains (2–3 mm) in the alluvial fan fine-clastics are indicative for
reworked aeolian deposits. The fossil content consists of the playa-jellyfish Medusina limnica;
ephemeral pond deposits contain conchostracans and leaves of Taeniopteris sp. (Voigt & Rößler,
2004). In places arthropod and tetrapod tracks are not rare.
The Förtha (Schneider, 1996) or Neuenhof Formation (Lützner et al., 2012) comprises the youngest
Rotliegend sediments below the marine Zechstein. The up to 20 m thick sandy and conglomeratic
sediments are partly fluvial deposits; poorly sorted, indistinctly horizontally stratified, matrix-supported
fanglomerates are interpreted as debris flows. Their primary red colour changed to grey some meters
below the marine Zechstein conglomerate, even granite pebbles are completely leached to pale grey.
Horizontal nodule layers are regarded as groundwater calcretes. These calcretes and the leaching are
interpreted as effects of the marine pre-Zechstein-ingressions into the Southern Permian Basin and
the Zechstein-transgression, which caused a maritime influence on the arid continental climate
(Schneider, 1996, 2001). Above this formation, marine reworked coarse clastics and the
Kupferschiefer form the base of the Zechstein. The Kupferschiefer is dated by the conodont
Mesogondolella britannica as Wuchiapingian (Legler et al., 2005), which fits well with the 187Re-187Os
isochron age of 257.3 ± 1.6 Ma (Brauns et al., 2003).
Stop 6: Manebach, Late Carboniferous/Early Permian coal bearing grey facies,
classical palaeobotanical outcrop since Mylius 1709 and Schlotheim 1804 (Figs.
67–70)
Stratigraphy: Manebach Formation, Lower Rotliegend, Gzhelian/Asselian transition.
Location: southern entrance of Manebach near Ilmenau, Kammerberg at the road B4.
Coordinates: N 50° 40.378´; E 10° 51.566´.
Thickness: 20 m to 180 m.
Base: basal conglomerate overlying the Gehren Subgroup.
Top: basal conglomerate ("Melaphyrmandelstein-Konglomerat") of the following Goldlauter Fm..
Biostratigraphy: Sysciophlebia ilfeldensis- to S. balteata-zone (Schneider & Werneburg 2012) giving
an Gzhelian/Asselian transitional age based on co-occurrences of insect zone species with conodonts
at Carizzo Arroyo, New Mexico, after Schneider in Lucas et al. (2013); Apateon dracyiensis –
Melanerpeton sembachense-amphibian zone (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006; Schneider &
83
Werneburg, 2012); xenacanth shark teeth: Bohemiacanthus Um- to Om-zone (Schneider, 1985;
Schneider & Zajic, 1994).
Magnetostratigraphy: Possibly the (questionable) Normal Subzone within the lower Manebach
Formation (Menning et al., 1988) corresponds to the Normal Subzone at the Ghzelian/Asselian
boundary (base of the Sphaeroschwagerina aktjubensis – S. fusiformis fusulinid zone; Davydov et al,
2010).
Fig. 67. Sedimentology and fossil content of the Manebach
Formation (Early Permian) at the type locality south of Manebach
village, slope at the B4 road, Thuringian Mountains, Germany;
excavation site 2005, comp. Fig. 69 A. Channel lag deposits at
profile-meter 5 contain calamite trunks as well as the Onchiodon
remains – skull of about 30 cm length with the lower jaw as well as
femur (Fem) and ilium (Il). (From Gebhardt et al., 1995; completed
after the 2005 excavation by Werneburg).
Lithology, facies and fossil content: The coal-bearing, up to the basin borders completely grey
Manebach Formation was deposited in a low-relief landscape with forested mires, local lakes, and
fine-clastic-dominated fluvial deposits rich in organic matter. Volcanic rocks in the Manebach
Formation are restricted to mm to cm thick ash layers within lacustrine black shales. This formation is
famous for its characteristic and well investigated Euramerian Stephanian/Lower Rotliegend
(Gzhelian/Asselian) flora (e.g., Barthel, 2001, 2003–2008).
Based on both the lithofacies and fossil content the following sub-environments could be distinguished
in the Manebach Formation (Fig. 67, Fig, 69 A; for details see Barthel 2001, 2003–2008; Schneider,
1996; Werneburg, 1997; Lützner, 2001):
1. Medium- to coarse-grained, pebbly, trough cross-bedded channel sandstones; common are
stem and strobili remains of Calamites gigas, twigs of meso- to xerophilous conifers (“walchians“) and
skeletal remains of the eryopid amphibian Onchiodon (Fig. 69 B) as well as isolated bones of a
pelycosaur (?Haptodus) (Werneburg, 2007). In the immediate neighbourhood of channels as well as in
point bar sandstones and channel sandstones itself, C. gigas has been found buried in an upright
position (Fig. 69 E). At the Manebach localities, this unique succulent calamite forms (nearly)
monotypic stands with about 1 m distance between the stems (Barthel & Rößler, 1996; Barthel, 2001).
2. Fine- to coarse-grained sheet sands generated during flood events as overbank deposits
and crevasse splay deposits; autochthonous C. gigas stands are as above as well as allochthonous
remains of meso- to xerophilous plants from different growth sites above the groundwater level, such
as sand bars along river courses and from drier, elevated areas inside the basin and along the basin
borders (callipterids, different conifers such as walchians, the coniferophyte Dicranophyllum and
Odontopteris lingulata, etc.).
3. Fine, sandy siltstones to clayey floodplain siltstones deposited during waning stages of
flood events with layers of species-rich parautochthonous (often well preserved large fern fronds)
84
hygro- to mesophilous plant remains, representative of the fern-pteridosperm-calamite vegetation of
floodplain areas outside the peat-forming mires; Arthropleura remains are not rare.
4. Laminated claystones and siltstones of floodplain pools between the channels, with layers
of Anthraconaia (Fig. 69 D) in places homogenized by bioturbation (Pelecypodichnus).
5. Rooted siltstones and claystones of very wet floodplains, in places pure hydromorphic to
subhydric cordaitalean root horizons of coal-forming forest mires; in the roof shales of seams the
autochthonous swamp forest communities are preserved; most common are Psaronius ferns with their
fronds (Pecopteris, Scolecopteris) and pteridosperms, like Odontopteris schlotheimii, Dicksonites
pluckenetii, Taeniopteris jejunata, different neuropterids and others, the hygrophilous Calamites
multiramis and C. undulates as well as the coal-forming cordaitaleans (Barthel, 2001); insect remains
are present (mostly cockroaches).
6. Above the coal-seam-containing part of the profile there appear lacustrine, carbon-rich
siltstones and claystones with the typical Early Permian palaeoniscid-xenacanthid-fish association of
smaller lakes (Schneider et al., 2000). Branchiosaur amphibians are very rare; common lacustrine
invertebrates are ostracods, and, in layers, conchostracans; terrestrial biota are represented by
diverse plant fragments and blattid insects (most common, as in many Euramerian lake sediments, is
Anthracoblattina).
The Manebach locality has been sampled by private plant collectors and palaeobotanists for about
300(!) years (Barthel & Rößler, 1995). Collecting has focused on the plant-rich roof shales of the coal
seams. Arthropleura and tetrapod skeletal remains were never discovered before the first
palaeontological research in the fluvial deposits of this profile commenced (Werneburg, 1987, see
1989; Schneider & Werneburg, 1998). Obviously, they are restricted to those fluvial deposits and their
depositional environments. From reconstructed leg length and the size of paratergits (“pleurites”) a
body lengths of 0.85 m to 2.25 m has been calculated for the individuals from Manebach (Fig. 68, 70).
Palaeoclimate: The Manebach Formation belongs to the Late Gzhelian/Early Asselian wet phase C of
Roscher and Schneider (2006), which is represented, e.g., in the Saar-Nahe basin of western
Germany by the Breitenbach to Altenglan Formations and in the French Massif Central by the Molloy
and Igornay Formations (Roscher & Schneider, 2006: Fig. 15 a–b). Red sediment colours are nearly
completely missing; only in the alluvial fan conglomerates of the basin border facies do violet-coloured
coarse clastics appear in places. Characteristically, coarse channel clastics are of whitish-yellowish
colour, which is interpreted as a result of leaching by paleo-groundwater flows. This is supported by
the presence of pale grey leached, primary dark violet to reddish brown rhyolite clasts of the fan and
channel conglomerates (Lützner, 2001; Lützner et al., 2007). Lamination as an indication of
seasonality is not really well expressed in the lake deposits. Therefore, nearly year-around high
precipitation as well as high groundwater levels can be inferred. In this way, the Manebach Formation
is climatically very close to the Westphalian C (Bolsovian) and early Westphalian D, from which most
Arthropleura remains were discovered in Europe. Both Arthropleura and Onchiodon lived outside the
swamp areas in a river landscape that was dominated by Calamites gigas stands along the river
banks as well as by fern-pteridosperm-calamite vegetation on floodplain areas between river courses.
Outcrop situation: coal-bearing part of the Upper Manebach Formation, typical Lower Rotliegend
grey facies.
Facies associations: fluvial and palustrine, locally lacustrine grey beds containing several coal
seams, channel/interchannel deposits, wooded floodplain/flood basin, swamps, dominantly
hydromorphic gleysols/histosols with cordaitalen roots of a poorly drained alluvial plain, thin pyroclastic
horizons, dominantly hygrophilous plant communities (type locality of very common Rotliegend
species, described by Schlotheim, Sternberg, Mahr, Weiss, Potoniè, Gothan, Remy, Barthel; for
details see Barthel & Rößler, 1995).
Fig. 68. Arthropleura remains from Manebach. Collum fragment
(C), 6.3 x 2.9 cm; as discussed by Schneider & Werneburg
(1998), the dorsal elements of the exoskeleton appear weaker
scupltured as known from older remains; if this is an taphonomic
effect only, remain open so far. The plant remains belong to
Annularia spinulosa (A), Calamostachys tubercolata (Ct) and
pecopterids (P); Kammerberg excavation bed 22b; NHMS-WP
3379.
85
Fig. 69. Exposure and fossil content of the Manebach Formation (Early Permian) at the type locality south of Manebach village,
slope at the B4 road, Thuringian Mountains, Germany. A, Excavation site 2005, numbers 2 to 8 refer to the meter-scale in Fig.
67; remains of the eryopid Onchiodon thuringiensis Werneburg 2007 were found in the pebbly channel sandstones at 5,
Arthropleura remains comes from plant-containing overbank siltstones between 7 and 8 as well as from loose blocks. B, ca. 30
cm long skull of Onchiodon thuringiensis; NHMS-WP 2140a. C, Cardiocarpus fructifications washed together in fluvial fine
sandstone; NHMS-WP 3310. D, Freshwater pelycipod Anthraconaia in floodplain pool siltstones; NHMS-WP 3350. E, runk base
of Calamites gigas buried upright in fluvial sandstone; NHMS-WP 3407.
Fig. 70. Habitat of Arthropleura in an alluvial plain environment with Calamites gigas vegetation; reconstruction based on the
facies patterns in the Manebach Kammerberg outcrop as well as on the Arthropleura track occurrences in Nova Scotia and New
Mexico (Schneider et al., 2010). Reconstruction of the xerophytic Calamites gigas based on Barthel & Rößler (1996). The insect
is a cockroach-like spiloblattinid; the eryopid amphib Onchiodon after Werneburg (2007); the tetrapod track on the right symbolize
the occurrence of reptiles in the Arthropleura habitat as indicated by skeletons (Schneider et al., 2010).
86
Stop 7: Schleusingen - Museum of Natural History in the Bertholdsburg Castle
Location: lovely small town Schleusingen, southern Thuringia, Museum of Natural History in castle
Bertholdsburg.
Coordinates: N 50° 30.547´; E 10° 45.996´.
History: the castle was built between 1226 and 1232; since the end of the 13th century it was the
residence of the counts of Henneberg and it is in this way the oldest residence castle of Thuringia. Up
to 1530 completed to a four winged complex with 9 towers and a castle well. This situation has been
preserved over 500 years to nova days.
Museum of Natural History: In 1934 a very small local museum of geology and palaeontology, the
so called "Franke-Zimmer" (Franke cabinet), was founded as a forerunner. It was since 1953 a
museum of homeland history and since 1984 as Museum of Natural History responsible for the area of
Southern Thuringia. All important local geological and biological collections from several towns (e.g.,
Meiningen, Schmalkalden, Eisfeld, Hildburghausen, Sonneberg, etc.) of Southern Thuringia (from a
time when education was more important than football in Germany) are since 1988 concentrated here
and well conserved and curated for future times. The museum act as a well-known superregional
centre for education in natural sciences, edit an own journal for natural sciences, the “Semana Veröffentlichungen Naturhistorisches Museum Schleusingen“ and is very active in organising any
cultural events from Medieval Festivals to Irish Folk days.
Besides a marvellous exhibition of “Minerals – fascination of Form and Colour” as well as an exhibition
on the long mining history in the Thuringian Mts. area, the main exhibition focus on the history of live.
This main exhibition is devoted to the “Footsteps of our living habitats – 300 million years Thuringia”.
Demonstrated are interactions between organisms and environments with exceptional fossils and very
impressive dioramas of the ancient, hundreds of million years old nature (project of the German
Federal Environmental Foundation).
Key aspects are
x
the lakes, river landscapes and swamps of the Permian Rotliegend (Figs. 71, 72)
x
the shallow seas, reefs and coasts of the Zechstein sea
x
the river landscapes of the Early Triassic Buntsandstein
x
the shallow sea of the Triassic Lower and Upper Pelecypod Limestone (Muschelkalk)
x
the interchange of landscapes with rivers, lakes and swamps with shallow marine
floodings during the Late Triassic early Keuper
x
river landscapes of the Middle Keuper
x
maar and sinkhole lakes of the Tertiary
x
change of different landscapes during warm and cold climate phases of the Pleistocene in
Thuringia.
A ”time gate“ leads into the modern landscape of Thuringia.
After the visit of the museum we will have a barbeque in the courtyard of the castle with the
director of the museum “burgrave Ralf of Werneburg”.
87
Fig. 71. Diorama of Early Permian coal forming forest
with tree ferns (Psaronius trunk and Pecopteris leaves);
Manebach Fm.; Museum Schleusingen.
Fig. 72. Diorama of an Early Permian amphibian dominated
lake with Sclerocephalus (~ 1m long), small branchiosaurid
amphibians and palaeoniscoid fishes; Museum Schleusingen.
Stop 8: Oberhof, typical late Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian/Artinskian, lake
horizon in the level of last perennial lakes in Central Europe
Stratigraphy: Lower Oberhof Formation, late Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian/Artinskian transition
Location: Lochbrunnen near Oberhof, Alte Ohrdrufer Street.
Coordinates: N 50° 42.439'; E 10° 42.998'.
Thickness: 400 m to 1.200 m depending on the thickness of intercalated volcanites.
Base: up to 50 m thick Dörmbach tuff horizon.
Top: erosive base of the Rotterode or Tambach Formations.
Biostratigraphy: conchostracans: Lioestheria pseudotenella-zone (MARTENS 1987); aquatic
tetrapods: L. Oberhof Fm. – Apateon flagrifer oberhofensis – Melanerpeton arnhardti-zone
(Werneburg & Schneider, 2012), U. Oberhof Fm. – Melanerpeton pusillum – Melanerpeton gracilezone (Werneburg & Schneider, 2012); insects: perhaps Sysciophlebia alligans- to Spiloblattina
odernheimensis-zone (Schneider & Werneburg, 2006, 2012).
Isotopic age: 287 ± 2 Ma (Ar/Ar), Goll & Lippolt (2001) – biostratigraphically a 290 Ma age is realistic.
Lithology/facies (Fig. 73):
Intense volcanism and volcano-tectonics during deposition of the formation caused fast lateral changes of
facies patterns. Generally, the up to 1.200 m thick formation exhibits a four time change of 100 m to 200
m pyroclastics and 100 m to 350 m of sandy to pelitic red beds (Lützner et al., 2012). Intercalated are
levels of fluvio-lacustrine grey sediments with lacustrine laminated black shales. In the area of the Oberhof
Volcanite Complex about 90% of the profile consists of volcanites only.
88
A
Fig. 73. Type profile and basin
configuration of the Oberhof Fm. A –
Type profile of the basin centre west of
the Oberhof Volcanite Complex (OVC);
indicated are lake levels in the sediment
sequences: 8 – Lochbrunnen lake horizon, between 8 and 9 – Nesselhof lake
horizon, 9 – Spittergrund lake horizon
(SpS), 10 – Wintersbrunnen lake horizon;
B – basin configuration with a N-S basin
axes, dashed line with crosses – western
border of the OVC. (Modified from Lützner
et al., 2012).
B
Sediments consist mainly of conglomeratic fan deposits, sandy to silty alluvial plain and silty to clayish
lake sediments. Wet red bed facies dominate; only in the lower sedimentary unit appear in places grayishviolett colours. In the uppermost unit a change from wet to dry playa like deposits is observable. Grey
facies is otherwise restricted to the four lake levels. Lake sediments are characterised by dense clay/silt
lamination (writes), rich in organic carbon and mostly calcareous. The lakes have been shallow and
oxygen depleted. Palecological they represent the type of amphibian lakes. Dominating are small
branchiosaurs as Melanerpeton gracile and Apateon flagrifer oberhofensis, top predators as
Sclerocephalus, Onchiodon, and Discosauriscus are rare (Werneburg, 1989 ff.; overview in
Werneburg & Schneider, 2006). The fish fauna is generally impoverished – only Xenacanthus appear in
all four lake levels; actinopterygians as Paramblypterus and one ?aeduellid appear in the last lake level,
the Wintersbrunnen lake, only. Mesophilous and xerophilous plants as Odontopteris, calipterids and the
by fare dominating conifers represent the flora of lake borders and the hinterland.
Red fluvial and shallow-lacustrine siltstones are in places very rich in arthropod and tetrapod traces,
especially in the upper three sediment units (Walter, 1982, 1983; Voigt, 2005).
Fossil content (Fig.75, B,C,D):
x mesophilous to xerophilous flora with diverse conifers, several callipterids and Odontopteris
lingulata; last occurrence of the lycopsid Sigillaria brardii in the Thuringian forest basin;
x aquatic invertebrates, as bivalves, ostracods, conchostracans, triopsids and the syncarid
shrimp Uronectes
x insects mainly phyloblattids and xeromorphic mylacrids
x arachnids and diplopods
x Paramblypterus,?aeduellid, Xenacanthus;
x diverse amphibians as Melanerpeton gracile thuringense, Apateon flagrifer oberhofensis,
?Onchiodon labyrinthicus, Sclerocephalus jogischneideri, Discosauriscus pulcherrimus and
?Cardiocephalus sp.;
x diverse arthropod and tetrapod tracks.
Palaeoclimate: Strong seasonality is proven by the laminated lake sediments as well as by repeated
mass occurrences of adult conchostracans and triopsids on distinct bedding planes, representing
ontogenetic cycles. The lakes of the Oberhof Formation belong to the Late Sakmarian/Early Artinskian
wet phase D of Roscher & Schneider (2006), which correlates biostratigraphically with the Niederhäslich
lake horizon of the Döhlen basin, the Reinsdorf lake horizon of the Chemnitz basin, the OlivČtín lake
horizon of the Intra Sudetic basin, Svitavka lake horizon of the Boskovice graben, the lakes of the
Disibodenberg Formation in the Saar-Nahe basin and the Buxiers and Millery lake horizons of basins in
the French Massif Central, etc.. This phase is again dryer than the foregoing one as indicated by
89
widespread red beds, dominating meso- to xerophilous elements in the flora and the mostly impoverished
fish fauna.
Outcrop situation:
The new outcrop was prepared during a 2-weeks excavation field course 2012 of students from Freiberg together with the team of the
Museum Schleusingen and well supported by local administrations. The investigation in the frame of an MSc thesis is still in progress.
Exposed is the transition from tetrapod tracks (Dromopus lacertoides, Amphisauropus) bearing red fluvial
overbank sediments (Fig. 74, A) into transitional fluvio-lacustrine grey facies in the lower part of the
outcrop (B), and lacustrine black shales with intercalated mudstones and sandy siltstones of the
Lochbrunnen lake horizon (C), and in the top into fluvial sandstones (D).
Fig. 74. Lochbrunnen lake horizon near Oberhof, Lower Oberhof Formation, late Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian/Artinskian transition; A – red fluvial overbank sediments, B – fluvio-lacustrine gray facies, C – lacustrine black shales, D – fluvial sandstones.
B
C
D
A
Fig. 75. Lochbrunnen lake
horizon near Oberhof, see
Fig. 74; A – profile C, transition from the litoral into the
pelagial facies and repeated
changes between both;
scale 1 m; B – fluvial red
beds with Amphisauropus
tracks from fluvial red beds,
profile A; C – plant debris
from the litoral section B,
mainly walchian conifers;
D – the syncarid shrimp
Uronectes from pelagial
sediments in C.
Stop 9: Friedrichroda; Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian, lake and alluvial fan
deposits
Stratigraphy: Goldlauter Formation, Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian, Early Permian.
Location: Friedrichroda, abandoned Gottlob quarry, Schmalkaldener street, B 88 road.
Coordinates: N 50° 51.017'; E 10° 33.621'.
Thickness: maximally 840 m (well Zella Mehlis).
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Base: basal conglomerate of the Goldlauter Fm., consisting mainly of volcanite pebbles, some show a
weathered, orange coloured outer surface crust.
Top: Dörmbach-tuff horizon at the base of the Oberhof Formation.
Biostratigraphy: Sysciopplebia balteate form H – Spiloblattina homigtalensis and Sysciopplebia
balteate form H – Spiloblattina sperbersbachensis insect zone (Fig. 46; Schneider & Werneburg, 2006,
2012); Apateon dracyiensis to Melanerpeton eisfeldi amphibian zone (Werneburg & Schneider 2006;
Schneider & Werneburg, 2012); xenacanth teeth Bohemiacanthus Ogo-zone (Schneider, 1985;
Schneider & Zajic 1994); conchostracans: Pseudestheria angulata – to Ps. glasbachensis-zone
(Martens, 1987).
Isotopic age: a very imprecise 288 ± 7 Ma (U/Pb) age for the pyroclastite No. 1 only (Lützner et al.,
2007).
Fig. 76. Profile of the abandoned
Gottlob quarry, Friedrichroda. From
0 to 1.0 m – fluvial fine clastics; 1.0
m to 2.6 m – transitional fluvial to
littoral deposits; 2.6 m to 3.0 m –
subaquatic deposited tuff No. 2; 3.0
m to 4.5 m – interbedding of littoral
deposits and pelagial laminites; 4.5
m to 6.1 m – mainly pelagic laminites; 6.1 m to 6.8 m – very coarse
conglomeratic distal debris flow
horizon. From there up to the top of
the quarry progradating conglomeratic fan deposits.
A – specimen with a trash line of
Medusina atava as well as
Ichniotherium cottae and Dromopus
lacertoides tetrapod tracks;
B – lecto- and syntypes of M. atava,
diameter up to 10 cm, scale bar 5
mm; from Schneider in Gand et al.
(1996).
C and D – ecomorphotypes of the
branchiosaur Apateon dracyiensis
from the Lower Goldlauter Fm.
(Werneburg, 2002); C – the quite
water pond type with long external
gills and a wide tail fin; D – the flowing water stream type with short
external gills and a narrow tail fin.
Lithology/facies (Fig. 76):
After the Manebach Formation new accumulation space was generated by tectonical relief rejuvenation which created a NW-SE extended basin with steeper facies gradients at the NE basin border
which was flanked by the pronounced Plaue-Ohrdruf swell (Lützner et al., 2012). Sedimentation starts
after an erosional hiatus with coarse conglomerates which contain besides fresh debris remnants of
older, now eroded screes from Manebach times (volcanite pebbles with orange coloured outer surface
crust). The often very coarse debris flow dominated up to 100 m thick alluvial fan deposits form a front
of fans especially along the swell at the NE basin border. Brownish to brownish-red colours are typical
for the alluvial plain to flood plain deposits as well. Purple to grey clastics appear together with
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lacustrine black shale deposits mainly in the basin centre only. Several pyroclastic horizons (tuff No 0,
1 and 2; Andreas & Haulbold, 1975; Andreas, 2014) preserved in lake deposits are useful marker
beds for the lithostratigraphy; unfortunately the isotopic ages show a strong overprint by a Mesozoic
thermal event (Lützner et al., 2007).
Fossil content (Fig. 76):
x aquatic invertebrates, as bivalves, ostracods, conchostracans, triopsids, the syncarid shrimp
Uronectes and the freshwater jellyfish Medusina atava;
x insects mainly phyloblattids, spiloblattinids, xeromorphic mylacrids, and grylloblattids; the
aquatic wingless monuran insect Dasyleptus
x arachnids and diplopods
x actinopterygians as Paramblypterus, Elonichthys, Westollia; common acanthodians,
freshwater sharks as Xenacanthus and Bohemiacanthus
x diverse amphibians as Apateon flagrifer flagrifer, A. dracyiensis, Schoenfelderpeton prescheri
x and Branchierpeton reinholdi in the Lower Goldlauter Formation and Melanerpetoneisfeldi, A.
flagrifer flagrifer, A. kontheri and the eryopide Onchiodon labyrinthicus in the Upper Goldlauter
Formation
x one araeoscelide reptile
x a diverse tetrapod track fauna is known from more than 60 localities with the ichno-genera
Batrachichnus, Limnopus, Amphisauropus, Ichniotherium, Dimetropus, Dromopus and
Tambachichnium (Haubold, 1985; Voigt, 2005).
x the flora is dominated by meso- to xerophilous elements, most common are more than 10
conifer taxa and seed ferns as Sphenopteris germanica, Autunia conferta, Arnhardtia scheibei,
A. mouretii, Odontopteris lingulata; the xerophytic Calamites gigas (with Metacalamostachys
dumasii); the ginkgophyte Sphenobaiera digitata; new and not rare are cycadophytes as
Pterophylllum cotteanum.
Palaeoclimate: Typical for the Goldlauter Formation and time-equivalent deposits of the middle Glan
Subgroup of the Saar-Nahe basin as well as the Härtensdorf and Planitz Formations of the Chemnitz
basin are lateral and vertical changes between the dominating wet red bed facies and basin central
grey deposits (Schneider et al., 2006; Roscher & Schneider, 2006; Schindler, 2007). Lakes are
relatively common but mainly of the shallow, instable amphibian-lake type. Only some of them are
longer living and basin-wide extended, as the so called Acanthodes-lake horizons in the Goldlauter
Formation. The well expressed lamination of carbon-rich black pelagic lake sediments indicate strong
seasonality. This is confirmed by the now widespread triopsids, which are well adapted to seasonal
dryness. Besides Medusina atava appear Medusina limnica, which became later (starting in the
Artinskian/Kungurian) the typical facies fossil for dry red beds of the playa facies. Fluctuating
groundwater levels are indicated by the Scoyenia facies and immature calcic soils of alluvial plain and
flood plain sediments. Increased aridisation compared to the foregoing Manebach Formation is
justified by the now callipterid- and/or conifer-dominated floral associations.
Facies associations: proximal debris flow-dominated alluvial fan facies, braided pattern-fluvial
channels, delta progradation into lacustrine environments, lacustrine sequences showing wide variety
of subenvironments (suspension load into silent water areas, rhythmic horizons, possibly depending
on seasonal climatic influence), rich faunal and floral remains indicating stable lacustrine environments
with response of mesophile to xerophile upland plant communities.
Outcrop situation: The exploitation of building stones from the end of the 19th century up to middle
of the 20th century has delivered thousands of fish and amphibian fossils, collected by private
collectors and distributed in museums all over Europe and North America. B. von Cotta, the professor
from Freiberg, has discovered here in 1848 the first tetrapod tracks from the Permian of the Thuringian
Mountains (Voigt, 2005).
The outcrop shows the Upper Acanthodes lake horizon of about 4 m thickness with the intercalated
tuff No. 2 (Andreas & Haubold, 1975). The lake sedimentation is abruptly finished by the shedding of
debris flow conglomerates from the adjacent Plaue-Ohrdruf swell into the lake basin.
Interestingly load casts have depths of centimetres only, obviously the flow was sliding on the lake
deposits as indicated by decimetre to metre-long horizontal slump folds in the laminites below.
Sandy-silty transitional fluvial to littoral deposits contain plant debris as well as trash lines of Medusina
atava and tetrapod tracks (Dromopus, Ichniotherium). Remains of mesophilous seed ferns (Arnhardtia
scheibei, Odontopteris lingulata) and of the dominating xerophilous conifers point on dry well drained
habitats in the surroundings and the hinterland of the lake.
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Fig. 77. Mass-death layer with calculated 1,500 skeletons of branchiosaurs; Lower Goldlauter Fm., Cabarz
quarry (Werneburg, 2008).
The aquatic fauna of the laminites of the pelagial changed depending on water depth and oxygenation
from deeper fish lake associations to shallow lake amphibian dominated associations. The predatory
Elonichthys is represented by about 90% beyond several thousands of fish finds, it follow Westollia, a
plankton and plant feeding fish, by only 10% (personal comm. T. Schindler, 1996), Acanthodes and
xenacanthids are rare. Of about 5.000 branchiosaur specimens from here about 90% are represented
by the small plankton feeding Apateon flagrifer flagrifer (adult 10 cm), the remaining part belong to the
in juvenile stages plankton feeding, adult predatory and cannibalic Apateon kontheri and
Melanerpeton eisfeldi (Werneburg 1986, 1988a). The adult up to 80 cm long eryopide Onchiodon
labyrinthicus as the top predator at the end of the food chains is correspondingly rare. Bedding planes
with mass-death layers of fishes or amphibians are most possibly caused by episodic events of
complete overturn of the whole water body bringing oxygen depleted and H2S-rich deeper water in the
upper water column of the normally thermally stratified lake (Fig. 77).
Palaeobiogeography: The typical amphibian association of the Upper Goldlauter Fm., Melanerpeton
eisfeldi, Apateon kontheri, and Apateon flagrifer has been discovered in the Alinus lake horizon of the
Rio su Luda Fm. in the Perdasdefogu basin of Sardinia, i.e. on the southern flank of the Variscan
orogene (Werneburg et al., 2007)! Independent parallel-evolution of 3 species of 2 different genera is
absolutely excluded. Both occurrences are only explicable by migrations across the deeply eroded
former orogene. The semiaquatic branchiosaurs could cross the Variscian watershed very easily as
”pond hoppers“ via wetlands in the head waters of rivers dewatering in different directions from the
drainage divide. See for a modern example the head waters of modern alpine rivers, which are only
few kilometres far from one another, e.g. Loire and Rhone as well as Rhine, Po and Danube.
Additionally, the species of the Alinus lake belong to the stream ecomorphotype (Fig. 76 D) adapted to
flowing waters and therefore equipped with a high migration potential (Werneburg, 2002).
Stop 10: Cabarz quarry, Lower Goldlauter Formation, Sakmarian alluvial plain
to temporary lacustrine deposits in red and grey facies
Stratigraphy: Lower Goldlauter Formation, Lower Rotliegend, Sakmarian, Early Permian.
Location: south of Cabarz, Inselsberg road, active quarry of the Steinbruch Mitteldeutsche Hartstein-,
Kies- und Mischwerke.
Coordinates: N 50° 52.079'; E 10° 29.373'.
For general informations see stop 9.
Outcrop situation: The active quarry present the rare opportunity for sedimentological and
palaeontological investigations of large scale exposed Early Permian floodplain and lake deposits with
93
transitions from red to grey facies and is in this regard singular in Europe. Research work in
cooperation of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg with the Museum of Natural History, Schleusingen, and
the National Geopark Thüringen, is in progress (MSc mapping and thesis) and well supported by the
quarry owner.
Exposed from the 1st to the 3rd quarry floor are alluvial plain to flood plain deposits (Fig. 78), mainly
greenish to grey sandstones and siltstones with transitions from fluvial to subaquatic-lacustrine facies.
Intercalated are several decimetre to metre thick pelitic pond and lake sediments. Typical are varved
dark green to black, silt and claystones, often carbonatic and rich in organic carbon. Based on the
fossil content, they could be classified as deposits of short termed branchiosaur-lakes and temporary
ponds. One of those horizons starts with decimetre thick finely varved black shales immediately above
a metre thick (?)reworked pyroclastit and merged continuously into increasingly wider spaced
laminites of silting up deposits. Most possibly this profile represent a restricted amphibian pond in the
extended shallow littoral of a larger (fish-type) lake. Interesting are metre thick slumping horizons,
eventually generated by earthquakes during the very active volcanism of this time.
Fig. 78. Lower Goldlauter Fm., Cabarz quarry, profile from floor 2a (1–3)
up to floor 4 above the intrusive andesite.
A: 1 – decimetre thick horizon of greenish-greyish to brownish claystone
laminites of the pelagial with mass occurrences of branchiosaurs and
conchostracans layers (B – polished cross section); 2 – transition from
laminites into in centimetre scale, higher up in decimetre scale fine
bedded greenish to beige siltstones of the litoral during the silting up
phase of the lake; 3 – fluvial sandstones of a main channel; 4 – wet red
beds of the flood plain facies with soil horizons. (Photos M. Hübner).
A
B
Fossil content:
Amphibians: the branchiosaur A. dracyiensis dominates with 90%; the remaining 10% are
represented by the very rare Schoenfelderpeton prescheri and Branchierpeton reinholdi. Interestingly,
Apateon dracyiensis appears here as the stream ecomorphotype (see stop 9 and Fig. 76 D). Mass
death layers of mainly juvenile branchiosaurs are common (Fig. 77).
Aquatic invertebrates: conchostracans, ostracods and the wingless insect Dasyleptus (Fig. 80) in the
grey facies; in the reddish-grey littoral deposits and in former puddles of the more fluvial red beds
between the lake horizons occur occasionally triopsides and more common their typical traces
(Isopodichnus and Rusophycus or Cruziana respectively) besides conchostracans. First Medusina
limnica were found here in the profile of the Thuringian forest basin.
Terrestrial fauna: in some layers insects could be very common, mainly blattids (cockroaches; Fig.
79) besides rarer grylloblattids and very rare orthopterans. With the insect finds from the
Sperbersbach excavation in the same stratigraphic level, both together represents now with more than
94
2,000 specimens the richest Early Permian entomofauna in Eurameria, comparable to the famous but
somewhat younger Obora entomofauna (Early Kungurian) in the Czech Boskovice graben.
Plants: Most common in number and species richness are conifers (walchians and broad leaved
cordaits) as well as seed ferns (Autunia conferta, Arnhardtia scheibei, Dichophyllum flabellifera,
Odontopteris lingulata, Sphenopteris germanica, etc.). For details see Barthel (2003–2008).
Fig. 79. Sysciophlebia balteata; Lower Goldlauter
Fm., Cabarz quarry (photo St. Brauner).
Fig. 80. Wingless aquatic insect Dasyleptus, Lower
Goldlauter Fm., Cabarz quarry (photo St. Brauner).
Transitional to the 3rd quarry floor higher up in the profile appear on the 4th and 5th quarry floor wet red
beds of flood plain to alluvial plain facies with sandy channel deposits (major and minor channels) as
well as overbank fine clastics. Typical are Scoyenia and Planolites montanus ichnofacies, vertisols
and very immature clacisols with violet-greenish-whitish colour mottling, flood marks, desiccation
cracks and heavy rain marks. Distinct bedding planes exhibit large walchian twigs in the so called
“muddy preservation”, obviously washed together during heavy rain storms and saddled down in
ponds on the flood plain during waning flood. Tetrapod tracks are common (Limnopus,
Amphisauropus, Ichniotherium, Dimetropus, Dromopus); only one times a (head less) 30 cm long
skeleton of an araeoscelide reptile was found. Channel fills with calcic nodules from reworked soils
contain in places isolated tetrapod bones.
If time permits and depending on the current situation in the quarry we will have a short visit in the
eastern part of the quarry, where the basal Rotliegend transitional Gzhelian/Asselian Ilmenau
Formation is exposed. There, lacustrine sediments contain interesting debris flows, and fluvial channel
deposits bear stromatolits, primary growing around huge tree trunks.
Stop 11a: Tambach Formation, Early Permian Wadi fill
Stratigraphy: Tambach Fm., Upper Rotliegend I, Early Permian Artinskian/Kungurian transition.
Location: Valley of the river Schmalwasser, south of Tambach-Dietharz, Oberhofer road.
Coordinates: N 50° 47.091'; E 10° 38.134'.
Stratigraphy: Lower (Bielstein-) Conglomerat Member, lateral and vertical transition into medial
alluvial fan facies of the Tambach sandstone Member.
For details of the Tambach Formation see stop 11b.
Outcrop situation: The stop exhibits the fill of a wadi incised during Rotterode Formation times into
volcanites of the NW slope of the Oberhof Volcanite Complex (Lützner, 1987, 1988). The steep, nearly
vertical flanks of the wadi are partially exhumed by modern erosion. Exposed are proximal very coarse
grained conglomerates with oversized blocks (up to 1 m diameter) inside the wadi and at the wadi
mouth (Fig. 81 A). Along the road from the wadi mouth into the town Tambach the transition from
proximal debris flow dominated alluvial fan deposits into increasingly better organised and sorted
hyperconcentrated flash flood deposits of a braid plain could be traced (Fig. 81 B). Sediments of the
flood basin are only 2.5 km far from the wadi mouth exposed in the Bromacker quarries at stop 11b.
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A
B
Fig. 81. Fan deposits of the Artinskian/Kungurian Tambach Fm., Schmalwassergrund at Tambach; A – stacked debris flow
deposits at a wadi mouth with oversized blocks, about 2.5 km south of the floodbasin at the Bromacker;
B – increasingly better organized stacked debris flows and hyperconcentrated flows of the alluvial plain with decreasing grain
sizes distal of the wadi mouth.
Stop 11b: Bromacker, Tambach-Dietharz, singular Early Permian tetrapod
locality (Fig. 82)
Stratigraphy: Tambach Fm., Upper Rotliegend I, Early Permian Artinskian/Kungurian transition.
Location: building stone quarry south of Tambach-Dietharz at the Bromacker.
Coordinates: N 50° 48.602'; E 10° 37.292'.
Thickness: maximaly 280 m.
Base: Lower Tambach conglomerate, erosiv above the Rotterode Fm. and older sediments as well as
on the Oberhof Volcanite Complex and older.
Top: (?) basal conglomerate of the Eisenach Fm. (Wachstein conglomerate)
Biostratigraphy: insect remains: Moravamylacris kukalovae-intervall, about Late Wolfcampian to
Early Leonardian (Schneider et al., 1988); conchostracans: Lioestheria monticula-zone (Martens,
1987); vertebrates: Saymouria sanjuanensis-level, Late Wolfcampian (Berman & Martens, 1993);
seymouran land-vertebrate faunachron (LVF) which ”straddles the Wolfcampian-Leonardian boundary“
after Lucas (2006).
Isotopic ages: because of seemingly missing pyroclastics in the Tambach Fm. no isotopic age is
available.
Lithology/facies: The pure red beds of the Tambach Formation have been deposited in an S-N
stretching depression on and at the flanks of the Oberhof Volcanite Complex; drainage was possibly to
the North into the Saale basin (Lützner et al., 2012). Simplified, the formation starts with up to 125 m
alluvial fan conglomerates (Bielstein conglomerate Member), which grade lateral and vertically into the
up to 100 m thick Tambach sandstone Member. Tectonical activity caused the progradating of a new
alluvial fan and braid plain system, the up to 50 m thick upper conglomerate (Finsterbergen
conglomerate Member). The basal conglomerates were deposited as debris flows and
hyperconcentrated flash flood-flows. The upper conglomerate represents shallow alluvial fans with
transitions into a braid plain environment. Regardless the longer transport distances from a crystalline
and granitic source (Ruhla Crystalline Complex) the roundness of the pebbles is much lower than in
the basal conglomerates. The fossiliferous Tambach sandstone originates in an alluvial braid plain
environment. Typical are flat channels and sheetflood bodies with intercalated short-termed pontic
claystones and siltstones as well as lateral and vertical transitions into floodplain siltstones. Horizons
rich in mud clasts and containing articulated tetrapod skeletons result from repeated catastrophic flood
events.
96
B
A
C
Fig. 82. Tambach Fm., Artinskian/Kungurian; A – generalised profile of the Bromacker quarry and excavation site at TambachDietharz (after Martens, 1988, 2001); 0 m to 4.7 m – upper part of Tambach sandstone, 4.7 m to 8.6 m – Bromacker siltstones,
8.6 m to 9.0 m – first coarse clastics of the Upper Tambach conglomerate; B – about 2 m high slab of the Tambach sandstone
with Ichniotherium tracks and scratch marks crossed by desiccation cracks (disposed in front of the Geological Institute,
Freiberg); B – the enigmatic invertebrate trace Tambia spiralis, diameter 2 cm.
Outcrop situation and interpretation: Exposed in the quarry areal are the Tambach sandstone Mb.
with the Bromacker siltstones in the top. The mostly well sorted fine to middle grained sandstones
form stacked decimetre to metre thick internally indistinct horizontal plane to rarer distinct small to
large scale trough bedded horizons. The single sandstone bodies fill elongated decameter long
shallow channels. Decimeter deep and meter wide gutter casts are common. Single beds are mostly
separated by centimeter thick desiccation crack horizons of mud drapes. Those features indicate that
these single sandstone beds correspond to single flood events. The mud drapes are settled down
after floods. They contain a variety of tetrapod tracks, invertebrate traces and in places the freshwater
jellyfish Medusina limnica. The tracks and traces were later dissected by desiccation cracks.
Concentric and parallel water level marks in about 0.5 cm to 1 cm distance from one another are
interpreted as the result of strongly changing day/night (noctidiurnal) temperatures and therefore
evaporation rates as known from modern semiarid to arid climates. Counting of those marks result in
time durations of 30 to 100 days of water fill of those puddles and ponds.
The about 4 m thick Bromacker siltstones are dominated by two facies: about 1.5 m 2 m basal,
decimeter-scaled massive siltstones to very fine-grained sandstones, which are sharply overlain by
beds of finely laminated siltstone and claystone. Essentially all of the hundreds of vertebrate skeletal
specimens collected from the Bromacker, ranging from isolated elements to partial and complete,
articulated skeletons were recovered from two closely associated sheetflood deposits within a
stratigraphic interval of 1.2 m within the massive clay pebble containing siltstones. The overlying facies
of very finely interlaminated siltstone and claystone beds, up to 15 cm thick, have yielded impressions
of conchostracans, insect wings, and myriapod fragments (Martens et al., 1981). Altogether these fine
clastics were interpreted as an upper-flow-regime sheetflood deposit and waning flood deposits in an
97
ephemeral-lacustrine to flood basin setting. The sheetfloods originated in the wadis at the margins of
the Tambach Basin and, when sufficiently intense, spread across the low sloping land surface of the
basin center. Bedding planes with densely packed adult conchostracans, buried in living position,
represent in analogy to modern examples dried up puddles and ponds on the flood plain. The duration
of the ontogenetic development of conchostracans from their dry-resistant eggs to adult stages, which
takes places in minimally 4 weeks, coincide well with the standing duration of the water bodies in the
sandstone facies.
(For detailed environment interpretations see Schneider in Martens et al. (1981); Schneider &
Gebhardt (1993); Voigt (2002, 2005) as well as with somewhat contrasting and not completely
accepted interpretations Eberth et al., 2000).
Fossil content: The Bromacker locality became famous for the well preserved and very common
tetrapod tracks discovered here since more than 100 years (Pabst, 1895; for details see Voigt, 2005).
In 1974 the first tetrapod bone was discovered by Thomas Martens, since then more than 25 complete
skeletons have been excavated by a German – North American team (Martens, Berman, Sumida,
Henrici) and documented in numerous publications (see Voigt et al., 2007, 2010). With respect to its
unique finds of tetrapod tracks and skeletons, the Bromacker locality has consequently emerged to
one of the most important sites of Late Palaeozoic vertebrates in Europe. It is also the place with the
first well-documented species-level identification of tetrapod tracks and track makers among
Palaeozoic vertebrates: Ichniotherium cottae as the tracks of Diadectes absitus, and Ichniotherium
sphaerodactylum as the tracks of Orobates pabsti (cf. Voigt et al., 2007).
x
x
x
x
x
x
x
flora dominated by walchians and Calamites gigas; callipterids are very rare;
aquatic invertebrates: Medusina limnica, conchostracans form in places mass occurrences;
terrestrial invertebrates: relatively common for red beds wings of blattids (Moravamylacris
kukalovae, Phylloblatta sp.) and one 8 cm long (?)orthopteran wing fragment, not rare
diplopods, rarely arachnids;
very common invertebrate traces, such as Tambia spiralis (Fig. 82 C), Striatichnium
bromackeri, Scoyenia gracilis;
skeletons of amphibians: Tambachia trogalla, Seymouria sanjuanensis (Fig. 83), Orobates
pabsti, Diadectes absitus and a dissorophoid amphibian;
skeletons of reptiles: Thuringothyris mahlendorffae, Dimetrodon teutonis, Eudibamus cursoris
and caseids;
tetrapod tracks: Ichniotherium cottae, I. sphaerodactylum, Dimetropus leisnerianus,
Varanopus microdactylus, and Tambachichnium schmidti.
Fig. 83. Seymouria sanjuanensis from the Bromacker excavation in the typical preservation of articulated skeletons ”standing“ in
the sediment; Museum der Natur, Gotha, No. MNG-10553+10554; described by Bermann et al. (2000). (Photo T. Martens).
98
Palaeoclimatology:
Postulated is a strong seasonal semiarid climate (conifers and the xeromorphic Calamites gigas).
Rainy seasons with high rates of rainfall, eventually up to 1000 mm/a, could be assumed compared to
modern examples in the arid savannas of Middle America (see Martens et al., 1981; Roscher &
Schneider, 2006). But evaporation and run off exceeds precipitation as indicated by the missing of
evaporates and the 30 to 100 days standing water bodies in ponds and pools. Common heavy rainfall
is supported by the facies pattern of the Tambach sandstone (see above) and the mudflows in the
Bromacker siltstone. Rooted soils, vertisols, and immature calcisols as well as weekly developed
groundwater calcretes, and especially the very common invertebrate burrows point on a fluctuating
groundwater level. After the first appearance of playa-like red beds in the upper Oberhof Fm. and in
the Rotterode Fm., the Tambach Fm. was seemingly deposited in a somewhat wetter climate as
before. Eisenach Fm. (see stop 12). Supported by biostratigraphic data this level could be correlated
with the Rabejac Fm. of the Lodève basin, the Sobernheim lake deposits of the Nahe Subgroup in the
Saar-Nahe basin, and the Bacov-Obora lake deposits in the Boskovice graben amongst others (Fig. 4
and Fig. 5). The following Eisenach Fm. (with the exception of Claystone 1) displays with evaporitic
playa deposits a dryer climate as before. Therefore the level of the Tambach Fm. and their correlatives
are regarded as the Late Artinskian/earliest Kungurian wetphase E by Roscher & Schneider (2006).
Stop 12: Eisenach Formation, Wartburg castle, late Early to early Late Permian
dry red beds of alluvial fan to evaporitic playa deposits
The Wartburg is a castle originally built in the Middle Ages, situated on a 410 metres (1,350 ft) precipice to the southwest the
town of Eisenach. Wartburg Castle, the best preserved castle of Romanesque style in Germany, was added in 1999 by the
UNESCO to the World Heritage List. The castle's foundation was laid about 1067 by the Thuringian count of Schauenburg,
Louis the Springer (Ludwig der Springer), later his son Louis I was elevated to the rank of a Landgrave in Thuringia. It was the
home of St. Elisabeth of Hungary. Martin Luther (secretly under the name of Junker Jörg) translated here the New Testament of
the Bible into German.
Stratigraphy: Eisenach Fm., Upper Rotliegend I, Early Permian Kungurian to ?Roadian/Wordian
transition.
Location: castle Wartburg near Eisenach.
Coordinates: N 50° 57.983'; E 10° 18.381'.
Thickness: 400 m to 600 m.
Base: Wachstein conglomerate.
Top: basal conglomerate of the Upper Rotliegend II Neuenhof Fm. (“Grenzkonglomerat”).
Biostratigraphy: conchostracans: Pseudestheria wilhelmsthalensis - zone (Martens, 1987).
Magnetostratigraphy: mixed-polarized interval near the base (Menning, 1987).
Isotopic ages: because of seemingly missing pyroclastics in the Eisenach Fm., no isotopic age is
available.
Lithology/facies: Palaeogeographically, the Eisenach Formation represents the marginal facies in the
northeastern part of the SW-NE trending Saar-Werra-Basin. The clastic input is derived from Variscan
deformed basement elevations, mainly from the Ruhla Crystalline Complex, in the back of the alluvial
fan belt. The main transport vectors are S and SW directed (Lützner, 1981; Lützner et al., 2012). On a
large scale the Eisenach Fm. shows a simple lithologic structure. Complexes of coarse-grained
conglomeratic deposits alternate with sections dominated by silt- and mudstones. The 80 to 180 m
thick conglomerate members of the Eisenach Fm. are interpreted as sheetflood dominated alluvial fan
deposits (Lützner, 1981; Lützner et al., 2012). The 20 to 90 m thick sandy siltstone members (so
called Tonsteine) include deposits of a more diversified setting. In the main it concerns finely clastics
of extended mudflats in front of the fan belt. Relating sediments are inferred from slacking sheetfloods,
low-energy streamflows and pond-like shallow standing water bodies. Vertisols, haloturbation and
patchy sand fabric are common features of the mudflat deposits. Haloturbated structureless fine sandy
silts bear in surface outcrops hollows after gypsum crystals. Centimeter to decimeter, in places meter
thick pure claystones appear often in top of fanglomeratic debris flows and hyperconcentrated flows,
representing short termed standing water bodies after flood events. Aeolian transport is indicated by
well to ideally rounded coarse sand grains (2–3 mm diameter) in the matrix of the fanglomerates.
The interfingering and the partially sharp boundaries between conglomerate and siltstone members as
well as the occurrence of several meter long dewatering dykes indicate synsedimentary activity of the
basin fringe (Lützner, 1994).
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Fossil content: Hitherto, fossils are only known from the lowermost shale member, the Tonstein 1.
Conchostraca, arthropod trails, tetrapod tracks, and imprints of Medusina limnica has been described
so far (Martens, 1983; Walter, 1983; Werneburg, 1996a). Voigt & Rößler (2004) report the first plant
remains, taeniopterid-type leaf fragments. Higher shale members (Tonstein 2 to 5) contain in the best
case Medusina limnica, often together with mm-large halite crystal marks.
Palaeoclimate: In summary, the Eisenach Formation represents in facies architecture and
sedimentological features the type of dry red beds in an evaporitic playa environment (Schneider &
Gebhardt, 1993). The lowermost siltstone member, the so called Tonstein 1, may still belong to the
vanishing wet phase E of the Tambach Formation and their correlatives (Fig. 4). Higher up the
Kungurian dry phase is well expressed as it is reported from the Octon Member of the Salagou
Formation in the Lodève basin too (Schneider et al., 2006).
Outcrop situation: At the parking place and along the road cuts at the food of the Wartburg castle a
typical siltstone member (Tonstein 2) with the overlying Wartburg conglomerate Member is well
exposed.
The facies association consist of proximal fan deposits dominated by fanglomerates and
hyperconcentrated debris flows of angular granitic clast content (supply from the Ruhla Crystalline
Complex). Intercalated are haloturbated mudstones. Claystones and siltstones in top of the
fanglomeratic beds show mud cracks and contain in places hydromeduses.
A
C
B
Fig. 84. Eisenach Fm., Upper Rotliegend I, A – generalized profile of the formation; WSK – basal Wachstein
conglomerate, T1 to T5 – siltstone members (Tonstein 1–5), WtK and WbK – Wartburg conglomerate, AK – Aschburg
conglomerate, HK – Haupt conglomerate; IR – assumed position of the Illawarra reversal; OR II – Neuenhof Fm.; Z –
Zechstein; a – Position of the profile in B; B – profile of upper siltstone member 2 below the base of the Wartburg
conglomerate; C – part of the profile shown in B, outcrop at Wartburg parking ground; interbedding of fanglomeratic
horizons with claystone layers at the top followed by structureless sandy to pebbly mudstones with patchy sand fabric
resulting from vertisol formation and haloturbation. The pure claystones in top of fanglomeratic beds contain Metusina
atava (symbol circle with cross) and desiccation cracks. (After Schneider & Gebhardt, 1993).
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6. The Carboniferous – Permian Saale Basin
6.1 Introduction
The Saale basin to the SE of the Harz Mountains is the type area for the old miner terms "Rotliegend"
(the "rote todte Liegende" = the red dead (barren) rocks below the copper shale) and "Zechstein"
(hard limestone in the hanging of the copper shale), as well as the Saalian phase (Stille, 1920). As a
lithostratigraphical term, "Rotliegend" has been defined by von Veltheim (1821-1826) and Laspeyres
(1875). Referring to this region, the French Lapparent (1883) defined the "Saxonian" and Renevier
(1874) the "Thuringian". These terms are still in use as regional “stages” in some parts of western and
eastern Europe, but because of poor definition not furthermore in Germany. Coal prospection during
the 19th and 20th century and hydrocarbon as well as uranium prospection in the second half of the
20th century form the base of the present knowledge of this region. A geotechnical and scientific
highlight was the 1748 m deep, in large parts cored coal-exploration well Schladebach near Leipzig,
described in detail by Beyschlag & von Fritsch (1899). Drilled from 1880 to 1886, it was for a long time
the deepest drill hole worldwide. After nearly 600 years of hard coal mining in the region of Halle, the
last mine closed in 1967.
Only Lower Rotliegend volcanites and Upper Rotliegend sediments are partially well exposed in
surface outcrops. Late Carboniferous outcrops are restricted to the Kyffhäuser Mountain and the deep
incised valley of the Saale River to the north of the town of Halle. Therefore most knowledge is based
on drilling cores (e.g., Gaitzsch et al., 1998; Schneider et al., 2005c; Gebhardt & Hiete, 2013).
Fig. 85. Reconstruction of primary extension and thicknesses of the Late Carboniferous Stephanian Saale basin based on
wells drilled for coal and hydrocarbon exploration (from Schneider et al., 2005).
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Basin development and basin fill (Figs. 85, 86): The Late Carboniferous Stephanian (Kasimovian)
to Middle Permian Upper Rotliegend-I (Kungurian) Saale basin is a continental basin of 150 km length
and 90 km width (Schneider et al., 2005b). It is situated above the inverted SW-NE striking MidGerman Crystalline Zone (MGCZ) at the outer border of the Variscian fold belt (Fig. 1). Therefore, it
represents a “perimontane” rather than an “intramontane” basin. The underlying Visean grey
sediments of the up 1,400 m thick continental Klitschmar Formation and the more than 400 m thick
Namurian paralic Sandersdorf Formation are only known from drillings in an area to the north of
Leipzig (Gaitzsch et al., 2008). Above an angular unconformity, this formation is overlain by grey
sediments of the Westphalian Roitzsch Formation, which is only known from a few wells in the area
between Leipzig and Wittenberg. The coal-bearing, mainly coarse-clastic rocks of this formation were
deposited in a drainage system reaching from the NE border of the Central Bohemian basin (Gaitzsch
et al., 1998, Opluštil & Pešek, 1998; Pešek, 2004) to the Variscan fore deep. The development of the
Saale basin started with the Stephanian deposits of the Mansfeld Subgroup that rests disconformable
on the Viséan to Westphalian sediments and Variscian metamorphic rocks and granites. The basin is
contoured by SW-NE striking border faults and is internally structured by NW-SE striking faults (e.g.,
Finne-Gera-Jachymov fault, Halle fault, Elbe Zone). This fault pattern controls syn-sedimentary block
subsidence and corresponding changes in thicknesses and facies architectures. During the early
Lower Rotliegend, this tectonism in conjunction with the formation of the Halle Volcanic Complex
reduced the size of the sedimentary basin after the deposition of the Mansfeld Subgroup.
Fig. 86. Stratigraphy and lithology of
Carboniferous and Permian deposits of the
Saale Basin (Schneider & Romer, 2010).
For correlation with the global time scale
see Fig. 4.
The up to 1.000 m thick Stephanian (Gzhelian/Asselian) wet red beds of the Mansfeld Subgroup are
subdivided in three fining-up megacycles, which correspond to formations (Schneider et al., 2005).
Near the top of each megacycle occur commonly spatially restricted lacustrine and palustrine grey
sediments, which are classified as subformations.
The 60 m to 200 m thick Gorenzen Formation starts with grey-violet to red conglomerates that grade
into grey and red coloured sandstones. Grey sediments with carbonaceous sandstones and thin
impure coal seams of the Grillenberg Subformation occur in distal fan deposits and in local
depocentres. The overlying about 400 m thick megacycle of the Rothenburg Formation includes
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dominantly wet red beds of the Scoyenia facies that rest expansively and partially erosive with basal
coarse conglomerates on the Gorenzen Formation, the Westphalian Roitzsch Formation, and the
Variscan basement. The basal coarse clastics grade vertically into about 30 m thick mesocycles of
fluvial and sheet flood conglomerates, alluvial plain sandstones, and siltstones. Calcisols of different
maturity are common. Towards the top of the formation, such soils, horizons with calcareous
rhizoconcretions, and meter-thick calcretes are increasingly abundant. Near the top appear decimeter
thick lacustrine micritic limestones precipitated in ephemeral shallow lakes and ponds with characean
algae, gastropods, and aistopod amphibian bones as well as rare palaeoniscid and xenacanthid fish
teeth (Gebhardt & Schneider, 1985; Gebhardt, 1988). The fluvial, lacustrine and palustrine grey
sediments of the Querfurt Subformation are restricted to the depocentres.
The base of the 500 m to 800 m thick wet red beds of the Siebigerode Formation (stop 13) is marked
by to the NE forestepping deposition of coarse pebbly quartz sandstones, rich in kaolinized feldspar,
that originates from the metamorphosed granites of the Mid-German Crystalline Zone (MGCZ) at the
SW border of the basin. Facies architectures comprise alluvial fan to alluvial plain and flood plain/flood
basin associations consisting of stacked minor cycles of about 15 m thickness. Stacked coarse fluvial
channel and fluvial bar conglomerates as well as sheet flood fanglomerates characterize medial to
distal fan environments. The alluvial plain is dominated by trough cross bedded sandstones with
intercalated conglomerate channels. Silicified tree logs are found from the western border of the basin
(Kyffhäuser Mts.) to the basin centre near Halle. Alluvial plain and floodplain siltstones are developed
in Scoyenia facies and characterized by immature vertisols and calcisols. Changes in the sediment
colour from violet and greyish-green to grey mark the transition to the coal-bearing grey facies of the
up to 300 m thick Wettin Subformation in the depocenters of the upper Siebigerode Formation.
Distinctive marker horizons close to the base of the Wettin Subformation are the “Liegende Kalkstein”,
a bioclastic bivalve shell bearing oncoidal limestone, as well as the “Untere Muschelschiefer”, a
bivalve-rich claystone that could be traced laterally from the grey into the red facies. These lacustrine
deposits are followed by grey fluvial sandstones and siltstones of a floodplain/floodbasin facies with
back swamps. Coal seams cover only restricted areas of 2 km by 8 km. Lacustrine bioclastic
limestones with fish-remains and bivalve-rich claystones of the “Hangende Kalkstein” and the
“Hangende Muschelschiefer” form the top of the Wettin Subformation.
Based on macroflora and microflora, the Grillenberg Subformation is dated as Stephanian A and the
Wettin Subformation as Stephanian C (Schneider et al., 2005). The Wettin Subformation belongs to
the Apateon intermedius – Branchierpeton saalensis-zone (Werneburg & Schneider, 2006) and the
Sysciophlebia euglyptica – Syscioblatta dohrni-assemblage zone (Schneider & Werneburg, 2006). The
lake deposits of the Wettin Subformation bear a diverse fish fauna with fresh water sharks, which are
wide spread and typical for the Stephanian of all larger European basins (Schneider et al., 2000).
The base of the Rotliegend Halle Formation is defined by the “Kieselschiefer-Quarzit-Konglomerat”
(Chert-Quartzite Conglomerate), which interfinger locally with lacustrine black shales of the “Hangende
Muschelschiefer”. The about 600 m thick formation is composed of grey and red sandstones to
claystones with intercalated horizons of conglomerate and pyroclastic rocks. The formation is
dominated by extensive acidic volcanic rocks of the Halle Volcanic Complex with laccoliths (> 1,000 m
thickness), lava domes, and rare lava flows (Breitkreuz & Kennedy, 1999; Romer et al., 2001).
The following dry red beds Hornburg Formation (stop 14) includes two fining up megacycles, each
200 m thick (Falk et al., 1979; Gebhardt & Lützner, 2012). The first megacycle starts with a 30 m thick
quartzite dominated conglomerate followed by 30 m red silt, in places pebbly sandstones. The second
megacycle starts again with quartzite-dominated conglomerates that are overlain by bimodal
sandstones of fine to medium grained sand and well-rounded coarse sand grains (“Rundkörniger
Sandstein”) followed by well sorted fine to medium grained sandstones (“Feinkörniger Sandstein”).
These exceptionally well rounded and sorted grains are unquestionably the result of aeolian saltation
transport. Vertically these sandstones grade into playa siltstones and claystones with locally up to two
meter deep desiccation cracks. The playa deposits are characterised by the freshwater jellyfish
Medusina limnica and diverse arthropod and rare tetrapod tracks (Walter, 1982; Schneider &
Gebhardt, 1993). Facies pattern, sequence and climate stratigraphy indicate a lower Upper Rotliegend
II age, magnetostratigraphy support a post-Illawara deposition (Gebhardt & Lützner, 2012).
After a hiatus follow the up to 100 m thick Upper Rotliegend II Eisleben Formation (stop 15), which is
regarded as equivalent to the Hannover Formation of the Southern Permian Basin (cf. Legler, 2006).
The braided river, sheet flood and wet to dry sand flat deposits belong to one of the large N-S striking
extended wadi systems that delivered the material for the up to 2,400 m thick fill of the Southern
Permian Basin. In this regard, the sediments of the Eisleben Formation belong to border facies of the
Southern Permian Basin rather than to the Saale basin.
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The marine Zechstein deposits seal the continental facies of the Rotliegend. During the transgression,
reworked Rotliegend sediments form the first marine deposits below the metalliferous black pelites of
the Kupferschiefer (copper shale). The Zechstein conglomerate and its sandy equivalents
(Weissliegendes) consist predominantly of reworked Rotliegend clastics.
Fig. 87. Kyffhäuser monument,
Emperor Frederick Barbarossa;
below pebbly sandstones and
conglomerates with petrified tree
trunks.
Stop 13: Kyffhäuser Mountain, Late Carboniferous Stephanian wet red beds
– ruins of a mediaval castle and Kyffhäuser monument – emporer Barbarossa and king Wilhelm
1st (Fig. 87)
Stratigraphy: Siebigerode Formation, Mansfeld Subgroup, Stephanian C, Gzhelian.
Location: Kyffhäuser monument near Kelbra.
Coordinates: N 51° 25.002´; E 11° 6.538´.
History: The name Kyffhäuser probably stems from the word "cuffese" meaning head, dome or peak. The settlement of
Tilleda at the northern rim was already mentioned at the beginning of the 9th century in the Breviarium Lulli as Dullide, an estate
of Hersfeld Abbey. A Kaiserpfalz at Tilleda is attested by the 972 marriage certificate of Emperor Otto II and Empress
Theophanu (from Byzanz, nova days Istanbul). A first castle on the hill above the settlement may have been erected by
Emperor Henry IV during his conflict with the Saxons. His son Henry V inherited the quarrels and the castle was finally slighted
by the Saxon Duke (and later Emperor) Lothair of Supplinburg in 1119. Lothair himself started the reconstruction in his later
years and the Reichsburg Kyffhausen was completed under Emperor Frederick Barbarossa.
The Kyffhäuser has significance in German traditional mythology as the resting place of Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, who
drowned on June 10, 1190 in the Göksu River near Silifke (Turkey) during the Third Crusade. According to legend, Barbarossa
is not in fact dead, but sleeps in a hidden chamber underneath the Kyffhäuser hills, sitting at a stone table. His beard has
supposedly grown so long over the centuries that it grew through the table (Fig. 33). As in the similar legend of King Arthur,
Barbarossa supposedly awaits his country's hour of greatest need, when he will emerge once again from under the hill. The
presence of ravens circling the Kyffhäuser summit is said to be a sign of Barbarossa's continuing presence.
Siebigerode Formation, upper megacycle of Mansfeld Subgroup
Thickness: 500 m, in depocentres up to 300 m of them in grey facies of the Wettin Subformation;
Base: basin wide deposition of coarse, pebbly arkosic sandstones, rich in kaolinized feldspar, in
places erosive on top of the Rothenburg Formation;
Top: base of the Kieselschiefer-Quarzit (chert-quarzite) conglomerate at the base of the Lower
Rotliegend Halle Formation;
Lithology/facies: wet red beds of an alluvial fan/alluvial plain and floodplain/floodbasin system with
decimetre thick lacustrine limestones of temporary ponds and shallow lakes as well as calcisols; local
grey facies of depocentres as anastomosing river/floodplain association with lacustrine limestones and
black shales of perennial lakes as well as palustrine associations with coal seams of back swamp
environments; coal seams are restricted to an about 300 km2 large district of the basin centre where
they occurs in several isolated areas, each of about 2 to 8 km2 only. Red and grey facies merge
laterally into one another on 0.5 km to 1 km distance only.
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Fossil content of the red beds: very common endogenous ichnia of Scoyenia- and Planolites
montanus-type; mesophile to xeriphile floral elements as walchians and silicified Dadoxylon trunks;
rare arthropod and tetrapod ichnia (Batrachichnus, Limnopus) as well as insect remains; isolated fish
and tetrapod microremains in micritic lacustrine limestone horizons together with charophyte
gyrogonites, ostracods and gastropods.
Fossil content of the grey facies (for details see Schneider et al., 2005b): Bivalves, gastropods,
“Spirorbis”, conchostracans, ostracods, merostomata (Pringlia), arachnids, Arthropleura, common
insects (mainly blattoids - see Schneider 1978 ff.); diverse fish fauna with actinopterygians, dipnoans,
acanthodians, xenacanthid, hybodontid and ctenacanthid fresh water sharks (e.g., Schneider, 1996)
as well as rare branchiosaurid amphibians. The typical late Pennsylvanian (Stephanian) flora of the
Wettin Formation is dominated by hygrophilous elements of peat-forming forested swamps (such as
calamitaleans, sphenophylls, psaroniaceous tree ferns, diverse seed ferns, cordaitaleans and strongly
decreasing lepidophytes. Further noteworthy are the appearance of walchian conifers and several
mesophilous elements of extrabasinal areas (Kampe & Remy, 1962).
Biostratigraphy: based on macro- and microflora (sporomorph zone NBM) Stephanian C (Kampe &
Remy, 1962; Kampe & Döring, 1993); based on insects and amphibians Sysciophlebia euglyptica–
Syscioblatta dohrni-insect zone or Branchiosaurus saalensis–Apateon intermedius-zone respectively,
Stephanian C or middle Gzhelian (Schneider & Werneburg, 2006, 2012); based on xenacanthid shark
teeth Bohemiacanthus type Ug-Zone (Schneider, 1984, 1996).
Isotopic age: From U/Pb-SHRIMP ages of volcanite intrusions into the Wettin Subformation and the Halle
Formation of 297 ± 3 to 301 ± 3 Ma (Breitkreuz & Kennedy, 1999) a 300 Ma age is calculated for the top
of the Stephanian C. This is in good agreement with the positioning of this level in the late Gzhelian based
on co-occurrences of insect zone species with conodonts in mixed continental/marine profiles (Schneider
et al., 2013; Lucas et al., 2013).
Palaeoclimate: Wet red beds of the Scoyenia–Planolites montanus-ichnofacfacies, vertisols and
calcisols with calcretes, and the predominance of the meso- to xerophilous conifers in the red beds
point on seasonal semihumid regional climate with dry phases. Back swamps with hygrophilous floras
and lakes in the basin central lowlands result from more humid mesoclimatic conditions generated by
feedbacks between precipitation, evapo(transpi)ration, groundwater level, and vegetation cover.
Transitions between red and gray facies are observed on 0.5 to 1 km lateral distance only. The
Siebigerode Formation marks the start of the Late Gzhelian/Early Asselian wet phase C (Fig. 4) of
Roscher & Schneider (2006). Time series analyses of the Mansfeld Subgroup suggest that climatically
forced cycles occurred in the order of 400 ka and 100 ka (short and long eccentricity) (Gebhardt &
Hiete, 2013).
Events: The fish faunas of the upper Mansfeld Subgroup identify the Saale basin as part of an
extended European basin system connected by drainage systems (Schneider & Zajiz, 1994;
Schneider et al., 2000). Tectonic reorganisation of the basins connected with increased volcanism by
around 300 Ma, the so called Franconian event (Schneider et al., 1995), destroys those lake and
drainage systems. Lower Rotliegend (roughly Early Asselian) lakes of Europe contain a depleted fish
fauna only (Schneider & Zajic, 1994; Boy & Schindler, 2000). This event is indicated in the Saale basin
by increasing volcanism and tectonism causing the fast deposition of the “Kieselschiefer-QuarzitKonglomerat” (shert-quarzite conglomerate) at the base of the Lower Rotliegend Halle Formation
erosive on top of the foregoing Siebigerode Formation.
Outcrop situation:
Exposed in the Kyffhäuser area are wet red bed conglomerates, sandstones and siltstones close to
the north-western border of the Saale basin (Fig. 85, 86). The outcrop at the Kyffhäuser monument
display stacked large scale planar to trough cross bedded fluvial channel bar sandstones and channel
conglomerates as well as conglomeratic hyperconcentrated flows and sheet flood fanglomerates of
distal fan deposits transitional to an alluvial braid plain environment. Silicified cordaitalean tree logs
(Dadoxylon type) are found from the western border of the basin in the outcrop area of the Kyffhäuser
down to the basin centre near Halle. Commonly, they occur in flash flood deposits generated by heavy
rain storm events. Assumed growing places of the up to 1.5 m thick trees (Fig. 89), representing the
upland vegetation (assumed individual age of the trees up to 100 years), are undisturbed areas of
mountain slopes (Fig. 88). Alluvial plain siltstones of the Kyffhäuser area are developed in Scoyenia
facies and characterized by immature vertisols and calcisols.
105
Fig. 88. Reconstruction of the habitat of the cordaitalean trees and the depositional environment of the buried Dadoxylon
tree trunks in distal fan and alluvial plain deposits of the Stephanian Mansfeld subgroup (from Gaitzsch, 2001).
Fig. 89. Dadoxylon tree trunks of more than 1 m diameter in flashflood deposits of the Stephanian
Mansfeld subgroup; Kyffhäuser Mountain.
Stop (optional): Rothenburg, Late Carboniferous Stephanian red bed deposits
Stratigraphy: type section of the Rothenburg Formation (Fig. 86), Mansfeld Subgroup.
Location: slope of the Saale river at Rothenburg north-east of Halle.
Coordinates: N 51° 38.318´; E 11° 45.081´.
Outcrop situation:
Well exposed along the river slope are wet red beds of the Rothenburg Formation, the third of the
three fining-up megacycles of the Mansfeld Subgroup. The megacycle consists of fining up mesocycles of 35 – 40 m thickness, starting with coarse braided river channel conglomerates, and grading
upward into sandstones and siltstones. Common are vertisols and calcisols with calcareous
rhizoconcretions as well as mature calcretes of decimetre to meter thickness (Fig. 90). In the cycle
tops appear in places temporary lacustrine micritic limestones, containing aquatic gastropods (Fig.
92), ostracods, and disarticulated vertebrate remains. Most possibly, these limestones were produced
106
by characeans as indicated by fragments of their internodians and by gyrogonits (Fig. 91; Gebhardt &
Schneider, 1985; Gebhardt, 1988).
Fig. 90. Rhizoconcretions below a dm
thick calcrete horizon, Rothenburg Fm.,
Mansfeld Subgroup; slope of the Saale
river near Rothenburg.
Palaeoclimate:
Fig. 91. Characean internodians (a – d)
and gyrogonites of Stomochara (e – g)
from the Mansfeld Subgroup; magnific.
a,b – 100x; d – 1800x; e, f, g – 150x;
(Gebhardt & Schneider, 1985).
Fig. 92. Freshwater gastropods from
temporary lacustrine limestones of the
Mansfeld Subgroup.
Stop 14: Rothenschirmbach, Middle Permian playa deposits (Fig. 93)
Stratigraphy: Hornburg Formation, ”Feinkörniger Sandstein” (Fine-grained sandstone) and “Blätterton” (Claystone) Members.
Location: abandoned Konberg quarry north of village Rothenschirmbach.
Coordinates: N 51° 27.467´; E 11° 33.175´.
Hornburg Formation
Thickness: 525 m;
Base: Lower Quarzite conglomerate;
Top: basal conglomerate of the Eisleben Formation.
Lithology/facies:
The Hornburg Formation was deposited contemporaneously to the Middle Permian Parchim to
Dethlingen Formations of the Southern Permian basin (Fig. 45). The depositional area was a subdepression in a wadi system superimposed on the former Saale basin and dewatering at times to the
North into the Southern Permian basin. The Hornburg Formation consists of two fining up cycles. The
first cycle start with the Lower Quarzit conglomerate Member of an alluvial fan to braid plain
environment. It is laterally and vertically followed by braid plain (fanglomeratic sheet flood sandstones,
debris flows, mud flows) and evaporitic (anhydrite, halite) sand flat deposits of the Blankenheim
Sandstone Member. The second cycle starts with Upper Quarzite conglomerate Member. It follows the
“Rundkörniger” (well rounded) sandstone Member of 10 m to 60 m thickness. This typical bimodal
sandstone consist of fine to medium grained sand and well to ideally rounded coarser grains of 2 mm
to 3 mm size. Bedding structures and facies architectures point on a dry sand flat environment with
patchy concentrations of saltation transported and therefore well rounded coarse grains. The following
“Feinkörniger” (fine grained) sandstone Member represent well sorted fine to medium grained
sandstones of primarily aeolian origin and of restricted occurrence. With relatively sharp transition
follows the “Blätterton” (laminated claystone) Member consisting of dark red silty claystones, pure
claystones and intercalated small scale channel sandstones. Lamination, fossil content and halite
pseudomorphs indicate deposition in a playa lake (see below). The superimposed Mischkörniger
(mixed grained) sandstone Member, interbeddings of sandstones and conglomerates, represent most
possibly a separate cycle.
107
The coarse clastics of the Quarzite conglomerates are characterised by common dewatering
structures, forming clastic dykes of decimetre width and metre length. Together with the soft sediment
deformations in the “Feinkörniger” sandstone Member they are interpreted as earthquake generated
structures. This interpretation is well supported by contemporaneous rifting processes (Altmark
movements) during the Middle and Late Permian in northern Europe linked with the extrusion of upper
mantle basalts in the Southern Permian basin to the North (Schneider & Gebhardt, 1993).
Fossil content: very common are arthropod ichnia (Walter, 1982, 1983), rarer are tetrapod tracks
(mainly swimming trails) and conchostracans; typical is the hydromedusa Medusina limnica (Müller,
1973).
Magnetostratigraphy: The Illawara reversal, detected in the first cycle of the Hornburg Formation by
Bachtadse in Gebhardt & Lützner (2012), gives a Middle Permian (Guadalupian, Wordian to
Capitanian) for the whole Hornburg Formation.
Litho- and cyclostratigraphy: Based on well log correlation and cyclostratigraphy of the Hornburg
and Eisleben Formations are correlated with the Parchim and Mirow Formations of the Southern
Permian basin (Fig. 45) by Gebhardt & Lützner (2012).
Palaeoclimate: The Hornburg Formation bears the typical facies markers of “dry red beds” as follow:
x fanglomeratic coarse clastics deposited as debris flows, hyperconcentrated flows and
mudflows
x aeolian accumulation of fine to medium sand as well as saltation transport of coarse grained
sand
x (laminated) playa lake claystones with Medusina limnica and/or halite pseudomorphs
x layers of evaporites as gypsum and halite
x haloturbation and sand patch fabric
x gypcretes more common than calcretes
x missing Scoyenia- and Planolites montanus-ichnofacies.
Semiarid to arid conditions during deposition of the Hornburg Formation are in accordance with the
palaeoposition at about 10° north of the palaeoequator and a desert belt stretching across the palaeoequator (Fig. 101; Roscher et al., 2008).
Fig. 93. Abandoned Konberg quarry north of village Rothenschirmbach, Hornburg Fm., Middle Permian (Capitanian); exposed
are fluvial redeposited aeolian sandstones superimposed by playa claystones. The well sorted fine to medium grained
sandstones display strong postsedimentary deformation structures – see Fig. 94 below.
108
Outcrop situation:
Exposed is the so called “Fine grained sandstone”, a well sorted quartz sandstone of primary aeolian
origin but fluvial re-deposited (Fig. 94). Strong deformations (slumping) of the primary bedding of the
sandstones may be related to seismic shocks. Those sandstones are overlain by well bedded red
playa lake claystones, which exhibit at the top up to 2 m deep and 20 cm wide clastic dykes,
originating from desiccation cracks. It follows siltstones with decimetre thick channel sandstones.
Intercalated is a centimetre thick yellowish residual horizon of weathered evaporites, most possibly
primarily gypsum. The playa claystones and siltstones contain mm sized halite pseudomorphs
together with the freshwater jellyfish Medusina limnica (Fig. 96) and rare conchostracans. Very
common are arthropod traces (Fig. 95). Not rare are swimming trails of tetrapods.
Fig. 94. Deformed sandstone, Konberg
quarry, Hornburg Fm.
Fig. 95. Insect trails, Konberg quarry,
Hornburg Fm.
Fig. 96. Freshwater yellifish
Medusina limnica; Hornburg Fm.
Stop 15: Type locality of the "Saalian Phase" of Stille 1924
Stratigraphy: Late Carboniferous Mansfeld Subgroup overlain with an angular unconformity by the
Late Permian Eisleben Formation.
Location: abandoned quarry in the valley of the Heilige Reiser, Hettstedt, Tal street.
Coordinates: N 51° 38.967´; E 11° 31.423´.
Outcrop situation (Fig. 97):
Exposed are wet red beds, small to medium scale cross-bedded silty sandstones and flaser-laminated
siltstones in floodplain facies of the late Carboniferous Mansfeld Subgroup at the bottom of the quarry
wall (for details see stop 13). With an angular unconformity follow erosively fanglomeratic coarse
clastics of the here Late Permian Eisleben Formation.
Eisleben Formation
Thickness: increasing from 20 m in the eastern Harz Mountain area in the South to 500 m in the
transition to the contemporaneous Hannover Formation of the Southern Permian basin.
Base: so called “Porphyrkonglomerat” (rhyolite conglomerate) on top of Late Pennsylvanian to Middle
Permian deposits.
Top: early Late Permian (Wuchiapingian) transgression sediments (conglomerates and Weissliegend
sandstones) of the Zechstein sea. The Kupferschiefer at the base of the Zechstein was dated by
Brauns et al. (2003) as 257.3±2.6 Ma, using Re-Os isotopy, and biostratigraphically with the
occurrence of the conodont Mesogondolella britannica as early Wuchiapingian (Legler et al., 2005).
Lithology/facies: mature quartz dominated braid plain fanglomerates are overlain by sandy to silty
sand flat deposits of the dry red bed type. The depositional area is a wadi system superimposed on
the former Saale basin. Through several of such wadi systems in the southern foreland of the
Southern Permian basin the huge amount of erosional debris was transported into this basin and
stacked up to 2500 m thickness in a relatively short time of about 8 Ma. During that time the Southern
Permian basin expanded increasingly onto his forelands causing decreasing relief gradients and the
deposition of sandy and silty siliciclastics inside the wadis.
Fossil content: For the Mansfeld Subgroup see above, stop 13. The sandy to silty upper part of the
Eisleben Formation has delivered sparse walchian remains, rarely conchostracans as well as
Isopodichnus arthropod and indeterminable tetrapod tracks.
109
Magnetostratigraphy: the Eisleben Formation is superimposed on the Hornburg Formation (see above)
in which the Illawara reversal has been detected (Gebhardt & Lützner, 2012).
Cyclostratigraphy: After Gebhardt & Lützner (2012) the Eisleben Formation represent a marginal
facies of the upper Hannover Formation and corresponds to the Dambeck, Niendorf, Munster and
Heidberg Members or the fining-up cycles 13/14 to 17, respectively. In relation to the age of the basal
sediments of the Zechstein (see above), an earliest Wuchiapingian age for the Eisleben Formation is
assumed.
Palaeoclimate: see stop 16.
The “Saalian phase” problem: According to isotopic ages, biostratigraphic and magnetostratigraphic
data the Late Permian (Wuchiapingian) Eisleben Formation overlies the Late Carboniferous (Gzhelian)
Rothenburg Formation after a hiatus of roughly 40 Ma (!). Unfortunately, the "Saalian phase" of Stille
(1924; see Kunert, 1970) represents at the type locality an addition of the Franconian movements
(Stephanian/Lower Rotliegend transition), of intra-Rotliegend tectonic activities, of the Saalian
movements (Lower/Upper Rotliegend transition) and the Altmark movements (Upper Rotliegend II).
But unquestionably a Saalian maximum of tectonic activity exists! In central Europe tectonic activities
culminate between 290 Ma and 285 Ma with last granite intrusions, a maximum of volcanism and relief
rejuvenations (Schneider et al., 1995). Basin reorganisations around this time are indicated by several
hiatuses in the transition from Lower to Upper Rotliegend I (middle Cisuralian; Fig. 45).
Fig. 97. Type locality of the "Saalian Phase" of Stille (1924); Late Carboniferous Mansfeld Subgroup overlain after an hiatus of
roughly 40 Ma by the Late Permian Eisleben Formation with an angular unconformity. Abandoned quarry in the valley of the
Heilige Reiser, town Hettstedt.
110
7. The Southern Permian Basin
7.1 Introduction Southern Permian basin
During the late Middle Permian the SPB was formed as an intracontinental basin in Northern Pangea
at palaeolatitudes of 10–15° N. Arid to semi-arid conditions prevailed, leading to deposition in a desert
environment (Glennie, 1972; Roscher & Schneider, 2006). The 1700×600 km large SPB stretched
from England over the North Sea and Northern Germany to Poland. Approximately 2500 m thick
continental sediments were deposited in the depocentre within a period of 6 to 10 Ma. The general
facies distribution reveals alluvial deposition at basin margins and a centripetally adjoined belt of
dominantly aeolian sediments. In the basin centre a huge saline lake existed (Gast, 1991). The
Rotliegend saline lake covered an area of approximately 17,000 km² during lake level lowstands, but
doubled to quadrupled its size during wet periods (Gebhardt, 1994) and covered then wide areas of
Northeast Germany, Schleswig-Holstein and the North Sea (Fig. 98, A). The Zechstein transgression
terminated the continental Rotliegend deposition (Fig. 98, B).
Rotliegend sedimentation was controlled by two main parameters, tectonics and climatic fluctuations.
Gebhardt et al. (1991) described the Altmark I to IV tectonic movements. They resulted in a
restructuring of the basin and triggered the formation of fining upward successions with coarse clastics
(fanglomerate or sandstone) at the base of each succession. Moreover the Altmark movements are
partly accompanied by the effusion of rift basalts with an upper mantle signature. Climatic variability
becomes apparent in lake level fluctuations of the Rotliegend saline lake during the Dethlingen and
Hannover Formations (Gast, 1991; Legler & Schneider, 2013). These fluctuations are well pronounced
in lake sediments, where claystone was deposited during lake level highstands, and halite during
lowstands. At saline lake margins, lake level fluctuations resulted in migrating facies patterns
(highstands are represented by lacustrine claystone, sandflats and smaller dunes existed during
lowstands). Towards the basin fringe, clayey sandstone, deposited during groundwater-level
highstands, can be correlated with lake level highstands. Tectonic activity and climatic variability
influenced deposition with variable intensity and frequency. The deposition of the Parchim, Mirow,
Dethlingen, and Hannover Formations was controlled by tectonics: the Altmark I movement occurred
at the base of the Parchim Formation, the Altmark II at the base of the Mirow Formation and so on.
The duration of deposition of each formation can be estimated at 2 to 3 Ma. The Dethlingen and
Hannover Formations consist of several members which represent well-pronounced lake level
fluctuation cycles. These fluctuations were generated by changing earth orbital parameters
(Milankovitch cyclicity; Gast, 1995; Legler & Schneider, 2013). These most remarkable fluctuations
correspond to 400 ka variations in eccentricity, which set up the members. However, higher frequency
fluctuations (100 ka and 20 ka) within each member are also known. The saline playa lake
sedimentation was three times interrupted by short termed marine ingressions from the Palaeo-Arctic
trough the Arctic rift system and the Central-Viking-Graben system, identified by marine fauna and Sisotopic values of anhydrite (Legler et al., 2006; Legler & Schneider, 2008). The two first ingressions
coincide with sea level highstands in in the Arctic rift system, the last one was possibly triggered by
tectonic activity.
Thickness: up to 2.500 m;
Base: basal conglomerates of the Parchim Formation;
Top: marine Zechstein transgression with the deposition of the Kupferschiefer (copper shale) above
only centimetres marine reworked Rotliegend sediments in the basin centre.
Fossil content: saline playa lake claystones with common Medusina limnica; laminated freshwater
playa lake claystones with conchostracans and ostracods; marine ingression horizons with the bivalve
Liebea reichei and the fish Acentrophorus.
Magnetostratigraphy: the Illawarra reversal detected by Menning et al. (1988) in deposits of the
lower Parchim Formation is of Middle to Late Wordian age (267 Ma; Steiner, 2006).
Isotopic ages: Kupferschiefer black-shale dated by Brauns et al. (2003) at 257.3±2.6 Ma.
Biostratigraphy: Mesogondolella britannica from the Kupferschiefer equivalent in the Southern North
Sea (Legler et al., 2005) points to a Wuchiapingian age for the basal Zechstein deposits.
Palaeoclimate: The palaeogeographical setting of the Southern Permian basin and his southern
foreland at about 10–25° north of the palaeoequator resulted in the influence of an arid to semi-arid
climate, leading to deposition in a range of desert environments (Legler & Schneider, 2013).
Rotliegend deposition was characterized by alluvial fans and aeolian dunes at the basin margins, with
111
evaporitic sandflats in the transition to a salt lake, which covered large areas of the basin center. The
salt lake deposits exhibit Milankovitch cycles with frequencies of 400 ka, 100 ka and 20 ka. The 400 ka
cycles are interpreted to reflect long-term eccentricity cycles. Meter-scale cycles are interpreted as c.
100 ka eccentricity cycles and c. 20 ka precession cycles (Gast, 1995). The observed fluctuations in
precipitation and evaporation rates in the salt lake are interpreted as the result of enhanced or
attenuated monsoon intensity triggered by the changes in earth orbital parameters (Legler &
Schneider, 2013).
Fig. 98. Mega-playa system of the Southern Permian basin (A) stretching from England over the North Sea and Northern
Germany to Poland in an 1700×600 km large area. Approximately 2500 m thick continental sediments were deposited in the
depocentre within a period of 6 to 10 Ma. The centre of the basin was mostly covered by a continental salt lake (pink), the border
was framed by mud and sandflats as well as dunes. After three short termed marine incursions the basin was flooded by the
Zechstein sea (B). Red star indicate the position of the Beber graben-wadi, stop 16. (After Ziegler, 1990).
Stop 16: Bebertal, southern border of the Southern Permian basin (SPB) – the
only surface outcrop of this giant mega-playa system
Stratigraphy: Middle to early Late Permian Upper Rotliegend II basin fill of the SPB.
Location: outcrops in the vicinity of the village Bebertal.
Coordinates: quarry Sventesius N 52° 14.397´; E 11° 18.376´ (Fig. 99);
outcrop Hünenküche N 52° 13.804´; E 11° 19.145´ (Fig. 100).
Fig. 99. Several generations of stacked dune bases
interrupted by reactivation surfaces resulting from
water and/or wind erosion. Middle Permian (Wordian
to Capitanian) Parchim Fm. at the border of the
Southern Permian basin in the Beber graben-wadi
system. Qarry Sventesius near Bebertal village;
Flechtingen high.
Outcrop situation:
Sventesius quarry: Exposed in the lower part of the quarry are pebbly sandstones of a fluvial braid
plain overlain by dune sandstones of the Parchim Formation. Reactivation surfaces between the
erosion remnants (dune bases only) of several generation of dunes indicate heavy flood discharge
through the wadi systems. Depending on the situation in the active quarry, pebbly bedding planes with
gutter casts, flood marks and desiccation cracks are exposed. They indicate flowing water between
the dunes and interdune ponds. Patchy arrangements of well-rounded coarse sand grains result from
saltation transport.
112
Hünenküche, eastern slope: Exposed from the bottom to top of the outcrop are dry sand flat
deposits of bimodal sandstones. Fine to medium grained aeolian sandstone show single grain layers
and strips of well-rounded coarse sand grains resulting from patchy enrichment of saltation
transported particles. Partially fluvial reworking is observable. Higher up follow sheetflood deposits of
bad sorted pebbly sandstones. On the top of an exposition surface with desiccation cracks and
leaching phenomena below, yellowish dune sands with well developed sets of angular planar bed sets
appear. They are eroded again by sheet floods. Higher up and to the south in the outcrop dry to wet
sandflat deposits crop out. By x-ray log- and lithostratigraphy this part of the profile is correlated with
the Mirow Formation (Capitanian).
Fig. 100. Sequence of dry sandflat and sheetflood deposits, overlain by the bases of eroded dunes (yellowish fine to
middle grained sandstones). The dunes are deposited on an exposition surface with desiccation cracks and leaching
haloes below. To the top follow again sheetflod and small scale braided river deposits transitional to sandflat sediments.
Beber graben-wadi at the Southern border of the Southern Permian basin. Late Middle Permian Mirow Formation.
Outcrop Hünenküche East near Bebertal, Flechtingen high. (From Legler, 2006).
113
8. Synthesis of the excursion
The Late Carboniferous and the Permian are characterized on the global scale by a degree of
“continentality” that is only known for the last 5 million years of Earth´s history. This character is the
result of the assemblage of Pangea. The former Rheic Ocean between the huge landmasses
Gondwana and Laurussia closed progressively from east to west (Roscher & Schneider, 2006). The
westward fore-stepping of the continental collision caused a more or less continuous formation and
erosional destruction of huge mountain ranges along the palaeo-equator. The oldest orogen to the
east, the European Variscides, was already eroded down to low mountains by the end of the
Carboniferous, when the youngest alpino-type orogen to the west, the Middle Permian AppalachianOuachita belt, was just about to form. Collision and orogeny produced foreland, intermontane, and
intramontane basins, at times associated with regionally volumetrically important volcanism. These
processes were accompanied by Carboniferous-Permian glaciations of southernmost Gondwana. The
storage of water in the south polar ice-cap and in mountain glaciers resulted in a very low sea level.
The interplay of the formation of Pangea – with the build-up and erosion of huge mountain chains –,
glaciations and deglaciations, and atmospheric changes caused by temporally intense volcanism
resulted in the complete disappearance of the equatorial wet tropical belt, which is unique for the
Phanerozoic, and its substitution by semi-deserts and deserts (Fig. 101). As shown by Roscher &
Schneider (2006), the transition from the late Early Carboniferous (Mississippian) to Middle Permian
(Guadalupian) cold-house into the Late Permian-Mesozoic warm-house Earth by increasing aridisation
was a process of interchanging wet and dry periods, each of about 7 to 9 Ma duration (Fig. 4, 5). This
cyclically increasing aridisation has directly influenced the litho- and biofacial pattern of the Late
Carboniferous to Permian basins in Europe as demonstrated during the excursions.
The above discussed Czech and German basins are typical Variscan basins, because of their identical
geotectonically and climatically governed sedimentary infill and their large scale record of the evolution
of biofacies pattern during the Carboniferous and Permian of Euramerica. They are individual,
because of their specific position in the Variscan belt, which controls basin formation and size, as well
as changes in subsidence pattern and facies architectures during basin development. Furthermore,
the onset of sedimentation within a given basin, the temporal distribution of sedimentation hiatuses,
and the preservation of the basin fill strongly depends on the setting of this basin.
The Early Permian Lower Rotliegend basins fit into a transtensional dextral pull-apart structure that is
integrated in the Thuringian-Franconian shear zone along the SW border of the Bohemian Massif.
Sedimentation in the Thuringian Forest basin differs from all
other basins by recurrent very strong intrabasinal
volcanism, producing hundreds of meters thick piles of lava
flows, in the Stephanian C to the end of Lower Rotliegend in
the Artinskian. During the Upper Rotliegend I, Middle
Cisuralian to Middle Guadalupian, all Saxothuringian basins
are characterised by vanishing volcanism and the
predominance of discontinuously deposited exclusively red
beds. The general peneplanation of the Variscan
morphogene and the complete filling up of the Variscan
basins during this time is interrupted only shortly by local to
regional relief rejuvenations. The Upper Rotliegend II
(Middle Cisuralian to Early Lopingian) marks the start of a
new geotectonical stage in Europe: the transition from the
Variscan orogenic era to the post-Variscan platform
development, influenced by tectonics and volcanism related
to the earliest Pangea break-up and leading to the
formation of the Southern Permian basin. This 1,700 km
long and 600 km wide intracontinental basin is the
embryonic stage of the Mesozoic/Cenozoic Central
European basin. In the time before the Southern Permian
basin developed, sediment transport was directed
concentrically into the local Variscan basins.
Fig. 101. Pangean climate model showing the closure of the Rheic ocean
accompanied by the vanishing of the everwet tropical biome and the
extension of desert and savanna biomes from the Late Carboniferous to
the Late Permian. (Models from M. Roscher, unpubl.).
114
With the formation of the Southern Permian basin, the erosional debris was transported to the north
via huge wadi-systems (Hessen-Saale depression, Eisleben-Bebertal wadi) into this exceptional large
intracontinental Middle to Late Permian mega-playa and –sabkha system, which was filled by about
2,500 m of siliciclastic rocks and evaporites in the Upper Rotliegend II and 2,000 m of siliciclastic
rocks, carbonates, and evaporites in the Zechstein (Ziegler, 1990; Plein, 1995). The Upper Rotliegend
II basin fill is dominated by desert sediments affected by an arid to semiarid climate. Alluvial fans and
dunes occur, especially at the southern basin margin, whereas saline lake deposits dominate in the
center. The sedimentation was tectonically and climatically controlled. Tectonically driven large-scale
cycles are interpreted as formations, whereas the members are climatically governed cycles on a
smaller scale (Legler, 2006; Legler et al., 2013). The basin-wide, over hundreds of kilometre
correlatable cyclicity of the Southern Permian basin heralds the transition into the post-Variscan
platform sedimentation, which start with the very fast flooding of this basin and large parts of the
former hinterland by the Late Permian Zechstein sea (Legler & Schneider, 2008).
But all this processes from regional to global scale will not be understood without exact time control.
Therefore, all colleagues are asked to improve the correlation charts shown below (Fig. 4 and Fig. 5).
We know they are still wrong in many details. They will only get better trough good cooperation in the
Nonmarine-Marine Working Group.
115
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