Significance of stromatolites for the environmental interpretation of the Buntsandstein (Lower Triassic) rocks

When interpreting the depositional environment of the Buntsandstein sequence, thin stromatolite layers, if present, were often overlooked or given short shrift. The present paper provides evidence of value of stromatolites for the environmental interpretation of the Buntsandstein rocks. Algal stromatolites found in western Poland occur in form of thrombolites, LLH-type structures, SH-type structures, and rarely as oncolites. Stromatolites are usually associated with oolites. Very often stromatolites show important traces of scouring and channelling action of water. Since stromatolites occurred in the zone of clastic-carbonate deposition they were covered up by continuous sheet of detrital grains. Periodic catastrophic erosion and deposition was produced by hurricanes and severe storms in the peritidal and shallow subtidal zone. It is possible to distinguish the peritidal and subtidal stromatolites. In the vicinity of stromatolites are of frequent occurrence spirorbids, conchostracs, gastropods, and rare foraminifers. Besides, spirorbids are associated with stromatolites — they constituted the initial hard substratum for the stromatolitic structures and sometimes they also occur inside stromatolites. The not-hypersaline sedimentary environment of the Buntsandstein rocks can be compared with modern environments of the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Aqaba.