13. Vorkommen fossiler Charophyten in Deutschland

For geological research in Germany, fossil charophytes generally play a rather exotic, but sometimes significant role. This is especially true for the biostratigraphy (dating and correlation of rock successions) within non-marine sediments holding carbonates and marls (for Germany: mainly upper Jurassic to basal Cretaceous and Oligocene to Miocene). More generally, charophytes are often used for a simple first estimation of the depositional environments of sedimentary rocks. Here, charophyte remains (usually quite easily recognizable) simply serve as indicators for non-marine environments (fresh or brackish waters). For most geologists and carbonate specialists, the latter is certainly by far the most important benefit of the fossil remains of this group of algae.

On the contrary, the few findings of charophytes in Carboniferous, Permian and Triassic and Middle Jurassic rocks of Germany are rather insignificant and – in an international context – of minor importance.

During the following period of time (middle to to upper part of the Lower Cretaceous, the entire Upper Cretaceous and the first section of “Tertiary” (Paleocene/most of the Eocene), charophytes were very rare and played a minor role again.

This changes again very significantly for the Oligocene and Miocene series. Some of the charophyte deposits in Germany played an important role for the development of the European charophyte biozonation for the Paleogene and Neogene, mainly deposits in the Oligocene of the Mainz Basin (European Rhabdochara major, Chara microcera and C. notata zones).