The Elbingerode reef complex is a Devonian reef system in the Harz Mountains and well known for its thick and fossil-rich limestones that formed an oceanic barrier reef system in the Rhenohercynian Basin. The initial reef building of this barrier reef system, exposed in the form of small outcrops at the tops of underlying marginal and central volcanic highs is less well known and reflected in the occurrence of biogenic packsto...

A massive occurrence of microbial carbonates, including abundant sponge remains, within the Devonian Elbingerode Reef Complex was likely deposited in a former cavity of the fore-reef slope during the early Frasnian. It is suggested that the formation of microbial carbonate was to a large part favored by the activity of heterotrophic, i.e., sulfate-reducing bacteria, in analogy to Quaternary coral reef microbialites. The Elbing...