Preservation of successive diagenetic stages in Middle Triassic bonebeds: Evidence from in situ trace element and strontium isotope analysis of vertebrate fossils

Abstract Bonebeds comprise reworked and time averaged constituents of different phosphatic vertebrate remains and, hence, provide an ideal substrate for the study of long and short term diagenetic processes. To test whether trace elements (U, Sr, REE) and 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios can be used for distinguishing between successive diagenetic signals, we performed geochemical analyses on vertebrate remains (bones, teeth, scales and coprolites) from two Triassic bonebeds located near Palzem (Germany). Trace element analysis was done on 170 vertebrate remains by LA-ICP-MS while 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios were determined for 39 bioclasts using LA-MC-ICP-MS. Although a low inter- and intra-bioclast REE variab…