This research investigates the depositional patterns and paleoenvironmental evolution of lacustrine carbonates, microbialites, and mixed carbonate–clastic systems in two contrasting settings: the Salta Basin in Argentina and the Ries Crater in Germany. These sites offer valuable insights into continental carbonate systems shaped by different tectonic and climatic regimes.

In the Salta Basin, a Cretaceous–Paleogene rift, the focus is on microbialite-rich facies within lake deposits, reflecting interactions between climate, tectonics, and biogenic processes. These deposits also present potential analogues to South American pre-salt reservoirs.

The Ries Crater, a Miocene impact basin, preserves a well-developed post-impact lacustrine sequence. The study highlights microbialite formation and carbonate diagenesis in a closed-basin setting. Together, these examples improve our understanding of lacustrine carbonate systems across varied geological contexts.