The Bonikowo Reef occurs in the central part of the Zechstein Limestone Basin in western Poland and was growing on the topmost edges of tilted blocks and/or on the top of uplifted horsts of the BrandenburgeWolsztynePogorzela High. Its size is ca. 1.6 km2. The Bonikowo Reef shows the thickest reef section(90.5 m) recorded in the High. The Zechstein Limestone unit is represented mostly by limestones, often thoroughly recrystallized, although the macrotextures and biota of the boundstone are identifiable in most cases. The drillcore section is a mixture of boundstones(microbial and bryozoan), wackestones, packstones and grainstones, which often co-occur. The d13 C and d18 O values for both calcite(avg. 3.8 ± 0.8‰ and-3.4 ± 1.7‰, respectively) and dolomite(avg. 3.5 ± 0.7‰ and-5.2 ± 1.3‰, respectively) are transitional between the values previously reported for condensed sequences of the basinal facies and larger reef complexes. The biofacies of the Bonikowo Reef are very similar to those recognized in other reefs of the BrandenburgeWolsztynePogorzela High, which owe their origin to the destruction of bryozoan boundstones. The biota composition is typical and characteristic of other Zechstein Limestone reefs. However, the Bonikowo Reef demonstrates the importance of microbialites, laminar and nodose encrustations, in the growth and cohesion of the Zechstein Limestone reefs. Such encrustations abound within the Zechstein Limestone although, in many cases, the real nature of the encrustations is difficult to ascertain. These laminated encrustations show great similarity to Archaeolithoporella that is one of the most important Permian reefbuilding organisms. The encrustations considered to represent Archaeolithoporella were also previously recorded in the Zechstein Limestone of western Poland and in its stratigraphic equivalent, the Middle Magnesian Limestone of Northeast England. The lower part of the sequence shows great biofacies variability that reflects common environmental changes. The major part of the section is represented by slope depositsgrading upward into the reef, which reflects the prograding nature of reef margin. The progradation rate for the Bonikowo Reef is estimated at 400 m/My. The Bonikowo Reef occurs in the central part of the Zechstein Limestone Basin in western Poland and was growing on the topmost edges of tilted blocks and / or on the top of uplifted horsts of the Brandenburge Wolsztyne Pogorzela High. Its size is ca. 1.6 km2. The Bonikowo Reef shows the thickest reef section (90.5 m) recorded in the High. The Zechstein Limestone unit is represented mostly by limestones, often thoroughly recrystallized, although the macrotextures and biota of the boundstone are identifiable in most cases. The drillcore section is a mixture of The d13 C and d18 O values ​​for both calcite (avg. 3.8 ± 0.8 ‰ and-3.4 ± 1.7 ‰, respectively) and dolomite (avg. 3.5 ± 0.7 ‰ and-5.2 ± 1.3 ‰, respectively) are transitional between the values ​​previously reported for condensed sequences of the basinal facies and larger reef complexes. The biofacies of the Bonikowo Reef are very simila r to those recognized in other reefs of the Brandenburge Wolsztyne Pogorzela High, which owe their origin to the destruction of bryozoan boundstones. However, the biota composition is typical and characteristic of other Zechstein Limestone reefs. However, the Bonikowo Reef demonstrates the importance of microbialites, laminar and nodose encrustations, in the growth and cohesion of the Zechstein Limestone reefs. Such encrustations abound within the Zechstein Limestone although, in many cases, the real nature of the encrustations is difficult to ascertain. These laminated encrustations show great similarity to Archaeolithoporella that is one of the most important Permian reefbuilding organisms. The encrustations considered to represent Archaeolithoporella were also previously recorded in the Zechstein Limestone of western Poland and in its stratigraphic equivalent, the Middle Magnesian Limestone of Northeast England. The lower part of the sequence shows great biofacies variability that receives com mon environmThe major part of the section is represented by slope depositsgrading upward into the reef, which reflects the prograding nature of reef margin. The progradation rate for the Bonikowo Reef is estimated at 400 m / My.