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The principle of faunal succession, also known as the law of faunal succession, is based on the observation that sedimentary rock strata contain fossilized flora and fauna, and that these fossils succeed each other vertically in a specific, reliable order that can be identified over wide horizontal distances.
The principle of Uniformitarianism states that the geologic processes observed in operation that modify the Earth's crust at present have worked in much the same way over geologic time. [2] A fundamental principle of geology advanced by the 18th century Scottish physician and geologist James Hutton, is that "the present is the key to the past ...
Image displaying newly discovered fossil being introduced into the succession sequence. The concept of faunal succession was theorized at the beginning of the 19th century by William Smith. When Smith was studying rock strata, he began to recognize that rock outcrops contained a unique collection of fossils. [10]
William 'Strata' Smith (23 March 1769 – 28 August 1839) was an English geologist, credited with creating the first detailed, nationwide geological map of any country. [1] At the time his map was first published he was overlooked by the scientific community; his relatively humble education and family connections prevented him from mixing ...
Strata from widespread locations containing the same fossil fauna and flora are said to be correlatable in time. Biologic stratigraphy was based on William Smith's principle of faunal succession, which predated, and was one of the first and most powerful lines of evidence for, biological evolution.
The principle of faunal succession (where applicable) that states rock strata contain distinctive sets of fossils that succeed each other vertically in a specific and reliable order. [ 12 ] [ 7 ] This allows for a correlation of strata even when the horizon between them is not continuous.
In geology, a succession is a series of strata or rock units in chronological order. Rock successions can be seen in cross sections through rock , for example in a road cut or cliff . With sedimentary layers of rocks, newer units will be above older units, except in cases of inversion .
The law of superposition is an axiom that forms one of the bases of the sciences of geology, archaeology, and other fields pertaining to geological stratigraphy.In its plainest form, it states that in undeformed stratigraphic sequences, the oldest strata will lie at the bottom of the sequence, while newer material stacks upon the surface to form new deposits over time.