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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.
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 ...
The principle of faunal succession is based on the appearance of fossils in sedimentary rocks. As organisms exist at the same time period throughout the world, their presence or (sometimes) absence may be used to provide a relative age of the formations in which they are found.
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]
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.
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 .
Image credits: protetormarciors Marcio shared more about his studies. “The academic experience has given me a new perspective on the animal cause. I believe that, with my life experience ...
Bust of William Smith, in the Oxford University Museum of Natural History. In the early 19th century, the mining industry and Industrial Revolution stimulated the rapid development of the stratigraphic column – "the sequence of rock formations arranged according to their order of formation in time."