biostratigráfia

Biostratigrafia is a branch of stratigraphy that uses the study of fossils to date and correlate rock layers. It is a fundamental tool in geology and paleontology for understanding Earth's history. The core principle of biostratigraphy is the concept of biologic succession, which states that fossil organisms succeed one another in a definite and determinable order, and therefore any given stratum of rock can be identified by the fossils it contains. Paleontologists identify index fossils, which are species that lived for a short geologic time and were widespread geographically, to establish relative ages of rock strata. By finding the same index fossils in different rock formations, geologists can infer that these formations are of similar age. This method allows for the correlation of rock layers across vast distances, even across continents. Biostratigraphy is crucial for constructing the geologic time scale and for exploring for natural resources like oil and gas, as the presence of certain fossils can indicate favorable geological conditions. It also plays a significant role in evolutionary studies, providing evidence for the history of life on Earth.