Answer:
Different species of flora and fauna are found in a specific order in the sedimentary rock strata in regard to the geological time they lived in.
Step-by-step explanation:
The principle or law of faunal succession, proposed by English geologist William Smith, states that different species of both flora and fauna are found in a specific order in the sedimentary rock strata in regard to the geological time they lived in. These fossils follow a succession, that is, they succeed each other vertically.
For example, two organisms that lived during different geological periods, let's say one from the Triassic and the other from the Ordovician, will never be found in the same stratum because they are separated by thousands to millions of years.
This pattern is crucial for paleontologists because it allows them to determine which species inhabited a certain ecosystem during the same geological era or period.