Final answer:
The study of fossil succession, part of biostratigraphy, helps in matching similarly-aged rocks from different outcrops by comparing fossil assemblages. It does not offer absolute dating, but rather, enables the determination of relative ages and correlation of rock units.
Step-by-step explanation:
The study of fossil succession is integral to the field of biostratigraphy, which is a branch of stratigraphy that uses fossils to determine the relative age of sedimentary rocks and to correlate successions of these rocks. One primary application of fossil succession is the matching of similarly-aged rocks from different outcrops, which is accomplished by comparing fossil assemblages. When same or similar fossils are found in geographically separated rock units, geologists can infer that those units were deposited at the same time. This technique, known as biostratigraphic correlation, aids in defining the stratigraphic relationships and can even suggest that certain rock layers were deposited simultaneously.
Through the study of fossil correlation, scientists can also interpret past environments and the habits of extinct mammals, contributing to our understanding of ancient ecosystems and the climatic conditions that prevailed. While relative dating methods involving fossils cannot provide the exact age of the rock (absolute dating), they are effective for creating chronologies of events and developments in Earth's history. Techniques such as radiometric dating are necessary to pinpoint the absolute dating of fossil-bearing strata.