Faunal assemblage
Encyclopedia
Faunal Assemblage is the archaeological
or paleontological
term for a group of associated animal fossil
s found together in a given stratum
.
The principle of faunal succession is used in biostratigraphy
to determine each biostratigraphic unit, or biozone
. The biostratigraphic unit being a section of geological strata that is defined on the basis of its characteristic fossil taxa
or faunal assemblage.
For example, in East Africa
, a distinctive group of animal species, mostly pig
s, is characteristic of the fossils preserved from a particular period of time. This faunal assemblage has been used effectively to chronologically correlate the East African early hominid sites.
Archaeology
Archaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
or paleontological
Paleontology
Paleontology "old, ancient", ὄν, ὀντ- "being, creature", and λόγος "speech, thought") is the study of prehistoric life. It includes the study of fossils to determine organisms' evolution and interactions with each other and their environments...
term for a group of associated animal fossil
Fossil
Fossils are the preserved remains or traces of animals , plants, and other organisms from the remote past...
s found together in a given stratum
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
.
The principle of faunal succession is used in biostratigraphy
Biostratigraphy
Biostratigraphy is the branch of stratigraphy which focuses on correlating and assigning relative ages of rock strata by using the fossil assemblages contained within them. Usually the aim is correlation, demonstrating that a particular horizon in one geological section represents the same period...
to determine each biostratigraphic unit, or biozone
Biozone
Biostratigraphic units or Biozones are intervals of geological strata that are defined on the basis of their characteristic fossil taxa....
. The biostratigraphic unit being a section of geological strata that is defined on the basis of its characteristic fossil taxa
Taxon
|thumb|270px|[[African elephants]] form a widely-accepted taxon, the [[genus]] LoxodontaA taxon is a group of organisms, which a taxonomist adjudges to be a unit. Usually a taxon is given a name and a rank, although neither is a requirement...
or faunal assemblage.
For example, in East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, a distinctive group of animal species, mostly pig
Pig
A pig is any of the animals in the genus Sus, within the Suidae family of even-toed ungulates. Pigs include the domestic pig, its ancestor the wild boar, and several other wild relatives...
s, is characteristic of the fossils preserved from a particular period of time. This faunal assemblage has been used effectively to chronologically correlate the East African early hominid sites.