Stratigraphy is a science, a branch of geology, which studies the composition, structure and succession of stratified rocks in order to reconstruct the physical history of planet Earth. The study of rock strata provides information on various formation environments and the ancient physical landscapes of the earth. With stratigraphy it is possible to determine the relative age of the rock and strata. In addition, stratigraphy is also able to provide data on the climate of our planet for thousands or even millions of years and also enables us to determine the time when a particular animal or plant organism lived when one of these is found in a particular rock stratum.
Biostratigraphy is a branch of stratigraphy. In biostratigraphy the relative age of rock and strata is defined by the type or species of fossils that are found in this layer. For example, Rincosaurs are found in the upper Triassic. If a paleontologist finds a fossil of Rincosaurus, this layer is from the Triassic.
