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Sexual selection: Difference between revisions
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'''Selection''' refers to a mechanism that decides who gets to pass on their genes to the next generation. '''Sexual selection''' simply refers to selection done by members of the opposite sex e.g. in accordance to their ''mate preferences'', but also by related mechanisms like arranged marriages. Other kinds of selection are for example ''environmental'' or ''asexual selection'', referring to selection performed by the environment or ecology e.g. due to famines, disease or natural death, and everything that is not sexual. Further, there is ''kin selection'', referring to how the individual influences the [[reproductive success|reproductive success]] of his relatives in which the indivual's genes have interest in due to the genetic similarity of relatives. E.g. altruism within families could be kin selected. Lastly, there is ''group selection'', i.e. selection based on how the individual affects the survival and reproduction of entire groups. | '''Selection''' refers to a mechanism that decides who gets to pass on their genes to the next generation. '''Sexual selection''' simply refers to selection done by members of the opposite sex e.g. in accordance to their ''mate preferences'', but also by related mechanisms like arranged marriages. Other kinds of selection are for example ''environmental'' or ''asexual selection'', referring to selection performed by the environment or ecology e.g. due to famines, disease or natural death, and everything that is not sexual. Further, there is ''kin selection'', referring to how the individual influences the [[reproductive success|reproductive success]] of his relatives in which the indivual's genes have interest in due to the genetic similarity of relatives. E.g. altruism within families could be kin selected. Lastly, there is ''group selection'', i.e. selection based on how the individual affects the survival and reproduction of entire groups. | ||
=== Sexual selection can increase but also decrease fitness === | |||
Biologist John Endler conducted an experiment with Guppies (''Poecilia'') in a tank without predators. The female fish selected males who had strong contrast to the background as they stood out during mate selection. This then made the fish more visible to predators later reintroduced into the same tank.<ref>https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-015-7682-6_7</ref><ref>http://www.dartmouth.edu/~robertcox/Teaching_files/lecture9.ppt</ref> | |||
This clearly demonstrates that sexual selection does not necessarily further and can even ''reduce'' survival. Related to this, one study showed men who have lots of sex were not healthier than others by various metrics.<ref>http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/4/1/160603</ref> | |||
=See Also= | =See Also= | ||