Trusted, Automoderated users
5,366
edits
Sexual selection: Difference between revisions
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
→Sexual selection can increase but also decrease fitness
| Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
Selection refers to a mechanism that decides who gets to pass on their genes to the next generation. '''Sexual selection''' refers to selection done by members of the opposite sex, e.g. in accordance to their ''mate preferences'', but the choices of parents and other family members influencing mating (e.g. arranged marriages) are also subsumed under sexual selection. | Selection refers to a mechanism that decides who gets to pass on their genes to the next generation. '''Sexual selection''' refers to selection done by members of the opposite sex, e.g. in accordance to their ''mate preferences'', but the choices of parents and other family members influencing mating (e.g. arranged marriages) are also subsumed under sexual selection. | ||
== Sexual selection can increase but also decrease fitness == | == Sexual selection can increase but also decrease fitness == | ||
{{See also|{{W|Functional extinction}}}}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>[https://www.dartmouth.edu/~robertcox/Teaching_files/lecture9.ppt 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 ([[fitness]]). | {{See also|{{W|Functional extinction}}}}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>[https://www.dartmouth.edu/~robertcox/Teaching_files/lecture9.ppt 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 chances ([[fitness]]). | ||
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> | 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> | ||
== Human beings are less effected by sudden environmental changes == | == Human beings are less effected by sudden environmental changes == | ||