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Sexual Selection: A Case Study

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2 Sexual selection

A special type of natural selection in which the sexes acquire distinct forms either because the members of one sex choose mates with particular features or because in the competition for mates among those with certain traits succeed. If females base their sexual selection on a mate who has favourable characteristics, then the smaller sized individuals will be selected against (Gayon.2010).
Inside the Origin of Species it was found that Charles Darwin deposited a second theory of evolution. This process occurred not only as a result of natural selection, but also on the fittest individuals and mentioning that "a struggle between males for possession of females" was a main challenge for mating (Allen.2014). According to Robert …show more content…

House of finch females prefer more-intensely colored males-which happen to be older ones. Environment does play a role in effects of sexual selection in unpredictable ways (Allen.2014).
Sexual selection is influenced by both development and adult environments and is also often assumed to be strong and consistent, yet increasing research shows it can fluctuate over a space and time (Gillespie, Miller, et al. 2014).
Fluctuations in sexual selection overtime appear to be common (Siepielski et al.2011) in part because of environment context dependence of mate choice. Females are known to alter their mating decisions due to, for instance, predator pressure (Briggs, Godin.1996), the decision made by other females based on their own condition and developmental history (Clark et al.1997). Variation in female mate choice can result in the form, direction, and intensity of sexual selection on males (Gillespie, Miller, et al. 2014). These fluctuations in selection may have important evolutionary implications, such as maintaining genetic variation in sexual selected traits (Gillespie, Miller, et al. 2014).

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