Final answer:
Natural selection can slow or curtail sexual selection if the traits favored by sexual selection, such as large ornate tails in peacocks, reduce the individual's ability to survive and reproduce. This leads to a balance where the trait is present but not to a detrimental extreme.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sexual selection can be influenced by natural selection in several ways. For instance, although sexual selection may favor peacocks with large, ornate tails because these tails are attractive to peahens, natural selection might slow or curtail these traits if they compromise the peacock's ability to survive. Predators can more easily spot and catch those with larger tails, so there's a natural limit to how extravagant these tails can become before they diminish a peacock's chances of survival. Additionally, the energy expenditure required to grow and maintain such a tail could be detrimental to the peacock's health or ability to escape predators. Therefore, although sexual selection might favor larger, more colorful tails as a sign of fitness, natural selection can act to prevent these traits from becoming so extreme that they seriously hinder survival, potentially leading to a balance where the trait is pronounced but not overly exaggerated.