Question

How did Darwin define sexual selection?

Answer 1

Answer: Charles Darwin defined sexual selection as a specific form of natural selection that occurs when certain traits or behaviors enhance an individual's ability to attract mates and reproduce. He proposed this concept in his book "The Descent of Man" published in 1871.

According to Darwin, sexual selection operates through two main mechanisms:

1) Intrasexual selection: This form of sexual selection involves competition between individuals of the same sex, typically males, for access to mates. The competition can take various forms, such as direct physical combat or display behaviors to impress potential mates. For example, male deer engaging in antler fights or male birds performing elaborate courtship dances to attract females.

2) Intersexual selection: Also known as mate choice, intersexual selection occurs when individuals of one sex, typically females, are selective in choosing their mates based on certain desirable traits or characteristics. Females may prefer males with specific physical attributes, such as bright plumage in birds or elaborate courtship displays. These preferred traits are often indicators of good genetic quality or the ability to provide resources and parental care.

By defining sexual selection, Darwin emphasized that traits or behaviors favored in the context of mating may not necessarily enhance survival or adaptation to the environment. Instead, they increase an individual's reproductive success by increasing their chances of finding and attracting a suitable mate.

In summary, Darwin's definition of sexual selection refers to the process by which certain traits and behaviors are favored in the context of mating, leading to the evolution of exaggerated or elaborate characteristics that enhance an individual's reproductive success. This concept helps explain the evolution of traits that may seem disadvantageous for survival but are advantageous in terms of attracting mates and passing on genes to future generations.

Step-by-step explanation:

Answer 2

Darwin defined sexual selection as a form of natural selection where traits enhance reproductive success through either male-male competition or female selection of mates, leading to features that can be maladaptive for survival but advantageous for mating.

Step-by-step explanation:

Charles Darwin defined sexual selection as a mode of natural selection where certain individuals have greater reproductive success due to traits that are preferred by the opposite sex or advantageous in same-sex competition. The concept revolves around two main types: intrasexual selection, where individuals of the same sex compete for access to mates, and intersexual selection, where individuals of one sex are choosy in selecting their mates. Male-male competition often results in physical traits and behaviors that can enhance the likelihood of winning a mate, although at potential costs to survival.

Female choice leads to preferences for specific traits in males, like elaborate plumage or intricate mating dances. Sexual selection results in sexual dimorphisms and diversifying traits that impact an organism's fitness - its ability to survive and produce fertile offspring.

This evolutionary process leads to features that might appear maladaptive for survival but provide advantages in mating and thus get passed down through generations. Darwin's observations of sexual selection greatly contributed to our understanding of how evolutionary pressures can shape species over time.