Look at these pretty birds - Sexual Selection

Sexual Selection is the reproductive advantage that some individuals have over other individuals of the same sex within the same species. Therefore, sexual selection can have a profound effect on the fitness of an organism. Organisms partake in sexual selection intrasexually by male-male competition or intersexually by female choice. In order for a male to find a mate, they will partake in endurance contests, fights, and even infanticide, all in order to increase access to mates any way they can. However, sexual selection can end up causing males to spend more time attracting a female mate rather than spending time on obtaining food and watching out for predators. Some of the adaptations male birds have do not always give a competitive advantage, but they can be directly selected for by females, which then ensures their reproductive success in passing on their genetic material. In this circumstance, sexual selection to find a mate becomes a trade-off.

Some of the most beautiful birds in the world live in eastern Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, and eastern Austrailia, and are called the Birds of Paradise. These birds are a great example of sexual selection. Watch this video below and think about how the birds partake in sexual selection, why they act the way they do, and how it might be considered a trade off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7QZnwKqopo&feature=youtu.be

Why does this matter??

Why do people spend their whole lives studying evolution and natural selection? Studying evolutionary biology tells us a lot about where we came from, as well as where we are going, as a species. Additionally, it tells us a whole lot about how we got to the vast diversity of organisms we see today. Each organism didn’t just happen to show up by chance. They changed and kept on evolving over many years to get where they are today. By studying evolution, we can use this information in many practical ways such as to see how organisms react to environmental change, how we can most effectively manage conservation efforts, and to learn more about antibiotic resistance.

With all that being said, why does our misconception matter? By acknowledging the fact that the the fittest organisms in a population are NOT always those that are strongest, healthiest, fastest, and/or largest, we get to see how their populations have evolved over time, and how to study what factors are most important to that species in order to reproduce and survive throughout generations. This has many implications that will ultimately help us in conservation efforts of species that are threatened or endangered.

If you are feeling like you get this concept or want to learn more, there was a great article published in Nature Reviews Genetics called “Fitness and its role in evolutionary genetics.” This is just one example of why studying evolution and fitness is important. Follow the link here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2753274/

Literature cited:

Orr H.A. Fitness and its role in evolutionary genetics. Nat. Rev. Genet. 2009;10:531–539

Natural Selection Is Not Perfect: Trade Offs!

Referring back to the Peacock example, a female peacock chooses her mate based on her attraction to the pattern and length of the male's tails.  However, the prettier and longer tails come with a reduced ability to camouflage and escape from predators.  Common predators are wild dogs, raccoons, and tigers.  The ability of a male to pass on their genes to offspring outweighs the ability of the male to escape predators, so the presence of the bright colored tails remains constant.

Burgess, Stuart. "Peacock Tail Beauty and Problems with Theory of Sexual Selection." Answers in Genesis. Journal of Creation, 15 Aug. 2001. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

Animals, World. "Do Peacocks Have Any Predators?" AnimalAnswerscouk Everything You Need to Know about Your Favourite Animals. World of Animals, 13 Aug. 2014. Web. 03 Mar. 2016.

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