PBI 141 Lecture : Mate Preferences and Selection
12 Dec 2013
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Differential reproduction is what drives evolution : reproductive strategies, asexual, benefits, low cost, no energy in finding and retaining a mate, organisms that divide are genetically identical, costs, sexual, costs. Lack of variation, but evolution relies on variation. Any environmental change can wipe out a whole species: only half of our genes are passed on, takes energy to find and retain a mate in order to pass your genes down, benefits. Genetic diversity we can adapt to a changing environment. Sexual selection: darwin"s insight, many physical characteristics of animals are not adaptations to the environment, many physical characteristics are clearly maladaptive, darwin"s insight adaptations occur to guarantee. Reproduction not survival: two broad categories of sexual selection, male-male (intrasexual) competition for access to females. So females evolved better detection skills for spotting male deception. The sex that invests more in offspring (usually the female) will be more discriminating in mate selection.
