What is sexual selection?

Sexual selection is best defined as a form of natural selection that specifically relates to an individual's success in obtaining mates. This process involves various traits that can enhance reproductive success, such as physical characteristics, behaviors, or displays that attract potential partners. For instance, features like bright plumage in birds or elaborate courtship rituals can make individuals more appealing to the opposite sex, thus increasing their chances of reproducing and passing on their genes.

This concept is critical within evolutionary biology, as it explains how certain traits may evolve not just for survival, but because they confer advantages in attracting mates. Traits favored by sexual selection may sometimes even be disadvantageous for survival, highlighting the complex interplay between different types of selection pressures in shaping species over time.