In Biology, How is sexual selection related to natural selection?

Answer 1

Sexual selection determines natural selection since the survival and propagation of particular genes is what determines the directions of evolution.

Often, sexual selection features seem unrelated to features that might naively be expected to determine survival. An example is the tail of the peacock. This is important in determining a peahen's receptivity to sex but is, by itself, counterproductive for the peacock's survival ( i.e. large displays are attractive to the peahen but make the peacock slower and clumsier ). Features that improve sexual attractiveness to the opposite sex seem, sometimes, to be wasteful. However, the basis that Darwin first explained is that the apparent waste of energy or features actually indicates to the opposite sex that the subject can AFFORD to make the display.

Even with humans, such seemingly wasteful displays as flashy clothes and cars indicates to females that the male can afford such extravagance and, therefore, MIGHT be more likely to be able to take care of her and her offspring.

Answer 2

Using deer for an example: Male Deer fight for dominance to mate with the females in the herd. The healthiest and strongest male gets most of the female deer pregnant. This selects the best gene mix by favoring the best male deer for breeding exclusivity and keeps the herd strong.

Answer 3

If you can chose your mate(sexual selection), then usually only the best genes get passed from one generation to the next(natural selection).