The causes of evolutionary consequences of sexual selection

性选择的进化后果包括生物多样性存在的一些最明显的方面，包括男性和女性在体型、外表和行为上的显著差异。这些差异对研究人员思考性选择的方式和普通公众看待进化的方式产生了巨大的影响。事实上，达尔文提出了他的性选择理论来解释性别差异的进化，比如像孔雀尾巴这样的奢侈特征，这些特征在生存方面显然是不适应的，因此不能用它们对非性健康的影响来解释。在过去的150年里，研究人员已经很好地理解了性选择在这些明显的第二性特征进化中的作用，这些特征为个体成功繁殖提供了服务。然而，关于性选择的其他更基本的方面的问题仍然没有得到回答。例如，性选择在新物种起源中的作用是什么？性选择是促进还是阻碍适应？性选择是否有助于消除每一代人不断出现的有害突变？为什么性选择的常见原因--配偶偏好会发生变化？利用实验室实验和遗传理论，我的研究项目解决了这些问题，最终目标是对进化机制以及产生的特征和物种的多样性产生更强有力的理解。通过这样做，我实验室的学生在进化遗传学、生态学和进化论方面获得了宝贵的培训，同时还获得了生物学中常见实验系统的实践经验。归根结底，进化生物学最重要的价值之一在于为生命的多样性以及它是如何产生的提供了一个优雅的生物学解释。我们的研究试图提高我们对性选择对此的贡献的理解。

The evolutionary consequences of sexual selection include some of the most visible aspects of biological diversity that exist including the striking differences between males and females in body size, appearance, and behaviour. These differences have had a huge impact on the way researchers have thought about sexual selection and the way the general public views evolution. Indeed, Darwin proposed his theory of sexual selection to account for the evolution of sex-differences, such as extravagant displays traits like the peacock's tail, that are clearly maladaptive in terms of survival and therefore cannot be explained by their affects on non-sexual fitness. Over the past 150 years, researchers have come to understand well sexual selection's role in the evolution of such conspicuous secondary sexual traits that serve individuals in successfully reproducing. However, questions concerning other more fundamental aspects of sexual selection remain unanswered. For example, what is sexual selection's role in the origin of new species? Does sexual selection promote or hinder adaptation? Does sexual selection contribute to the removal of harmful mutations that constantly arise every generation? Why do mate preferences, a common cause of sexual selection, evolve? Using laboratory experiments and genetic theory, my research program addresses such questions with the ultimate goal of developing a more robust understanding of the mechanisms of evolution and the diversity of traits and species that are produced. In doing so, students in my lab receive valuable training in evolutionary genetics and ecological and evolutionary theory, along with practical experience with common experimental systems in biology. In the end, one of evolutionary biology's most important values lies in providing an elegant biological explanation of the diversity of life and how it arose. Our research seeks to improve our understanding of sexual selection's contribution to this.