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Types of Selection

Types of Selection

Natural selection influences the frequencies of particular alleles and phenotypes within populations in several different ways. Primarily, natural selection can be directional, stabilizing, or disruptive. Directional selection favors one extreme trait and shifts the population towards that phenotype while selecting against individuals displaying alternate traits. Stabilizing selection favors an intermediate trait with a narrow range of variation. Deviation from the optimal phenotype towards an...

Genetics of Speciation

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

Natural Selection and Mating Preferences

The principle of natural selection posits that organisms better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. This principle is closely intertwined with mating preferences, a key aspect of sexual selection, which evolutionary psychologists believe is driven by instincts to propagate one's genes. Such instincts significantly influence mating behaviors and preferences between genders.
Females, due to their biological roles in conception, pregnancy, and nursing, inherently...

Speciation Rates

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Mate Choice

Mate Choice

Mate choice—the decision about whom to mate with—is a type of natural selection, since animals must reproduce to pass down their genes. Mate choice is also called intersexual selection because the behavior occurs between the sexes.

Frequency-dependent Selection

Frequency-dependent Selection

When the fitness of a trait is influenced by how common it is (i.e., its frequency) relative to different traits within a population, this is referred to as frequency-dependent selection. Frequency-dependent selection may occur between species or within a single species. This type of selection can either be positive—with more common phenotypes having higher fitness—or negative, with rarer phenotypes conferring increased fitness.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 10, 2026

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Following the Dynamics of Structural Variants in Experimentally Evolved Populations

Published on: February 3, 2023

Multivariate sexual selection in a rapidly evolving speciation phenotype.

Kevin P Oh¹, Kerry L Shaw

¹Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA. kpo9@cornell.edu

Proceedings. Biological Sciences

|June 14, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Sexual selection on cricket song traits drives speciation. Stabilizing and directional selection shape male courtship songs, influencing female preferences and reproductive isolation in Laupala crickets.

Keywords:

Laupala acoustic signalling female preference fitness surface repeatability stabilizing selection

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Area of Science:

Evolutionary biology
Behavioral ecology
Speciation research

Background:

Sexual selection on secondary sexual traits can lead to speciation.
Sexual selection is complex, acting on multivariate traits and non-heritable variation.
Laupala crickets show rapid radiation with divergent song and female preferences, but selection patterns are unknown.

Purpose of the Study:

To estimate the fitness surface for acoustic characters in Laupala cerasina.
To understand the role of sexual selection in the diversification of cricket song and female preferences.

Main Methods:

Female phonotaxis trials were used to estimate the fitness surface.
Analysis of song variation within and among males was conducted.
Canonical rotation of nonlinear selection coefficients (γ) was applied.

Main Results:

Significant directional sexual selection was found on three major song traits.
Significant stabilizing sexual selection was detected along combinations of characters.
Higher song repeatability was observed along the axis of stabilizing selection.

Conclusions:

Results align with patterns of song divergence observed during speciation.
Different song characters may convey distinct information to females during courtship.
Sexual selection on acoustic traits likely contributes to reproductive isolation and speciation in Laupala crickets.