Phenotypic plasticity and sexual selection can each promote adaptation in variable environments, but their combined influence on adaptive evolution is not well understood. We propose that sexual selection can facilitate adaptation in variable environments when individuals prefer mates that produce adaptively plastic offspring. We develop this hypothesis and review existing studies showing that diverse groups display both sexual selection and plasticity in nonsexual traits. Thus, plasticity could be a widespread but unappreciated benefit of mate choice. We describe methods and opportunities to test this hypothesis and describe how sexual selection might foster the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. Understanding this interplay between sexual selection and phenotypic plasticity might help predict which species will adapt to a rapidly changing world.

表型可塑性和性选择均可促进可变环境中的适应，但对适应进化的综合影响尚不十分清楚。我们建议，当个体更喜欢产生适应性塑料后代的伴侣时，性选择可以促进在可变环境中的适应。我们提出了这一假设，并回顾了现有研究，这些研究表明，不同群体在非性特征中都表现出性选择和可塑性。因此，可塑性可能是伴侣选择的普遍但未得到重视的好处。我们描述了检验该假设的方法和机会，并描述了性选择如何促进表型可塑性的演变。了解性选择和表型可塑性之间的这种相互作用可能有助于预测哪些物种将适应迅速变化的世界。