It examines which conditions favor the extravagant displays and ornaments, or signals, some organisms poses, despite their lack of evolutionary value in terms of fitness.
Condition dependent signaling research seeks to understand the true plasticity of sexual traits and determine if they may be more or less favored under different types of environmental stress.
In one study researchers conducted an experiment to better understand condition dependent signaling of acoustic calling in relation to food availability.
They studied crickets in the wild where they supplemented the experimental groups food supply to see if that would allow the males to allocate more energy toward calling.
In areas of food and water abundance the organisms may be healthier and better able to allocate more resources toward producing the acoustic calls.
[3] The bluegill sunfish is a striking example of using an alternative mating tactic in conditions were the smaller males are not favored by the direct method.
There is a direct method in this species dependent on typical sexual signaling such as size and coloring and they are referred to as 'Parentals'.
Satellites and Sneakers use the alternative method of female mimicry and sneaking to outcompete the Parental competitors who use a courting and guarding tactic.