▁how ▁inten se ▁sexual ▁competition ▁is ▁in ▁a ▁species , ▁and ▁also ▁in ▁the ▁study ▁of ▁the ▁relationship ▁of ▁sexual ▁selection ▁to ▁sexual ▁dim orphism . ▁The ▁OS R ▁is ▁closely ▁linked ▁to ▁the ▁" pot ential ▁rate ▁of ▁reprodu ction " ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁sex es ; ▁that ▁is , ▁how ▁fast ▁they ▁each ▁could ▁reproduce ▁in ▁ideal ▁circumstances . ▁Usually ▁variation ▁in ▁potential ▁re product ive ▁rates ▁creates ▁bias ▁in ▁the ▁OS R ▁and ▁this ▁in ▁turn ▁will ▁affect ▁the ▁strength ▁of ▁selection . ▁The ▁OS R ▁is ▁said ▁to ▁be ▁bi ased ▁toward ▁a ▁particular ▁sex ▁when ▁sex ually ▁ready ▁members ▁of ▁that ▁sex ▁are ▁more ▁abund ant . ▁ ▁For ▁example , ▁a ▁male - bi ased ▁OS R ▁means ▁that ▁there ▁are ▁more ▁sex ually ▁compet ing ▁males ▁than ▁sex ually ▁compet ing ▁females . ▁ ▁Some ▁factors ▁that ▁affect ▁OS R ▁The ▁oper ational ▁sex ▁ratio ▁is ▁affected ▁by ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁time ▁each ▁sex ▁sp ends ▁in ▁car ing ▁for ▁young ▁or ▁in ▁recover ing ▁from ▁m ating . ▁For ▁example , ▁if ▁females ▁ce ase ▁m ating ▁activity ▁to ▁care ▁for ▁young , ▁but ▁males ▁do ▁not , ▁then ▁more ▁males ▁would ▁be ▁ready ▁to ▁mate , ▁thus ▁creating ▁a ▁male ▁bi ased ▁OS R . ▁One ▁aspect ▁of ▁gest ation ▁and ▁recovery ▁time ▁would ▁be ▁cl utch ▁loss . ▁Cl utch ▁loss ▁is ▁when ▁off spring ▁or ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁off spring ▁is ▁lost , ▁due ▁to ▁an ▁accident , ▁pred ation , ▁etc