What is meant by divergent evolution?

Divergent evolution refers to the process by which two or more related species become more dissimilar over time. This occurs when these species evolve from a common ancestor and adapt to different environments or niches. As they experience different selective pressures, they accumulate changes that can lead to the emergence of distinct species, each with unique adaptations.

The idea behind divergent evolution is rooted in the concept of speciation, where populations of a common ancestor gradually evolve into different forms. This can be seen in various examples across the tree of life, such as the different species of finches in the Galápagos Islands, which adapted to different feeding strategies and environments while deriving from a common ancestor.

The other options represent different evolutionary concepts. One describes convergent evolution, where unrelated species evolve similar traits due to analogous selection pressures, while another suggests a scenario involving random mutations without the context of speciation. However, in the context of divergent evolution, the focus is on the branching out from a shared lineage into distinct forms.