Which process results from the genetic divergence of separated populations?

The correct answer pertains to the concept of speciation, which is the evolutionary process through which new biological species arise. When populations of a species become separated—either geographically or reproductively—they experience different selective pressures and genetic drift over time. This separation can lead to significant genetic divergence as each population adapts to its unique environment or experiences random changes in its gene pool.

While allopatric speciation is a specific type of speciation that occurs when populations are geographically isolated, the broader term "speciation" encompasses all forms of species formation, including those that occur without geographical separation, like sympatric speciation. Adaptive radiation refers specifically to the rapid diversification of a species into a variety of forms that adapt to different environments, which is a result of speciation rather than the process itself. Disruptive selection is a form of natural selection that favors individuals at both extremes of a trait, potentially leading to speciation, but it is not directly the result of genetic divergence of separated populations in itself. Thus, the idea of genetic divergence leading to the formation of new species fits best under the general definition of speciation.