Which process involves the independent evolution of subgroups of a species?

The correct answer is adaptive radiation, which refers to the process by which a single ancestral species rapidly diversifies into a wide variety of forms to adapt to different environments or ecological niches. This often occurs when a species colonizes a new habitat with different resources or challenges, promoting the independent evolution of subgroups that adapt to their specific environmental pressures.

In adaptive radiation, these subgroups evolve distinct traits and behaviors that enhance their survival and reproduction in their respective niches. A well-known example is the evolution of finches on the Galápagos Islands, where a common ancestor diversified into multiple species with different beak shapes adapted to various food sources.

Other processes listed, such as convergent evolution, involve unrelated species developing similar adaptations in response to similar environmental challenges, rather than subgroups of a species. Speciation is the broader term for the formation of new and distinct species, which can result from various evolutionary processes, including adaptive radiation. Gene flow refers to the transfer of genetic material between populations and does not involve independent evolution within subgroups.