Which type of selection directly contributes to the adaptation of a population in allopatric speciation?

In the context of allopatric speciation, disruptive selection plays a crucial role in driving adaptation within a population that has become geographically isolated. When a population is split into two or more isolated groups, the environmental pressures can differ between these groups. Disruptive selection favors individuals at both extremes of a phenotypic trait distribution while selecting against the average, which can lead to increased variation within the population.

This process allows for the development of distinct traits that are better suited to the specific environmental conditions present in the different habitats that the isolated groups occupy. Over time, these adaptations can facilitate divergence to the point where reproductive isolation occurs, ultimately leading to the formation of new species.

In contrast, directional selection tends to favor one extreme of a trait, which may not support the diverse adaptations that occur in allopatric settings. Stabilizing selection would reduce variation in a trait by favoring intermediate phenotypes, thereby not promoting the divergence necessary for speciation. Artificial selection is driven by human intervention rather than natural environmental pressures and does not occur in nature's selective processes. Therefore, the option that best describes the type of selection that directly contributes to the adaptation of populations during allopatric speciation is the one that emphasizes the advantages given to extreme traits, which