Divergent evolution is the process by which a single species evolves into two or more distinct species due to different environmental pressures. Synonyms for this term include divergent speciation, adaptive radiation, and evolutionary divergence. Divergent speciation refers to the process by which two populations within a species evolve into two distinct species due to divergent environmental pressures. Adaptive radiation describes the process by which a single ancestral species evolves into many diverse species in a relatively short period of time. Evolutionary divergence refers to the process by which two populations of a species evolve in different directions due to different environmental pressures, eventually leading to two distinct species.