Can you have continuous change when you have isolated populations who are facing different environmental pressures, which are pushing them in different directio

Can you have continuous change when you have isolated populations who are facing different environmental pressures, which are pushing them in different directions? "Continuous change" suggests a story with a narrative, an outcome that grew naturally from the initial trends, rather than being frequently convulsed by contrary trends in a world that saw multiple reverses of global climate trends during various periods of glaciation interrupted by inter glacial periods.