Can a trait evolve to ensure the survival of a species? Solution Yes. A trait can evolve for the mere survival of a species. This occurs most frequently in the cases of microbes which are exposed to antibiotics or other toxic chemicals. What happens is the genetic material gets altered or mutated (positively), which means they gain some beneficial functions, which enables them to evade the action of the antibiotic. So the subsequent generations will all be resistant to the antibiotic. This kind of evolution of a trait for the survival of species can also occur in some higher organisms..