Final answer:
Novel traits in organisms can evolve through gene mutations, genetic drift, gene flow, and are favored by natural or sexual selection, leading to an increase in frequency within the population if advantageous.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Do New Traits Evolve?
New traits in organisms can arise through various mechanisms, one of which is gene mutations, which are changes in the genetic makeup of an organism. Mutations can lead to new characteristics that can become prevalent if they provide some adaptive advantage.
Another mechanism is genetic drift, a random process that can cause traits to become more common in a population. Moreover, gene flow, the movement of genes between populations, can introduce new traits. These traits must be advantageous for them to reach a steady and high frequency within a population due to natural or sexual selection. As the environment and genetic variations are constantly changing, traits that are beneficial at one time may become disadvantageous in the future, contributing to the dynamic nature of evolutionary processes.
In sum, the appearance of entirely new traits in a species is a complex process involving mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, and the pressures of natural and sexual selection.