The phrase "a widespread trait" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a characteristic or quality that is common or prevalent among a group of people or things.
Example: "Generosity is a widespread trait among the members of this community."
Alternatives: "a common characteristic" or "a prevalent quality."
Indeed, other forms of disproportionation of nitrite (into N2 and nitrate or N2O and nitrate) and NO (into N2 and nitrate or N2O and nitrite or N2O and nitrate) might be a widespread trait of nitrogen-transforming microorganisms as both reactions are thermodynamically favorable, and can be carried out by already known enzymes29.
To further analyze whether these amino acid repeats are a widespread trait in lemurs, we included three additional species from two different families (Lemuridae and Daubentoniidae) and three different genera (Daubentonia, Varecia and Eulemur).
While more ionizing radiation resistant bacterial species are found in the Actinobacteria than any other phylum, radiation resistance is not a widespread trait in this phylum and may have multiple evolutionary origins.
Massive calcification is a widespread trait across the animal kingdom; obvious examples are found among echinoderms, molluscs, vertebrates and corals.
The production of metabolites with antibiotic activity is a widespread trait of soil microorganisms, and must confer some evolutionary advantage.
The well-developed ROS-scavenging apparatus and high protein synthesis seem to be a widespread trait of nutrition-related cells across different galls.
Throughout the book, Levitin builds many hypotheses upon logical if essentially unverifiable extrapolations of evolutionary theory, using it to account for almost any widespread trait in humans or other animals that is beneficial to mating or survival, so that his faith in the explanatory power of Darwinism becomes almost religious.
The signaling pathways involved in animal and plant defense responses are conserved (Pedley and Martin 2005), and often lead to differential gene expression, suggesting that innate defense systems are an ancient and widespread trait that appeared very early in evolution.
Ballooning is a widespread behavioural trait in invertebrates, which enhances passive aerial dispersal.
"There is a widespread human trait — not just among Americans — of a willingness to give a helping hand, particularly to members of their own tribe," he says.
In plants, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is a widespread phenotypic trait that characterizes a plant's inability to produce viable pollen.
