International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 249-259 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 25 3 environments (such as hidden nest sites and Spaces for avoiding enemies) reduce the risk of being preyed upon or harmed by bad weather (Ord, 2021). Territoriality grants reproductive priority to individuals. Males occupying territory can usually mate with females earlier or more frequently, and territorial females can also have exclusive rearing space, thereby directly increasing the number and quality of offspring (Lopez-peinado et al., 2024). Territorial behavior can also enhance the indirect components of fitness. Territorial defense promotes the establishment of "familiar neighbor" relationships - a certain tacit understanding is formed among neighbors through repeated interactions (the so-called "intimate enemy" effect), reducing unnecessary conflicts (Nieskiewicz et al., 2024). On the other hand, territorial behavior may also incur certain fitness costs. Continuous territory defense increases energy consumption, injury risk, and the probability of exposure to predators (Ord, 2021). In most cases, the net effect of territorial behavior on fitness remains positive: territorial landowners have a higher survival probability and reproductive success than those without territory, thus leaving more offspring in the population (Lopez-peinado et al., 2024). 4 Territorial Behavior and Community Structure 4.1 Territorial overlap and niche differentiation among species In multi-species coexisting ecosystems, territorial behavior can promote spatial differentiation among species by reducing niche overlap, thereby maintaining the stability of community structure (Berlusconi et al., 2025). When different species utilize similar resources and meet spatially, territorial interactions between heterospecies individuals often occur, which is called interspecific territoriality (Drury et al., 2020). Heterologous territorial behavior promotes niche differentiation. Through territorial exclusion, different species each occupy specific microhabitats or spatial blocks, reducing direct conflicts in resource utilization. Recently, an experiment on five closely related species of the Eurasian Tit family was carried out in Italy: Researchers observed that these tit species excluded each other by forest type during the breeding season, and different species communities were spatially separated in the vast woodlands (Berlusconi et al., 2025). Of course, the intensity of territorial exclusion between species varies greatly depending on the paired species. Generally speaking, species with close kinship and highly overlapping ecological niches tend to have the most intense territorial conflicts. Conversely, if the ecological demands of species vary greatly, there will be few territorial interactions (Drury et al., 2020). 4.2 The regulatory role of territoriality in the interaction between predators and prey Territorial behavior plays a crucial role in the relationship between predators and prey, capable of altering predation stress under specific conditions and shaping the spatial distribution of prey (Clermont et al., 2025). The territory of predators is often equivalent to a "buffer zone" or "refuge" for prey: due to the repulsion among predators, each individual only controls a limited area, so the risk of prey in boundaries or vacant patches is relatively reduced. Furthermore, territoriality also determines the way predators exploit their prey. Generally, the size of a territory is closely related to the abundance of prey resources, and predators adjust their activity range according to the density of prey (Sells et al., 2021). Theoretical research indicates that this "expansion-contraction" mechanism helps stabilize the system: when the number of prey decreases, predators are forced to expand their territory, and the density drops accordingly, providing the prey with recovery space. When the number of prey increases, the territory shrinks and the number of predators increases. The increased predation pressure then inhibits the unlimited growth of prey (Weiner et al., 2019). The ecological outcomes of territoriality, however, depend strongly on context. Inside a predator’s territory, prey face higher risks, yet “super predation” by multiple predators is avoided, since intruders are excluded. On the other hand, if territorial defense limits the predator’s patrol range too strictly, some prey may exploit overlooked areas to evade capture and continue reproducing (White et al., 2020). 4.3 The impact of territorial behavior on community stability and diversity Territorial behavior changes the stability and diversity of communities by shaping competition within species and among different species (Weiner et al., 2019). This influence is bidirectional. In many cases, land division helps
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