International Journal of Molecular Ecology and Conservation, 2025, Vol.15, No.5, 249-259 http://ecoevopublisher.com/index.php/ijmec 25 4 species to coexist, keeps species numbers stable, and makes communities stronger (Berlusconi et al., 2025). But sometimes, if a species has too much land and strong defense capabilities, it may instead reduce overall diversity (Hata et al., 2020). How a community eventually develops depends on factors such as the strength of its defense capabilities, the traits of each species, and how resources are disseminated. Incorporating land behavior into community studies helps explain coexistence in ways that old models cannot account for. For instance, studies on forest birds have shown that strong territorial habits can create clear spatial patterns. Even if the competition is unfair, diversity can remain stable. Clear land demarcation enables many species to survive in the same location, even if their competitiveness varies greatly (Weiner et al., 2019). This indicates that conservation should maintain the stability of the territorial system of important species. 5 Typical Case Analyses 5.1 Territorial nature and reproductive ecology of birds Under the background of urbanization, the territorial behavior of songbirds also shows a certain degree of behavioral plasticity. Research on the dark-eyed lampshade finch in campus environments shows that when "human interference is reduced", their territorial aggressiveness decreases and their range of activity also Narrows. Specifically, during the period of pandemic lockdowns (referred to as the "anthropostatic period" when human activities decreased), the chirping responses of these birds to territorial invasions weakened, and their movement distances were significantly shortened compared to the normal period in 2019 (Walters, 2022). 5.2 Territorial cases of mammals Among mammals, wolves and lions are classic representatives of territorial behavior research. The Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) lives in small family packs (Wolf packs) led by core breeding pairs. Each Wolf pack occupies a certain area of territory and defends territory boundaries by howling, scent marking and patrolling (Sells et al., 2021; Hansen et al., 2025). The size of a Wolf's territory can range from tens to hundreds of square kilometers, depending on the density of prey and terrain conditions. The results show that Wolf packs select important foraging patches within their territory in an economically efficient way to maximize food acquisition while reducing conflicts with neighboring Wolf packs (Sells et al., 2021). The social organization and territorial behavior of African lions (Panthera leo) are different from those of wolves. Lions adopt a group structure with separated sexual behavior: A pride of several blood-related female lions and their cubs occupies a shared territory, while adult male lions usually form small alliances, patrol and defend a certain area to monopolize the female pride within that area (Clermont et al., 2025). The territory of the Lion Alliance varies from tens of square kilometers to hundreds of square kilometers depending on the abundance of prey on the grassland and the number of competing lions. The cases of wolves and lions demonstrate the diversity of mammalian territoriality: wolves' territories are based on family units, focusing on maximizing foraging resources and avoiding cross-group conflicts; The territory of lions is divided by gender roles. The male territory protects the right to reproduce, while the female territory corresponds to the range of cooperative hunting. 5.3 Research on territorial behavior of fish and reptiles In fish and reptiles, there are also obvious territorial behaviors, but the ways and ecological backgrounds are different. Many tropical freshwater fish (especially cichlids) are known for their strong territorial nature. Take the cichlids in African lakes as an example: During the breeding season, male cichlids will clear a specific area at the bottom of the lake as their spawning territory, show off their bright body color and drive away invading male fish of the same kind, attracting female fish to enter the territory to spawn. Male fish not only have to protect their spawning pits from being occupied by other male fish, but also need to guard against the invasion of foreign species that feed on eggs. Frequent patrols by male fish were more effective in reducing the risk of egg predation than direct attacks. Eventually, these actively patrolling male fish achieved higher reproductive success (Snekser et al., 2024). Ecological factors such as nesting and defense behaviors of male fish play an important role in
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