Impact of prescribed burning on biodiversity and ecosystem multifunctionality of <i>Pinus koraiensis </i>plantation

Aims Biodiversity plays an important role in regulating ecosystem functioning.Fire is an important ecological factor in forest ecosystems, and can significantly affects both above-and below-ground biodiversity, as well as ecosystem functions.However, how biodiversity affects ecosystem multifunctionality (EMF) after prescribed burning, such as forest biomass accumulation and nutrient availability, is still less understood. MethodsIn this study, we investigated Pinus koraiensis plantations in Hongqi Forestry Farm, Hegang, Heilongjiang, four years after the prescribed burning was conducted in 2018 (when the forest environment has stabilized).We used structural equation modeling to assess the relationships of understory plant diversity (species and functional diversity, efficiency and quantity traits) and soil microbial diversity (fungi and bacteria) with EMF. Important findingsWe found that prescribed burning increased both understory plant diversity and EMF.Out of various above and belowground diversity metrics, Trait quantity (i.e., total leaf nitrogen per unit area) and functional diversity (i.e., functional dispersion (FDis) based on leaf dry matter content) were significantly and positively correlated with EMF, while the effect of belowground microbial diversity on EMF was not significant.The prescribed burning explained the highest proportion of variations in EMF (33.7%), followed by Trait quantity (27.5%) and functional diversity (13.9%).The results suggest that in P. koraiensis plantations, enhancing nutrient accumulation and trait diversity in the understory layer is an effective strategy to improve EMF after prescribed