Effect of artificial forest landscape pattern on multi-biodiversity in hilly area of Loess Plateau

Rapid expansion of plantation forests for ecological restoration has fundamentally altered landscape patterns worldwide, creating unprecedented challenges for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem functions in human-modified landscapes. While landscape patterns significantly influence biodiversity and ecosystem functions, the scale-dependent mechanisms through which these patterns affect multi-taxon biodiversity and ecosystem functions in plantation forests remain insufficiently understood. This study investigates how landscape pattern characteristics influence multi-taxon biodiversity and ecosystem functions across spatial scales in plantation forests of the Loess Plateau hilly region. We selected 20 sampling sites across four habitat types and employed multi-scale analysis (100-1000m) to examine relationships between landscape patterns (fragmentation, heterogeneity, complexity), biodiversity (plants, butterflies, carabids), and ecosystem functions (biomass, pollination, resource utilization). Our results indicate a significant scale dependency in how different biological groups respond to landscape patterns: plant diversity is primarily influenced by land use at a small scale (200 m), butterflies are more sensitive to changes in landscape structure at small scales (200 m), and carabids exhibit cross-scale responses. Landscape heterogeneity and complexity greatly enhance ecosystem functions by providing diverse niches and resources. Furthermore, biodiversity exerts a notably positive effect on vegetation productivity, whereas landscape fragmentation does not significantly affect biodiversity or ecosystem functions. This study reveals novel scale-dependent mechanisms governing biodiversity-landscape relationships, demonstrating that optimal management scales vary significantly among taxa (plants: 200m, butterflies: 200m, carabids: cross-scale responses). Our findings advance landscape ecology theory by quantifying how landscape heterogeneity and complexity drive ecosystem multifunctionality through distinct pathways, while challenging conventional assumptions about fragmentation effects. These scale-specific insights provide a scientific foundation for implementing targeted landscape management strategies that optimize biodiversity conservation and ecosystem service provision across multiple spatial scales in restoration programs.