I do not use this feature so I may be
off
Look at the text. It says
applies to... , so that implies this is no for use only during import
As to #2
This has always bugged me that folk need to tag things that can be inferred.
If it ain't non-fiction, what else could it be?
Fiction.Science fiction

seems really redundant
YMMV
And there are non-fiction subjects that have no fiction counter part . Fiction.Ford F-series owners manual (OTOH F-150 repair might be wishful

)
There are subjects that do need the distinction, So in those cases I WOULD use them as hierarchical. BUT subject.fiction, subject.non-fiction or subject.<subcategory>
Are you looking for Fiction or are you looking for a
topic that is non-fiction? Can you see my logic.
Young adult is a filter, not a topic