Metabolic profiling reveals a functional succession of active fungi during the decay of Mediterranean plant litter

► Rare taxa with higher functional potential in early stages of decomposition. ► Later phases of decomposition characterized by species with intermediate frequency. ► Interspecific competition on some substrates at the start of substrate exploitation. ► Redundancy in the utilization of N-related compounds. ► Redundancy changed with the successive phases of leaf litter decomposition.