Abstract:Background Benefiting from its diverse ecological environments and favorable natural conditions, Northeast China has become one of the regions richest in macrofungal resources. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the diversity and resource status of macrofungi in certain areas of this region, particularly due to the lack of systematic and long-term investigations.Objective To investigate the species diversity and seasonal succession patterns of macrofungi in the Red Leaf Valley of Hancongling, Jilin Province, China and to establish a scientific basis for the conservation and sustainable use of fungal resources in the region.Methods From 2019 to 2021, systematic field surveys were conducted annually from july to september using quadrat and random sampling methods. Macrofungal specimens were identified based on morphological characteristics and nrDNA sequence data.Results A total of 1 394 macrofungal specimens were collected, and 787 species were identified, belonging to 2 phyla, 6 classes, 22 orders, 79 families, and 210 genera. These included 107 edible species, 99 medicinal species, and 71 toxic species, with 80 species exhibiting overlapping attributes. According to the Chao1 index, it was estimated that there were over 2 113 species of macrofungi in this region. Agaricaceae, Mycena, and Paxillus involutus were identified as the most dominant family, genus, and species, respectively. Temporal dynamics showed that wood-decaying fungi appeared earlier than soil fungi (ectomycorrhizal and soil saprotrophic fungi), a pattern that may be closely related to the seasonal variation in substrate availability. Edible and medicinal fungi were primarily associated with wood-decaying ecological types, whereas toxic fungi were more evenly distributed across different functional groups. The community analysis results suggested that diverse vegetation types might be more favorable for the formation of macrofungal fruiting bodies.Conclusion This study highlighted the high species diversity and distinct seasonal succession patterns of macrofungi in the Red Leaf Valley of Hancongling, and proposed a new method for evaluating dominant macrofungal taxa. The findings provide a valuable scientific reference for regional fungal conservation and the development of sustainable utilization strategies.