This session focuses on the work of early-career ecologists who conduct experiments emphasizing the role of mycorrhizal fungi in grassland ecosystems. The aim is to inspire new collaborations and build upon the success and creativity of emerging research ideas. The presenters will speak on topics such as, but not limited to, the influence of mycorrhizas on grassland soil quality and biodiversity, above- and belowground dynamics in grassland restorations, mycorrhizal dispersal and symbiotic functioning, and multi-trophic mycorrhizal interactions and modeling determined from both greenhouse and field experiments. While research topics will vary, presenters will concentrate on two unifying themes. First, each speaker will link the benefits of mycorrhizal symbioses to provisioning and supporting services and ultimately grassland resilience. Second, speakers will report only one or two substantial findings from their previous research before extending those findings by sharing future research questions/objectives and explaining upcoming experiments. After all presentations are complete, the remainder of session time will be used for extended discussion. Discussion will focus on the ecological implications of each speaker’s key results as well as feedback on their emerging research ideas. With a mixture of established and early-career scientists, this phase of the session will provide opportunities to share ecological expertise and perspective across basic to complex questions about mycorrhizal functioning in a changing world. This may result in formation of new professional collaborations, imagining solutions to research design hurdles, and cross-pollination of creative ideas for new investigations of mycorrhizal ecology between individuals, institutions, and paradigms.