Are insects the only organisms responsible for the maintenance
of plant diversity? Hunter and Price (1992) suggested that
members of soil microbial communities, including decomposers,
pathogens and mutualists, probably influence plant community
structure as well. Environmental regulation and nutrient availability,
factors often regulated by the soil community, probably
play a role in mediating plant competitive abilities (Huston,
1979), and other factors, such as stress tolerance and facilitation
are probably somewhat regulated by interactions with soil communities.