Allelopathic plant compounds can influence both plants and
soil microbial communities (Stinson et al., 2006; Lankau &
Strauss, 2007). Although this has yet to be demonstrated, allelopathy
could alter plant communities resulting in altered microbial
communities. Allelopathic chemicals can also negatively
impact soil organisms, and reductions in soil communities then
feed back to impact negatively neighbouring species (Fig. 2;
Stinson et al., 2006; Lankau & Strauss, 2007).