Compared with our understanding of the microbial ecology of the rhizosphere (the below-ground parts of plants), our understanding of the microbial ecology of the phyllosphere (the aerial parts of plants) has lagged behind, but this has begun to change in recent years. Here, Julia Vorholt reviews the latest research into the composition of microbial phyllosphere communities, the factors that drive this composition and the adaptation of these communities to the plant environment.
