Figure 2.

Illustration demonstrating interacting spatial scales within agricultural systems that can be considered through a metacommunity framework. Exchange of microorganisms among these spatial scales can impact the success of microbial biological controls. These spatial scales include dispersal of microorganisms (a) within leaf microhabitats, including within the leaf and on the leaf surface; (b) between leaves on the same plant; (c) between neighboring plant hosts of different species, shown here within an intercropping system; (d) from pre-cropping material (either due to legacy effects in the soil or due to remaining plant debris); and (e) from neighboring fields.