Lespedeza cuneata is shrubby legume native to Asia, but it is considered to be a noxious, weedy invader of prairies and old field communities in North America, where it can displace native Lespedezas. L. cuneata has a high capacity for nitrogen fixation, and its litter has been show to have some allelopathic properties, so its arrival can affect the soil ecosystem and the plant and microbial communities in many ways. We are studying how L. cuneata affects the soil microbial communities of invaded sites, and we are also trying to understand how interactions with soil microorganisms can affect the establishment and population growth of L. cuneata.