carbohydrates, and lipids, have been estimated.

For
such investigations, coupling of molecular and isotopic
analysis is necessary. Today, the most suitable
technique is the analysis of the stable carbon isotope
ratio of single molecules after separation by gas chromatography.
With this technique, the incorporation
of the precursor molecules into soil organic matter
may be studied on sites, which were subjected to a
C3–C4 vegetation change. To carry out a kinetic study,
suitable field trials are necessary. Using this technique,
Dignac et al. (2005)[9] were able to show that lignin,

centage of oil in the pore space, compared to the total

fluid volume. Similarly the permeability with respect
to water flow depends on the cross-sections of the
water-filled parts of the pores between grains. Thecentage of oil in the pore space,
compared to the total
fluid volume. Similarly the permeability with respect
to water flow depends on the cross-sections of the
water-filled parts of the pores between grains. The
relative permeability is the permeability of a fluid
phase in the presence of another fluid phase compared
to the permeability in the same rock when only one
fluid is present. If the percentage of oil in the pores is
less than 20–30% the relative permeability of oil is so
low that it will move very slowly or not at all com-
pared to water. In some cases pore networks may be
filled with water, oil and gas and then we have to
consider 3-phase flow. Shales have normally low per-
meability for water and even lower relative permeabil-
ity for oil. Shales are barriers
fluid is present. If the percentage of oil in the pores is
less than 20–30% the relative permeability of oil is so
low that it will move very slowly or not at all com-
pared to water. In some cases pore networks may be
filled with water, oil and gas and then we have to
consider 3-phase flow. Shales have normally low per-
meability for water and even lower relative permeabil-
ity for oil. Shales are barriers
which is degraded slowly in the first stages of litter
decomposition, turns over in soil at a much higher rate
than total carbon. Along with similar results obtained
by Wiesenberg et al. (2004)[8] for the lipid fraction,
these findings question the generally admitted idea that
aromatic and aliphatic substances are the main precursors
of soil organic matter. By contrast, carbohydrates,
which were considered among the most labile SOM
compounds, were found to turn over at a similar rate
as total soil carbon in some physical fractions of
soils.[10] These results are likely to change our understanding
of SOM formation. To this end, it was suggested
that microbial carbon may be an important